How tracking dental materials and instruments got started -Interview with LM-Dental™ CEO Timo Helenius

The need for new intelligence to improve material and instrument flows and patient safety in the dental clinics started the development of the first commercially available tracking system LM Dental Tracking System™. The system that uses RFID technology to track, monitor and control instruments and materials has been developed to tackle everyday challenges regarding traceability and documentation at a modern dental clinic.


What were the key drivers that influenced LM™’s decision moving towards an intelligent LM Dental Tracking System™ and what can be tracked wirelessly, Timo Helenius CEO at LM-Dental™?

Digital technology has made enormous advances at dental clinics in the last decade and has improved the efficiency and effectiveness in a modern dental practice. Automating traceability, logistics and infection control documentation, allows staff to work more efficiently and focus on the patient. Internet of things in dentistry enables gathering and analyzing big data for constant improvement of processes, workflows and cost efficiency.

Working together with dental clinics has revealed many challenges related
to material handling and traceability with increasing requirements for patient safety and documentation often emphasized. We realized that with new technology logistics and instrument maintenance could be managed better and more efficiently. To help tackle these challenges LM-Dental™ started to develop the unique tracking system.

Innovative, user-oriented R&D has been the cornerstone of our operations. The development of DTS started in 2011 when a strategic decision was made to further develop the LM™ hand instrument offering with a new handle design and to include intelligence in the instrumentation. The target to add intelligence into instruments initiated an in-depth analysis of latest technologies to enable data migration and storage related to the use of an individual instrument. After research and tests LM™ found RFID as the optimal technology for the purpose. We soon realized that in order to be complete, the system needed to read and track not only our own smart LM-ErgoSense™ instruments but also all moving valuable items and materials in the clinic.

What customer value does LM DTS™ data add to the Planmeca Group offering?

Digital technologies have revolutionized the world of dentistry. One of the leading manufacturers developing digital dentistry using latest technologies has been Planmeca corporation. As part of the Planmeca Group, LM™ wanted to bring the high tech element into the dental instrumentation and maintenance of all materials. Overall, tracking instruments serves many purposes and can contribute to better and cheaper operations at a dental
office – especially in larger settings. Now the LM Dental Tracking System™ is the first commercially available system in the dental industry to efficiently track and monitor dental instruments and materials from all different manufacturers using RFID technology. The system optimizes and streamlines material flows at dental clinics – both in maintenance and clinical care.

How do you see the future of RFID in dental moving forward based on where LM DTS™ is currently?

Instruments, handpieces, filling materials, implants etc. from different manufacturers are wirelessly read in just few seconds. This automates traceability, logistics and the documentation of infection control and allows maintenance staff to to work more efficiently and the clinicians to focus on clinical care.

We can clearly see that the chosen RFID technology platform combined with proprietary software and antenna development for dental tracking is opening endless opportunities to add new features and benefits for the clinics both on strategic management and daily operational level. LM™ is also proud to notice that many renowned and cutting-edge players in the dental branch have noticed the benefits of the LM DTS™ and have partnered with LM adding their invaluable contribution to the system. LM™ is very happy about this and is welcoming even more good partners globally to join the success of LM Dental Tracking
System™.