A 3D dental laboratory was inaugurated at the Naga Hospital Authority, Kohima (NHAK) on May 5 by the commissioner and secretary for Health and Family Welfare, Anoop Khinchi. The new laboratory is funded under PM-DevINE (Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region) scheme by the Ministry of DoNER (Development of North Eastern Region) in association with North Eastern Council (NEC) and Assam Electronics Development Corporation Ltd. (AMTRON) – a Digital Design and 3D Printing Centre of Excellence in the Electronic Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) in collaboration with other government agencies.

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A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was earlier signed in March 2024 between AMTRON, a government of Assam undertaking and the NHAK for setting up of the 3D dental laboratory at NHAK with a state-of-the-art facility and first-of-its-kind in Nagaland for dental application.

A press release by NHAK mentioned what to expect from 3D printing in dentistry:

1. 3D printing is a technology that has become a key part of dentistry, allowing dental surgeons to create accurate models and custom-made prosthesis/devices for patients.
2. It has become a digital revolution that the dental industry has quickly adopted in chairside and in dental laboratories.
3. 3D printing technology in dentistry can be used for printing- diagnostic model (patient’s teeth and jaws for diagnosis and patient education purpose), surgical guides- for accurate and safe surgery, crowns and dentures, aligners, splints.

The new dental infrastructure has the advantages of being efficient, cost effective, would reduce waste, and can provide chair side delivery of artificial printed prosthesis.

The hospital authority informed the public to avail the benefit of the newly installed technology under the department of dentistry at NHAK.