Embracing Digital Dentistry: The Era of Connected Dentistry

Digital dentistry started in the 1980s. But according to Dr Wolf-Dieter Perlitz, we’re now entering something entirely new: the era of connected dentistry.In this episode of The Dental Practitioner, host Dr Dominic Aouad sits down with Wolf-Dieter — Head of DS Core Product Management at Dentsply Sirona — to unpack what that means for dentists right now and over the next decade.With a background in engineering and health economics, Wolf-Dieter brings a rare perspective to the conversation: one that balances the technical reality of cloud computing and AI with the practical business case for adoption in everyday practice.They cover the three pillars driving connected dentistry — growth, efficiency, and outcome — and discuss how DS Core acts as a single platform to connect equipment, labs, patients, and clinical workflows. Wolf-Dieter also reflects on 40 years of CEREC, the patient-first mission that started it all, and why the dentists who adopt cloud technology earlier will have the longest runway for the innovations still to come.Topics covered: what connected dentistry means and why it’s distinct from digital dentistry, DS Core as a cloud-native platform, AI applications in clinical workflows, integration with third-party equipment and labs, the business case for cloud adoption, cybersecurity, the CEREC origin story, and what the next 40 years of innovation look like.Interviewer(s): Dr Dominic AouadInterviewee(s): Dr Wolf-Dieter PerlitzRelated Course/Event/Links: Dentsply SironaThe Dental Practitioner is brought to you by the Australian Dental Association NSW. Find resources, episodes, and more at adansw.com.au.If you want to stay up to date with the latest developments in dentistry, check out our upcoming CPD courses at adansw.com.au/cpd.