In today’s dental market, temporary crowns and bridges are dominated by Bis-acryl materials. While Bis-acryl resins are very similar to BIS-GMA resins, they possess several advantages. Bis-acryl resins only need low temperatures for curing and have minimal polymerization shrinkage. Other advantages include high tensile strength and surface hardness, improved marginal fit, color stability, minimal odor, and high polish-ability.
A dental manufacturer was interested in developing a next generation product that had improved properties over the competitive market. However, the development team had three different product formulations. Since each product had differing features and benefits to the dental office, the team did not know which product to finalize development and launch.
The development team came to Dental Research Specialists to manage a total product evaluation. Based on the need for user experience and performance metrics, our team designed and conducted a four-phase new product evaluation.
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Phase 1–Target Audience Assessment
Dental Research Specialists met with the development and marketing team to understand the target audience for the new product, as well as competitive alternatives. From the information gathered during the meeting, Dental Research Specialists was able to recommend the audience for the product placement.
Phase 2–In-Field Participation
Following the results of the target audience assessment, Dental Research Specialists was then able to recruit 150 participants (50 for each product) to participate in an in-office evaluation. After recruiting, Dental Research Specialists shipped the product to the participants, providing them all the information they needed to use the product.
Phase 3-Participation Survey
Within two to three weeks after receiving the product, Dental Research Specialists followed up and had each participant complete a survey. The survey examined all aspects of the product performance in terms of ease of use and ability to trim and marginal fit. Additionally, participants were asked questions about polymerization shrinkage and the heat that was needed during curing. The survey was also used to compare the test product against the product presently being used. Lastly, participants were asked their purchase intent if the product was available on the market.
Phase 4–Analysis of Overall Results
Following the results of the in-field participation and survey, Dental Research Specialists analyzed the data to understand the overall benefits and drawbacks to each product. Results were used to determine which product would deliver on the target audience expectations vs competitive products. The final Dental Research Specialists recommendation was compared to internal bench testing. The bench testing supported the in-field evaluations, and thus the team had the information they needed to move forward with the best product.