Objective Computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) technology
in dentistry has become noticeably more significant in recent years. The further development
of CAD/CAM systems has led to a broader range of applications, more user-friendly
operation, and improved accessibility. The present online survey aimed to investigate
CAD/CAM technology utilisation amongst Austrian dentists as the first social media
pilot study from Europe on this specific topic. Materials and methods For this purpose,
an online survey consisting of 27 questions was created using Google Forms. The questions
were divided into 3 sections: general inquiries, questions for CAD/CAM users, and
questions for nonusers. The questionnaire was randomly distributed to Austrian dentists
via email and social media. A total of 115 responses were submitted. Results The vast
majority of respondents, 52.6% (n = 60), practised as general dentists. Furthermore,
a significant proportion of participants specialised in oral surgery, 17.5% (n = 20),
and orthodontics, 12.3% (n = 14). Approximately half of the respondents, 51.8% (n
= 59), reported having a CAD/CAM device at their current workplace. Amongst the CAD/CAM
users, 70.7% (n = 58) believed that CAD/CAM is important in increasing the number
of patients visiting the dental practice. In total, 54.2% (n = 26) of nonusers indicated
the high initial cost of purchasing a CAD/CAM device as the main reason for not utilising
this technology. Conclusions CAD/CAM technology appears to have infiltrated the workflow
of Austrian dentists with predictions of growing implementation amongst dental practices
in the future.
