Blender for Dental and exocad are two very different ways to do dental CAD. The short answer: exocad DentalCAD is a mainstream commercial lab CAD platform from exocad GmbH, Windows-only, sold and supported through a network of resellers and integration partners. Blender for Dental (B4D) is a set of paid dental modules that run inside Blender, the free open-source 3D suite, bought one module at a time from the vendor’s own shop and running on Windows or macOS. Choose exocad if you run a production lab that needs broad scanner, printer and milling integration with local support. Choose B4D if you are comfortable in Blender and want to buy only the indications you actually use. Neither is free: B4D is shareware (conditionally free), exocad is licensed commercial software.
Side by side
| Item | Blender for Dental (B4D) | exocad DentalCAD |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Dental modules and a launcher (B4D User Interface 1.5.0) on top of Blender 4.5 LTS | Dedicated dental CAD platform; current release line DentalCAD 3.3 Chemnitz |
| Licence | Shareware (conditionally free): Blender is free (GPL), modules are paid, perpetual per module | Commercial: perpetual licence with optional upgrade contract, or time-limited Flex License |
| How you buy | Module by module from the B4D shop; Model Designer required first | Through exocad resellers and partners, often packaged with scanners or mills |
| Platforms | Windows 8.1+ 64-bit, macOS 11.2+; no Linux | Windows 11 (Windows 10 22H2 only with extended security updates); no macOS, virtual machines not supported |
| Copy protection | Account login; one licence on up to three computers | USB licence dongle; internet connection required |
| Related products | Guide Designer module (vendor states DICOM-based implant planning) | exoplan (implant planning), ChairsideCAD, PartialCAD, Smile Creator, exocam, dentalshare |
| Free parts | Blender, the B4D interface installer, digital samples, tutorials | exocad webview viewer; discounted student licences (non-commercial) |
| Regulatory | Vendor claims EU Class I listing; CAD work at the user’s own risk | exocad describes DentalCAD as a non-medical product for labs; exoplan and ChairsideCAD are its medical device software |
Buying and cost structure
People search “blender for dental price” expecting a number; we do not publish prices because they change and vary by region. What matters is the structure. With B4D, Blender and the B4D interface are free; you buy individual modules (Model Designer first, then Crown & Bridge, Splint & Layers and so on), each licence is perpetual, and the vendor states that module updates are free. The vendor does not describe a trial and does not offer refunds on software, so watch the module tutorials and try the free digital samples before buying.
With exocad you contact a reseller. You choose a perpetual licence (with an optional upgrade contract that includes new versions and add-on module activation) or a Flex License that includes upgrades while it is active. The DentalCAD core can be extended with up to 15 add-on modules at extra cost. exocad states that its medical device software, exoplan and ChairsideCAD, is available only with a Flex License, and those products stop working if the Flex License is not renewed. Current prices come from your reseller.
Crowns, bridges and everyday lab work
exocad DentalCAD covers crowns, bridges, copings, veneers, inlays, onlays, provisionals and removables in one consistent workflow, with a wizard mode for guided design and an expert mode for full control. Its tooth, material and implant component libraries are large, and exocad lists integrations with many intraoral and desktop scanners, 3D printers, milling systems and virtual articulators.
B4D’s Crown & Bridge module lets you mark margins, place library teeth and adapt contacts, then export for milling or printing. Tooth libraries and articulator models are sold as add-on content. It works, but you are inside Blender’s general-purpose interface, which takes longer to learn for technicians coming from dental-only CAD.
Models, splints and trays
This is where B4D is most attractive. Model Designer turns scanned arches into printable models with bases, Splint & Layers builds occlusal splints, and Tray Designer, Bleaching Trays and BlockOut cover the rest. Because Blender’s sculpting, Boolean and remeshing tools are always available, experienced users can fix awkward cases by hand. exocad handles the same appliances through DentalCAD modules, with direct export to supported 3D printers.
Implant work: bars, guides and planning
B4D offers All-On-X Hybrids, Implant Bars, iBar and iAbutment & Bar modules, and its Guide Designer module handles surgical guide design and, according to the vendor, DICOM-based implant planning.
exocad separates the tasks: DentalCAD for implant-supported prosthetics, exoplan for implant planning, and the Guide Creator module for surgical guides. exoplan and ChairsideCAD are medical device software, and exocad notes that some products are not cleared or sold in every market.
If you only need planning and a guide, compare both with Blue Sky Plan, which is shareware (conditionally free) with free planning and paid guide exports.
Hardware and IT
B4D’s minimum is a quad-core CPU, 8 GB RAM and a 2 GB graphics card; the vendor recommends 32 GB RAM and 8 GB VRAM. It runs on Macs, including Apple silicon. Always start work from the B4D interface so that Blender 4.5 LTS is used, not a newer Blender 5.x installed separately.
exocad lists a quad-core 2.8 GHz CPU, 8 GB RAM, a dedicated GPU with at least 4 GB VRAM and a 1080p display as the minimum, plus a free USB port for the licence dongle and a mandatory internet connection. exocad is developed only for Windows; Parallels and other virtual machines are not supported, and Apple silicon Macs cannot run it through Boot Camp.
Free tools that work with both
Whichever you choose, clean heavy or broken scans in MeshLab, check print and milling accuracy in CloudCompare, and build jigs and model bases in FreeCAD. exocad webview, a free viewer for STL, OBJ and PLY files, is useful for sending designs to clinicians. More options are in our free dental CAD software guide.
Which one should you use
- Production lab with several technicians, scanners and mills: exocad, for integration, consistent workflows and reseller training and support.
- Clinic doing chairside restorations: exocad ChairsideCAD, where it is available in your market.
- Solo technician or small lab doing models, splints and trays, comfortable in Blender: B4D, starting with Model Designer and adding modules as work demands.
- Mac-only lab: B4D, because exocad does not run on macOS.
- Student: exocad offers discounted student licences for approved universities; B4D offers free samples and tutorials to learn on.
FAQ
Blender for Dental vs exocad: which is better?
For a lab that needs broad integration and supported workflows, exocad. For a technician who knows Blender and wants to pay only for the modules they use, B4D. They suit different labs rather than one being better at everything.
How much does Blender for Dental cost?
Blender and the B4D interface are free; the dental modules are sold individually as perpetual licences, with free module updates according to the vendor. Current prices are in the official B4D shop. Free digital samples are available.
Is exocad free?
No. exocad DentalCAD is licensed through resellers as a perpetual or Flex License. exocad webview, a 3D viewer, is free, and student licences are discounted for non-commercial use.
Can exocad run on a Mac?
Not natively. exocad is Windows-only, virtual machines such as Parallels are not supported, and Apple silicon Macs cannot use Boot Camp. B4D runs on macOS.
Is there a Blender for Dental free trial?
The official site does not describe one. It offers free digital samples and tutorial videos for each module.
Is plain Blender enough for dental CAD?
For sculpting, Boolean edits and simple models, yes. For clinical restorations you need margin, insertion-axis and thickness tools, which come from dental modules or dental CAD.
Last updated: 26 September 2026 · DentIIT editorial team. Licence, version and platform details are checked against each developer's official documentation; none of the tools listed here should be treated as a certified medical device unless its vendor says so.
