3Shape
3Shape is a Danish developer and manufacturer of 3D scanning systems and CAD/CAM software for dental and audio applications.
Last updated October 16, 2026
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Overview
3Shape is a Copenhagen-based Danish technology company that develops and manufactures three-dimensional scanners and computer-aided design and manufacturing software. Its principal market is digital dentistry, where its systems are used by dental clinics, orthodontic practices, dental laboratories, and other professional users to capture, process, design, communicate, and manufacture digital dental work. The company is also associated with scanning and software technologies for the audio industry. The company was established in 2000 by Tais Clausen and Nikolaj Deichmann. Its origins lay in technology developed by Clausen during work connected with a master’s thesis at the Technical University of Denmark. Deichmann, a Copenhagen Business School graduate student, joined him in forming the business. This combination of technical development and commercial expertise shaped 3Shape’s early focus on applying three-dimensional scanning and digital design to specialized professional markets. In dentistry, 3Shape’s best-known offering is the TRIOS family of intraoral scanners. These systems are designed to capture digital three-dimensional information from a patient’s mouth, providing an alternative to workflows that rely primarily on conventional physical impressions. The resulting data can be used for restorative treatment, orthodontic planning, patient communication, laboratory collaboration, and digital production. 3Shape’s software portfolio extends the scanning workflow into laboratory design, orthodontic applications, and other computer-aided processes. Dental System is the company’s laboratory-oriented CAD/CAM platform. It supports the digital design of restorations and related dental appliances and can connect design work with subsequent manufacturing processes. Ortho System addresses orthodontic workflows, including the handling and planning of digital orthodontic data. Together with scanning hardware, these products position 3Shape as a workflow provider rather than merely a scanner manufacturer. The company operates internationally, with reported offices and production facilities in China, Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Its customer base consists mainly of professional and institutional users rather than general consumers. The business therefore depends on adoption of digital impressions, computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacturing, and connected clinical-laboratory workflows in dentistry and related technical fields. 3Shape has received industry recognition, including the Cellerant Best in Class award in 2015, 2016, and 2017. According to the company’s Wikipedia account, Ernst & Young also named it Entrepreneur of the Year three times. Flemming Thorup served as chief executive officer from 2002 to 2017. Publicly available references confirm the company’s founding, core technology, international footprint, and principal product families, but do not establish the current chief executive, ownership structure, listing status, or detailed financial performance. Those fields are therefore not reported.
History
3Shape was founded in Denmark in 2000 by Tais Clausen and Nikolaj Deichmann. The company’s technological starting point was work developed by Clausen in connection with a master’s thesis at the Technical University of Denmark. Deichmann, who had studied at Copenhagen Business School, joined the venture and helped turn the technical concept into a commercial enterprise. From its foundation, 3Shape concentrated on three-dimensional scanning and digital design for specialist industries. Its most important business became digital dentistry, a field in which scanning, computer-aided design, and computer-aided manufacturing can replace or reduce manual, physical-model processes. The company developed products for both the clinical and laboratory sides of dental care, allowing digital patient information to move between scanning, treatment planning, design, and production activities. The TRIOS family became 3Shape’s principal intraoral-scanning platform. It is intended to record three-dimensional oral information for digital impressions and related clinical workflows. The company complemented its scanning technology with software for dental laboratories and orthodontic users. Dental System supports digital design and production workflows for dental restorations, while Ortho System is directed toward orthodontic data and planning. This hardware-and-software combination gave 3Shape a position across multiple stages of the digital dental process. 3Shape also developed technologies for the audio industry, making the company broader than a dental-equipment supplier alone. Its international footprint includes offices and production facilities in China, Europe, Latin America, and the United States. This geographic presence reflects the company’s focus on professional markets that require specialized scanning and design tools. Flemming Thorup served as chief executive officer from 2002 to 2017. During the company’s development, 3Shape received recognition from Ernst & Young, which named it Entrepreneur of the Year three times. It also received the Cellerant Best in Class award in 2015, 2016, and 2017. The available sources do not establish a complete chronology of product launches, changes in ownership, acquisitions, current executives, or financial performance. Accordingly, the documented history is limited to the company’s founding, technological focus, international operations, leadership information, principal product families, and cited awards.
- 2017
Third consecutive Cellerant Best in Class award
[1]3Shape received the Cellerant Best in Class award for the third consecutive year; the documented tenure of CEO Flemming Thorup also ended in 2017.
- 2016
Second consecutive Cellerant Best in Class award
[1]3Shape received the Cellerant Best in Class award for a second consecutive year.
- 2015
First cited Cellerant Best in Class award
[1]3Shape received the Cellerant Best in Class award, beginning a three-year sequence of cited recognition.
- 2002
Flemming Thorup became chief executive
[1]Flemming Thorup began the documented period of his leadership as 3Shape’s chief executive officer.
- 2000
3Shape founded in Denmark
[1]Tais Clausen and Nikolaj Deichmann founded 3Shape after Clausen developed underlying scanning technology in connection with work at the Technical University of Denmark.
Products and positioning
A professional digital-technology provider serving dental clinics, orthodontic practices, laboratories, and related technical users through integrated 3D scanning, CAD/CAM design, and workflow software.
Intraoral 3D scanning system
TRIOS
TRIOS is 3Shape’s principal intraoral-scanning product family. It is designed to capture three-dimensional information from inside the mouth and provide digital data for impression-taking, restorative treatment, orthodontic planning, patient communication, and collaboration with dental laboratories. The system forms the clinical data-capture component of broader digital dentistry workflows.
Dental laboratory CAD/CAM software
Dental System
Dental System is a software platform for dental laboratories and other professional users. It supports the digital design of restorations and related dental appliances and is intended to connect design activities with subsequent production or computer-aided manufacturing processes. It extends 3Shape’s role from scanning hardware into laboratory workflow management and digital production.
Orthodontic software
Ortho System
Ortho System is 3Shape’s orthodontic software offering. It is intended to handle digital orthodontic information and support professional planning and workflow activities. The product represents the company’s effort to serve orthodontic applications alongside general restorative dentistry and laboratory design.
Audio technology
Audio-industry scanning and software solutions
In addition to dental technologies, 3Shape develops and manufactures scanning and software solutions for the audio industry. The available reference confirms this business area but does not provide enough detail to identify specific product names, release dates, or current product status.
Controversies
2022
3Shape files patent complaint against Carestream Dental
3Shape announced that it filed a complaint against Carestream Dental in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, alleging that certain Carestream intraoral scanner models infringe 3Shape patents. The complaint seeks monetary damages and injunctive relief; the source reports allegations, not a court determination.
Recent events
- 2017
3Shape received the Cellerant Best in Class award[1]
Other
3Shape received the Cellerant Best in Class award for the third consecutive year.
- 2017
Flemming Thorup completed his tenure as chief executive[1]
Leadership change
Flemming Thorup’s documented period as 3Shape chief executive ended in 2017 after he had led the company since 2002.
- 2016
3Shape received the Cellerant Best in Class award[1]
Other
The company received the Cellerant Best in Class award for a second consecutive year, according to the company’s reference entry.
- 2015
3Shape received the Cellerant Best in Class award[1]
Other
3Shape was recognized with the Cellerant Best in Class award, an industry distinction cited among the company’s external recognitions.
3Shape was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year[1]
Other
3Shape has been named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year three times. The available reference does not specify the individual award years.
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