Cloud License in Dental System

We are transitioning from physical dongles to cloud license, which gives a clear overview of the purchased software and enables seamless updates and remote access to the Dental System licenses. The cloud license is tied to the customers 3Shape Account, ensuring that licenses can be updated and managed effortlessly, providing flexibility and convenience. It also eliminates the need to rely on a physical dongle, which can break or get lost.
In this document we compiled answers to the most common questions to help you quickly find the information you need. If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team.

General Questions

How will the licensing model change with the transition to the cloud?

The licenses model will not change. However, we will stop sending dongles to new customers and send an activation code instead. Existing customers will be migrated to a cloud-based system.

How will subscription renewals be handled in the cloud model?

There is no change in the subscription renewal process with Cloud license.

Will there be a difference in pricing between the dongle-based and cloud-based versions?

The pricing will remain unchanged.

Migration and Compatibility

Is it possible to move back to the physical dongle from Cloud license?

Yes, it will be temporarily possible. The switch is available in the Control Panel. When the licenses are migrated, we disable them in Dongle Admin (so no more changes will/ can apply) - however, we set expiry date 30 days into the future to allow for temporary downgrade / continuity while possible issues are being sorted out.

When will my Dental System be migrated to Cloud license?

We will do a gradual rollout starting with a small, selected number of customers. If you are part of the initial roll out, you will be informed by your reseller. Any users that for some reason have not upgraded to Dental System 2024 by this date will be asked to migrate the moment they update their software to version 2024 or newer.

When ready, migrate your Dental System licenses to the cloud following this step-by-step guide.

Will educational licenses be transferred to Cloud as well?

Yes, most educational licenses will be migrated. Please contact your reseller to validate if the license in question is eligible for migration.

Will there be any downtime during the transition?

Dongle migration will typically only take a few minutes. The customer will get a guided flow to confirm the association between the physical dongle and their 3Shape Account company. The process is much faster than the migration process in Unite, as only the licenses and not the database is migrated.

What should I do if I use both Dental System and 3Shape Unite with different dongles or accounts?

Many customers use both Dental System and 3Shape Unite - sometimes with the same dongle and account. While this setup is common, it can introduce complications during cloud license migration. The resolution depends on your specific configuration:

Scenario 1: Same Dongle, Same 3Shape Account
Configuration:
Dental System and Unite are both used with the same dongle and are tied to the same 3Shape Account.
✅ No action needed.
This is the ideal setup. The license transfer to Cloud will proceed automatically and seamlessly.

Scenario 2: Same Dongle, Different 3Shape Accounts
Configuration:
Dental System and Unite are both using the same dongle but are linked to different 3Shape Accounts.
🔄 Account alignment required. 
You need to make sure both Dental System and Unite are using the same account before migration. If you are unsure how to do this, please contact 3Shape support

Scenario 3: Two Dongles – One Account 
Configuration:
You have two dongles, but both Dental System and Unite are registered under the same 3Shape Account.
✅ Migrate both dongles to a single 3Shape Account, so that both subscriptions are managed under one account. This is a straightforward process with no further action required. Want to dive deeper into this process? Check this article for more details

If your configuration is not covered in the sections above, please reach out to our support team for further assistance.

Training and License Management

Will I need any special training to manage my licenses in the Cloud?

There is no special training required for the customers as they will be automatically migrated to the Cloud. The customer will, when it is their turn to be migrated, be presented with a short wizard identifying the inserted dongle and let the user confirm that the dongle licenses should be transferred to the currently used 3Shape account. After this, the dongle can be removed. In case of any issues with transferring all or some of the licenses, the user will be asked to contact support. After the migration licenses can be checked in the Control Panel under Subscription Management, in the same page that was previously used for dongle-based licenses.

Will all types of licenses migrate such as Ortho or Studio Apps or only the Dental System licenses?

Licenses will be migrated to Cloud one system at a time. We have a ‘migration wave’ for Unite, one for Dental System, and there will be one for Ortho System. Licenses not yet migrated will stay on the dongle - so don’t throw away the dongle before everything is migrated. A guiding message will appear on the screen to inform the customer about if the license has been migrated or not.

Trial, Offline Use and Other Requirements

Will trial licenses migrate to the Cloud as well?

Only licenses related to contracts will be migrated. This also goes for trials. If your trial has an official registration in the 3Shape ERP system, it will be migrated. Otherwise, not. If in doubt, please reach out to your reseller.

Will I be able to access the software offline, or is an internet connection required at all times?

It is possible to work offline for up to 10 days. An internet connection is required during installation and first run of the software and to update the license information.

What happens if there is an internet outage? Will the software still be accessible?

Yes, it is possible to work offline for up to 10 days. However not all functionalities will be available when working offline (e.g. consumption of CAD points or saves, use of Automate services and more...)

Are there any specific system requirements for running the cloud version?

An internet connection is needed for the installation.