CAM Companies Unite Against Software Piracy in Digital Dentistry
Milan, Munich, Lyon, Aachen, 11th March 2025
Four leading companies in digital dentistry – CIMsystem (developer of Millbox), FOLLOW-ME! Technology (developer of hyperDENT), GO2cam International (developer of GO2cam Dental), and ModuleWorks (developer of ModuleWorks Dental CAM software) – have formed an alliance to tackle the growing threat of software piracy. This represents a joint commitment to protect patient safety, support innovation, and ensure ethical practices by eliminating piracy in digital dentistry manufacturing software.
The use of pirated CAM software to manufacture dental restorations poses serious risks. Unlike validated and authorized software, pirated versions lack the necessary reliability, certifications, updates and support. This can have serious consequences for dental professionals and patients:
Material Failures and Waste: Pirate software lacks the stringent validation provided by legitimate vendors. Non-validated machining strategies can compromise the structural integrity of restorations, causing premature wear, cracks, or even failure under chewing forces. Poor strategies can also lead to breakage during milling, which wastes time, tools and material.
Software Bugs and Errors: Pirate versions are often outdated, missing essential updates and bug fixes. Errors during machining can lead to waste material, incomplete restorations, or undetected defects in dental indications.
Patient Safety Regulations Violation: Use of pirated software is not in line with EU MDR and US FDA regulations, putting manufacturers and clinicians at legal risk. Using unregulated software can result in liability for dental clinics and laboratories, especially in the event of patient harm.
Absence of Technical Support: Unauthorized users cannot access troubleshooting or optimization support. This results in sub-optimal manufacturing process, leading to flawed restorations, wasted time and materials, and limited capability to process certain materials or indications.
Damage to Reputation: If dental professionals are known to use pirated software, their reputation can be severely damaged. Loss of business, legal consequences, and even closures are likely outcomes.
Broader Industry Implications: The prevalence of pirated software undermines trust in digital dentistry solutions, stifles innovation by taking revenue needed for research and development, and creates an uneven playing field, penalizing ethical labs and clinics.
“Software piracy is not just a violation of intellectual property, it is a direct threat to patient safety,” said Luigi Fanin, Co-Founder of CIMsystem. “This alliance is committed to protecting the integrity and trust of manufacturing in digital dentistry, enabling it to grow further and have a positive impact on people’s well-being.”
“Patients deserve the highest quality restorations produced with proven manufacturing technology using validated tools and workflows,” said Dr. Ferdinand Schwenkert, CEO of FOLLOW-ME! Technology. “We are united in advocating ethical practices and securing innovation for the future of digital dentistry.”
“GO2cam stands with this alliance to promote ethical software use and raise awareness about the risks of piracy,” said Eric Gerval, CEO of GO2cam. “This coalition is a necessary step towards protecting patients and ensuring fairness in the industry.”
“Software innovation to advance patient healthcare is the cornerstone of digital dentistry,” said Ben Weber, Head of Business at ModuleWorks Digital Dentistry. “Together, we estimate a 35% loss of revenue to all our companies due to piracy. This collective loss drastically hinders innovation, slowing down research and development in digitalized dental healthcare.”
To achieve its goal of eliminating software piracy, the alliance has laid down a four-point strategy:
- Awareness Campaigns: Educating the industry on the risks of software piracy.
- Technology Safeguards: Enhancing anti-piracy measures in CAM software.
- Legal Advocacy: Collaborating with regulatory bodies to enforce intellectual property laws.
- Industry Support: Encouraging the adoption of validated, authorized software for safe and efficient dental manufacturing.
Through this strategy, the alliance aims to empower dental labs, clinics and dental CAM vendors with the tools, knowledge and support they need to ensure high-quality, safe and durable restorations, while reinforcing trust in digital dentistry solutions.
The companies will meet face-to-face at the IDS trade fair in Cologne, Germany (25-29 March 2025) to discuss further plans.
More information and contacts:
- CIMsystem, based in Milan, Italy, is the developer of Millbox Dental CAM Software – For more information, please contact Luigi Fanin: fanin@cimsystem.com.
- FOLLOW-ME! Technology, based in Munich, Germany, is the developer of hyperDENT Dental CAM Software – For more information, please contact Isabell Mayer: isabell.mayer@fm-dental.com.
- GO2CAM International, based in Lyon, France, is the developer of GO2cam Dental CAM Software – For more information, please contact Anna Pire: apire@go2cam.net.
- ModuleWorks, based in Aachen, Germany, is the developer of ModuleWorks Dental CAM Software – For more information, please contact Dr. Bert Carl Schindler: bert@moduleworks.com.