The Coolest (and Craziest) Things I Saw at IDS 2025

By Shawn Nowak

Last week I made the trek to IDS in Cologne, Germany—alongside 135,000 other dental nerds from 156 countries. After logging over 108,460 steps (yes, my Apple Watch begged for mercy), I saw some of the most innovative, ridiculous, and downright game-changing stuff in our industry. Here are a few highlights that stood out through the jet lag and bratwurst haze:

🦷 Panther’s New Polish Game

Panther unveiled a new polishing and finishing kit for polymers that’s actually complete—as in, everything you need to make your 3D printed restorations shine like the top of the Chrysler building. Labs using printed provisionals or flexible appliances: take note.

🧬 Detax Joins the Nowak Family

Yes, we made it official with Detax. Their new Flexible Denture Resin is finally something that can compete with Valplast—available in both pink and clear. This isn’t hype; it’s the real deal, and it’s going to give flexible dentures a serious upgrade.

🤖 X-Snap + Bite-Finder = AI That Thinks It’s Your Jaw

X-Snap is now helping design digital articulators directly in 3Shape or Exocad, and when you pair it with Bite-Finder, you’ve got jaw motion determined by AI. It’s like Iron Man got bored and decided to go into dentistry.

🎨 Ideas Dentales & The Stickiest Composite Known to Man

Dany Karam (yes, that Dany) said he’s never used a composite system that stays where it’s put so well. No more chasing material around like you’re playing whack-a-mole. This is a full-shade, light-cure system that’s perfect for those all-on-x cases. Sticky in the best way.

🖨️ Asiga’s New Toys

Asiga showed out. Here’s the rundown:

  • Genira: Upload your scans, and Genira builds your dental models automatically. One click, zero stress.
  • PrintPods: I rolled my eyes at first, thinking this was for dentists. But no—this is for us. Instead of dropping $1000 on a full bottle of resin for those once-a-year shades, you grab a pod. Boom—3-5 units, no shelf clutter, major savings.

📸 Exocad Goes Full AI

They released AI Design, TruSmile Photos, TruSmile Videos, and a few other things that made me wonder if they’re trying to steal my job. The automation is real, and it’s coming fast.

🔩 Metal Printers: Smaller, Cheaper, Finally

Metal 3D printers are no longer the size of a Buick. Riton and Phrozen both had compact units that looked promising—and might even come in at a price that doesn’t require a second mortgage. Watch this space.

💡 Renfert Lights It Up (Literally)

I didn’t know how blind I was until I saw Renfert’s new Light. It’s a game-changer for ceramists—nothing else even comes close. Also, their Silent XSportable dust collector? Perfect for those all-on-x on-site conversions. Toss it in your bag and go.

🦾 Imes Reinvents Milling

Imes showed off a prototype that mills a crown, adds composite, and cures it—all in one machine. It’s still in testing, but if this thing works… it’s going to flip workflows on their heads.

✈️ Final Thoughts

If you’ve never been to IDS, start planning now for 2027. It’s not just a tradeshow—it’s the Olympics of dental tech. Massive, overwhelming, and totally worth it.

Want to hear more about any of these innovations? Just reply to this email—we’ll break it down for you.

Until next time,
Shawn

President, Nowak Dental
(The guy who actually walked 108,460 steps so you didn’t have to)