Dr. Marco Tallarico, prosthodontist, researcher, and educator, is redefining what’s possible in high-end dental care. At his boutique clinic in Rome, he blends precision, efficiency, and scalability using exocad ChairsideCAD and exoplan. From crafting monolithic crowns in-house to guiding complex implant surgeries, Marco shows how digital workflows can elevate quality without slowing down practice. In this interview, Marco shares his journey, his approach to prosthetically driven treatment, and offers a sneak peek at his upcoming mainstage lecture at exocad Insights 2026 in Mallorca.
Q: What got you into dentistry?
A: My father was a dental technician, so dentistry was in my path from a young age. It was written into my destiny. But I also loved medicine and surgery. So if my father hadn’t been a dental technician, I might have become a neurosurgeon.
Q: When did you start working digitally?
A: Right after I graduated. I had a desktop scanner over 20 years ago. Intraoral scanning came later, less than 10 years ago. I’ve always been interested in using technology to improve quality and efficiency.
Q: How long have you been using exocad software?
A: My dental technicians have used exocad DentalCAD for years. I personally started using exoplan and ChairsideCAD about three years ago.
Q: How does ChairsideCAD fit into your daily workflow?
A: My clinic is a boutique practice, 300 square meters with three chairs. We focus on quality over quantity. Initially, I worried ChairsideCAD would slow me down or affect quality. But that’s not the case. Now, about 15-20% of prosthodontic work, mostly monolithic crowns or less esthetic cases, is created internally.
Q: How do you integrate exoplan for guided surgery?
A: I plan, design, and print surgical guides in-house for 100% of my cases. This allows me to perform many more cases efficiently. Clinicians sometimes think they don’t need software for a few cases, but having it in-house multiplies productivity.
Q: How do you balance quality and efficiency at your practice and with your teaching?
A: ChairsideCAD and exoplan help me and all of my staff, and I also use them for my sessions at the university as educational tools. Working chairside allows me to design and check on-screen before placement, which improves learning and predictability. They are valuable tools for personal and professional growth.
Q: How do you integrate digital workflows in your boutique lab?
A: Our small size forces us to be efficient. Guided surgery and in-house CAD allow a prosthetically driven approach, which is essential for both patient outcomes and teaching.
Q: You will be one of our mainstage speakers at exocad Insights 2026 in Mallorca. What do you want attendees to take away from your lecture, “Minimally invasive excellence through an interdisciplinary approach: The future is ART?”
A: The focus is minimally invasive dentistry and interdisciplinary planning. At Insights 2026, I’ll present some cases, including a nice case with four years of follow-up, demonstrating how prosthetically driven planning guides every step. The goal is to show that, with digital tools, you can maintain high quality, control outcomes, and teach effectively.
Q: What keeps you motivated as a researcher and teacher?
A: Curiosity and passion. I love sharing knowledge, learning with my students, and testing new products. Evidence-based practice is critical—personal opinion alone isn’t enough. Teaching, patient care, and research feed each other.
Q: Favorite song?
A: “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen.
Q: What is your favorite tooth to work on?
A: A single central incisor. It’s the most challenging to rehabilitate and demands precision. I enjoy the complexity and the opportunity to achieve esthetic and functional excellence. I enjoy challenges.
Q: What is one word to describe exocad?
A: Collaborative. It brings together dentists, technicians, orthodontists, and surgeons on one platform, which is the foundation of the prosthetically driven approach I emphasize in my lectures.
Prof. Dr. Marco Tallarico, DDS, MSc, is an associate professor of fixed and removable prostheses on natural teeth and implants, and gnathology at the University of Sassari, Italy. He graduated with honors from the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and completed advanced training in oral surgery, periodontology and implantology in Rome and Florence. He received EAO certification in implant-based therapy in 2013 and the Aesculapius Research Prize from the University of Florence in 2019. A former president of Osstem OIC Italy, he is currently director of Osstem OIC Europe and co-director of OIC Middle East. Marco is an active member of IAO, DDS, EAO and AIOM, and lectures internationally on implant surgery. In 2024, he was recognized among the top 2% of scientists worldwide and maintains a private practice in Rome limited to implant surgery and prosthetics. Follow Marco's work on Instagram.
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.
