New scanner penetration data underscores growing clinician demand for flexible, connected digital workflows

IRVINE, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 31, 2026 / Glidewell, America's foremost digital dental laboratory, is seeing continued momentum in digital impression adoption, with new scanning data showing that digital workflows are expanding across the dental market and reinforcing the value of an open-platform approach.

Glidewell labs have processed an industry-leading 10.5 million cases from intraoral scans. According to the company's 2025 year-end scanning totals, digital impressions now account for 68% of total incoming cases, up from 60% in 2024, 54% in 2023, and just 23% in 2020.

Comprehensive Glidewell data also projects digital impressions reaching 71% in 2026 and 78% by 2029, reflecting a steady shift away from conventional analog workflows.

Digital penetration is especially strong in key categories such as fixed restoratives (73% digital) and preventive care (77% digital).

The continued market shift supports Glidewell's core positioning as an open-platform provider of digital services. The company's cutting-edge digital ecosystem works with scans from any intraoral scanner on the market, giving clinicians the flexibility to choose their preferred hardware while connecting seamlessly to the company's lab and glidewell.io^™ In-Office Solution.

"Dentists are approaching digital dentistry in different ways," said Rob Brenneise, chief growth officer at Glidewell. "What they need from a partner is flexibility. Our open-platform approach gives practices the freedom to use their scanner of choice, produce restorations and oral appliances chairside or submit them to the lab, and streamline their workflow without being locked into a single provider."

As scanner penetration rises, Glidewell believes the next phase of digital dentistry will be defined by how easily devices access and support efficient, flexible, scalable workflows in order to maximize productivity.

"Scanner adoption is growing, but the market is also fragmenting," added Brenneise.
"Practices want the freedom to choose the hardware they trust and the workflow that best fits their business and clinical needs. Glidewell is built to meet them where they are."

Dentists can send a digital impression to Glidewell from their scanner of choice or visit: glidewell.com/send-case/submit-digital-case to learn more.

About Glidewell

Glidewell, based in Irvine, California, is an industry-leading provider of custom laboratory services, innovative technology and continuing education to dental professionals nationwide.

Contact:

Eldon Thompson
Sr. Director of Marketing
mail@glidewelldental.com

SOURCE: Glidewell