Starting exocad: a 30-day DentalCAD setup and library plan
Use the first month of an exocad subscription to prove a complete working path: open a permitted training case, select the intended components, review the design and deliver files that the receiving production system can use. A license that opens successfully is only one part of that check.
This 30-day plan assumes you have chosen a configuration for your intended work. Confirm the current licensed modules and workstation requirements before installation. If you are still comparing configurations, start with the Dentcore subscription bundle guide and confirm the final module list for your order.
Before day 1: prepare a library and license record
Assign a primary operator and a backup. Record the installed DentalCAD version, the modules required for the planned case types and the approved source of each library. Keep license identifiers in your private setup record.
Separate module access from component selection. A library package supplies component data; its presence does not confirm that your license includes every design workflow. Likewise, a licensed workflow does not identify which physical scanbody, titanium base or lab analog was used.
| Record | What to capture | Pass check |
|---|---|---|
| Software and modules | Installed version and required design functions | The intended workflow opens under the actual license. |
| Physical components | Supplier, system, platform and exact part identifiers | The selected library entry matches the documented components. |
| Library package | Supplier, package name, version or update date | The package supports the installed software and intended use. |
| Model workflow | Scanbody library and the planned lab analog library | Both required library selections are available. |
| Production handoff | Receiving CAM or print workflow and required files | A permitted test case reaches that workflow for review. |
For implant work, match the part identifiers rather than choosing a library solely because the manufacturer name looks familiar. exocad's current scan-abutment documentation includes searches by article number, manufacturer and component type, along with connection and screw-channel filters. Use the controls available in your installed version and verify the resulting selection.
Week 1: install the required libraries and prove the base workflow
exocad provides Library Manager for installation from within its software. Its documented process selects the supplier packages, adds them to a download list and installs them. Wait for installation to finish and restart the software before checking the new libraries.
The official library portal also supports manual downloads subject to its current license-access requirements. Use the manufacturer's current instructions or your software supplier's assistance when a manual installation is necessary. Do not copy an unidentified library folder into a production installation.
Check software compatibility and regional availability before treating a package as ready. exocad distinguishes current and Legacy packages and warns that old software or Legacy libraries can have compatibility limitations. A familiar package name is not sufficient confirmation.
For Model Creator, exocad states that corresponding DentalCAD libraries are also needed because they contain the scanbodies. Include that dependency in the setup record even when the immediate task is to design a model. Confirm the matching lab analog and module requirements for the intended work.
Finish the week with a familiar training case that the operator can import, design, save and reopen. Confirm the intended modules and library entries are available in that case. Installing a package without checking it in the workflow leaves the setup unproven.
Week 2: check component selection on representative cases
Choose permitted training cases that represent your normal workload. For each implant-related case, record the selected supplier, component reference and library entry before continuing. If the reference is unknown or the expected entry is absent, resolve that mismatch before production.
Keep a short issue log: what was expected, what the operator saw, the software version and the package involved. This helps distinguish a missing module, an unavailable library, a component mismatch and a training question. Those problems need different responses.
Have a qualified reviewer check the design using the lab's normal process. When AI-assisted tools are used, retain the same design and manufacturing review rather than treating a generated proposal as approval.
Week 3: verify the receiving production workflow
Send a permitted test output through the actual CAM, print or external production handoff. Confirm which files the recipient requires, how the job is named and where the reviewed version is stored. An exported file alone does not prove that the receiving workflow can use it correctly.
Introduce additional workflows only as their prerequisites are confirmed. A model, splint or implant workflow may involve different module, library and manufacturing requirements. Keep separate acceptance records for those case types.
Week 4: make the working setup repeatable
Ask the backup operator to repeat an accepted workflow using the written record. They should be able to find the library selection, locate the approved files and identify who reviews the result.
- Mark each planned workflow as accepted, blocked or awaiting training.
- Record the unresolved requirement and the person responsible for it.
- Keep the library versions used for accepted cases in the setup record.
- Review changes to software or libraries before applying them to the established workflow.
Use the results to plan further training or configuration review. Thirty days is a planning framework, not a guaranteed implementation time.
Confirm the configuration before purchasing
Bring Dentcore your intended case types, installed software version and required component systems so the configuration can be checked. Review the current exocad options or contact Dentcore with that information. Confirm included modules and support arrangements for the specific order.
License availability, included modules, library compatibility, regional eligibility, software requirements and support terms can change. Confirm current manufacturer documentation and the current Dentcore plan or quote before purchasing. Follow the applicable software, component and manufacturing instructions.