LAHORE: Fatima Memorial College of Dentistry has advanced its digital orthodontics programme with the launch of in-house clear aligner fabrication, bringing treatment planning and manufacturing capabilities into the institution's own clinical and digital workflow.
The development was highlighted during a recently held one-day clear aligner workshop. The workshop was organised by the Department of Orthodontics. According to the institution, the initiative positions Fatima Memorial College of Dentistry as a pioneer institution in Pakistan to establish in-house clear aligner fabrication.
The workshop brought together 30 dental professionals and trainees for intensive hands-on learning focused on clear aligner treatment planning, fabrication and the digital workflow that connects clinical diagnosis with computer-based orthodontic treatment design.
The initiative reflects the Fatima Memorial System's stated focus on healthcare, academic excellence and clinical innovation, while also introducing postgraduate residents and house officers to technologies increasingly being incorporated into contemporary orthodontic practice.
From orthodontic diagnosis to digital treatment planning
The workshop was organised under the direction of Professor Dr Muhammad Imran Rahbar, Head of the Department of Orthodontics, with the objective of strengthening the knowledge and practical capabilities of postgraduate residents and house officers in digital dentistry.
Digital dentistry is rapidly changing the way orthodontic cases are assessed, planned and delivered. For clear aligner treatment in particular, the workflow extends beyond conventional clinical diagnosis to include digital impressions, three-dimensional treatment planning, case simulation, refinement and computer-assisted manufacturing.
The programme was designed to expose trainees to that complete process rather than limiting learning to the theoretical principles of clear aligner therapy.
The approach also reflected the vision of Professor Dr Abid Ashar, Principal, and Dr Mohsin Dewan, Administrator, to equip young dentists and postgraduate trainees with contemporary clinical skills aligned with evolving international standards.
Real cases formed the centre of the training
The workshop combined faculty-led clinical teaching with practical training based on real clinical cases.
Participants were guided through diagnostic assessment, case selection, treatment planning and refinement strategies, allowing them to examine how clinicians determine whether a patient is suitable for aligner-only treatment and when a more complex case may require hybrid orthodontic mechanics.
Live demonstrations of planned clinical cases were followed by step-by-step practical exercises.
The training covered the digital workflow from the beginning, including intraoral scanning of patients and importing STL files into digital treatment-planning software.
This connection between the patient's clinical information and the digital treatment environment is central to contemporary clear aligner production, because the digital model becomes the foundation for designing the sequence of planned tooth movements and subsequently manufacturing the appliances.
The digital lab connects planning with fabrication
The second half of the programme moved from digital treatment planning to the manufacturing stage at the newly established state-of-the-art digital laboratory at Fatima Memorial Hospital (FMH).
Participants were introduced to the laboratory's advanced digital equipment and observed a live demonstration of how planned orthodontic cases can be translated into physical appliances using 3D printing technology.
The hands-on component allowed participants to see the complete pathway rather than treating digital planning and appliance manufacturing as separate processes.
In practical terms, the workflow demonstrated how an orthodontic case can move from clinical assessment and intraoral scanning to digital planning, file preparation and 3D-printed fabrication within an institutional digital ecosystem.
That in-house capability is a key component of the institution's longer-term plans for clear aligner treatment.
Faculty and residents led practical learning
The workshop was led by Professor Dr Muhammad Imran Rahbar, with facilitation by Associate Professor Dr Mariyam Masood and Dr Tahreem Zahid, alongside faculty members Dr Saba Sikandar and Dr Muhammad Uzair and residents of the Department of Orthodontics.
Their involvement combined faculty instruction with practical exposure for participants, reinforcing the workshop's focus on competence-based learning.
Rather than relying solely on lectures, the programme used demonstrations, real cases and hands-on exercises to help participants understand how digital orthodontic workflows operate in clinical practice.
Clear aligner services planned beyond the institution
The development has implications beyond postgraduate education.
Fatima Memorial College of Dentistry said the institution aims to develop in-house clear aligner services that will initially support its own patients while also creating opportunities to serve other dental practitioners across Pakistan.
The longer-term objective is to make advanced clear aligner treatment more accessible and convenient while maintaining emphasis on appropriate diagnosis and treatment planning.
This distinction is particularly important in clear aligner therapy, where the digital appliance is only one component of treatment. Proper case assessment, clinical diagnosis, treatment planning, monitoring and refinement remain integral to achieving appropriate orthodontic outcomes.
A broader shift towards digital orthodontics
The workshop also reflects a broader transition in orthodontic education, where postgraduate training increasingly incorporates digital impressions, three-dimensional treatment planning, computer-assisted workflows and additive manufacturing.
For trainees, exposure to these technologies can help bridge the gap between conventional orthodontic principles and the digital systems now being incorporated into clinical practice.
For Fatima Memorial College of Dentistry, the establishment of an in-house digital laboratory and clear aligner fabrication workflow provides an infrastructure through which these technologies can be integrated into both education and patient care.
The institution said the initiative is part of its continuing commitment to structured, competence-based training for postgraduate residents and faculty, while promoting evidence-based orthodontic care.
Building a digital orthodontics ecosystem
The significance of the September workshop therefore extends beyond a single training day.
By bringing clinical diagnosis, intraoral scanning, digital treatment planning, case refinement and 3D-printed fabrication into one learning environment, the Department of Orthodontics is creating a practical platform for postgraduate education in digital orthodontics.
The institution's stated plan to extend in-house clear aligner services to its own patients and eventually to dental practitioners across the country could further expand the role of the digital laboratory as both a training facility and a clinical resource.
As orthodontic care continues to incorporate digital technologies, Fatima Memorial College of Dentistry says its Department of Orthodontics will continue to prioritise hands-on education that connects theoretical knowledge with practical application and prepares clinicians for the evolving demands of digital orthodontics in Pakistan and internationally.
The initiative places digital orthodontic education and in-house clear aligner manufacturing at the centre of Fatima Memorial College of Dentistry's latest efforts to connect contemporary technology with clinical training and patient care.
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