Dr. Henriette Lerner isn’t just riding the digital wave—she’s helping shape it. What started as a surgical career rooted in analog precision has transformed into a global mission to bring digital dentistry to the forefront. From full-arch rehabilitations to remote lab collaboration (even across continents), Dr. Lerner has embraced exocad software as a core tool in her practice. In this exoBlog, Henriette shares her path from oral surgery to digital mastery, her favorite tools and teaching moments, and why asking four simple questions each morning keeps her grounded.
Q: How did you get into dentistry—and eventually into digital workflows?
A: I am Hungarian, born in Romania, as part of the Hungarian minority. I studied in Romania and started out as a general dentist before specializing in oral surgery. For the first decade or so, I focused on surgery, but I soon discovered a love for teaching. That led me to organize study clubs and eventually an international conference. In 2017, I crossed paths with the Digital Dentistry Society (DDS) —and that’s when digital really took off for me. I have recently started a position as well as an adjunct clinical assistant professor at New York University.
Q: What drew you to digital dentistry in the first place?
A: Analog dentistry didn’t give me the predictability or precision I was looking for—especially in full-arch rehab cases. Digital tools helped me plan better, work more conservatively, and get closer to my ideal outcomes. If I see a tool that improves my care, I adopt it. exocad became essential.
Q: Do you remember your first experience with exocad?
A: Oh yes—full-arch cases with digital wizard Uli Hauschild! Working with him helped me build a fully digital, fluent workflow. Now, I run my own lab, with remote collaboration from technicians in Brazil and Italy. We speak the same language: digital.
Q: How has exocad changed your day-to-day practice?
A: It hasn’t just changed it—it’s reinvented it. We now plan backward from a visualized outcome. Data acquisition, design, function—everything is connected. It’s no longer just dentistry; it’s a whole new discipline.
Q: Favorite exocad tools?
A: The Smile Creator Module, Implant Module and Guide Creator Module are fantastic. The Virtual Articulator Module is also huge for me. I can plan precise, functional restorations from day one, especially for full-arch work. Being able to register jaw movement digitally was a game changer.
Q: What’s your hero tool?
A: The “hero tools” for me are the little widgets—rotate, scale, fine-tune, adjust occlusion. They may seem minor, but they make the design process smoother, faster, and more intuitive.
Q: You’re also a big name in education. What keeps you teaching?
A: Passion turned into purpose. I love sharing knowledge and shaping the future of dentistry. Through the Digital Dentistry Society, we’re defining digital dentistry as a discipline—and helping others make that leap.
Q: What innovations excite you most?
A: Automation and AI. Anything that lets you plan or design with the push of a button—implant positioning, emergence profiles, crown designs—it’ll make digital more accessible and more powerful.
Q: Now for a fun one—favorite tooth?
A: I used to say the wisdom tooth—I like extracting them! But truthfully, I love teeth in harmony. It’s the whole smile that matters.
Q: What’s on your playlist these days?
A: "Feels Like Home" by Edwina Hayes. It’s simple and calming—something I come back to often.
Q: What advice would you give your younger self?
A: Begin with the end in mind. Ask yourself every morning: Who am I? What do I want? What’s my purpose? What am I grateful for? Those four questions keep me centered.
Q: Last one—exocad in one word?
A: Vision. It helps us see—and build—the future of dentistry.
Dr. Henriette Lerner, Ph.D., FDS RCS, is a specialist in oral surgery with a focus on implantology and esthetics. She is the owner and director of HL Dentclinic and Academy in Baden-Baden, Germany, an academic clinical, teaching and research facility affiliated with Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt. A past president of the Digital Dentistry Society International, Dr. Lerner holds a doctorate in digital dentistry. She is also a visiting professor at Universiapolis – International University of Agadir, a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and an adjunct clinical assistant professor at New York University. You can follow her work on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
by Caitlan Reeg
Writer at exocad
Caitlan Reeg spends her days telling the world about the innovations her colleagues create. She’s passionate about healthcare, technology, and the ways the two interact to improve our lives. A former journalist, Caitlan has worked on staff at Dow Jones Newswires in Frankfurt and at the national public radio program Marketplace in Los Angeles.
