How can 3D printing become a hospital-wide clinical service? In this episode, Dr. Mark Tan, neuroradiologist and Clinical Lead of the SGH 3D Printing Center, shares how the center built its virtual surgical planning and clinical 3D printing (VSP-C3DP) program from the ground up. He explains how SGH developed a financially sustainable model that charges patients for work performed and materials used rather than relying on grants, in addition to improved surgical accuracy, shorter operating times, and procedures that were previously difficult to perform. Tan covers how surgeons drive adoption, the validation and verification chain from scanner to operating theater, a 3D-printed thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) diabetic foot insole pilot with Sengkang General Hospital and the Singapore University of Technology and Design, and his September 2026 RadioGraphics paper. More than hardware, bringing 3D printing into patient care requires the right people, processes, and willingness to drive change.

⚠️ Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. The views expressed do not constitute engineering, medical, or financial advice. The technologies and procedures discussed may not be commercially available or suitable for every case. Always consult with a qualified professional.

About Our Guest:

Dr. Mark Tan is a Neuroradiologist at the Singapore General Hospital and the Clinical Lead of the Singapore General Hospital 3D Printing Centre. In the field of Virtual Surgical Planning and Clinical 3D Printing (VSP-C3DP), Mark enjoys working with clinical teams, imagers, engineers, administrators, academia and industry to develop and produce patient-specific virtual and physical anatomical models for surgical planning and rehearsal, medical devices such as surgical targeting and reconstruction guides, orthotics and appliances, as well as implants from medical imaging for patient care.

Key Topics

• How clinical 3D printing transforms medical imaging into patient-specific models, surgical guides, and future implants
• The evolution of Singapore General Hospital’s 3D printing centre, from one surgeon’s home printer to a standalone clinical department
• The role of virtual surgical planning and clinical 3D printing (VSP-C3DP) in modern patient care
• Learning from global centers of excellence, including Stanford’s 3DQ Lab, Mayo Clinic, and specialized Dutch hand surgery centers
• Building a clinical 3D printing workflow with open-source 3D Slicer software, seed funding, and multidisciplinary collaboration
• Why surgeon-driven adoption and word-of-mouth are key to the organic growth of clinical 3D printing
• Financial sustainability in hospital 3D printing and demonstrating value through surgical accuracy, reduced operating times, and new procedures
• The role of clinical engineers in bridging medical imaging, engineering, surgical practice, and hospital operations
• Quality management, validation, and verification from medical imaging and segmentation to the operating theater
• Developing patient-specific diabetic foot orthotics with Sengkang General Hospital and the Singapore University of Technology and Design
• How 3D printed anatomical models support complex surgical planning, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy procedures
• The future of clinical 3D printing, from augmented and virtual reality to rapid point-of-care workflows and driving change within hospital systems

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – From Home Prints To Hospital Lab
00:01:30 – Radiology And Applied Imaging Value
00:04:21 – First Models And Surgeon Demand
00:05:23 – Learning From Global 3D Labs
00:07:39 – Turning A Hobby Into Workflow
00:12:10 – Funding Models And Sustainable Pricing
00:15:16 – How The Team Is Structured
00:17:23 – Diabetic Foot Orthotics Pilot Build
00:20:59 – Outcomes Tracking And Evidence Bar
00:22:59 – When Printing Beats Virtual Planning
00:25:36 – Validation And Quality Assurance Steps
00:28:42 – AR VR And The Interoperability Frontier
00:31:59 – Advice For Starting Your Own Center

Resources

🔗 Contact Dr. Mark Tan

• Mark Tan on LinkedIn
• Dr. Mark Tan: SGH Physician Profile
• SGH 3D Printing Centre
• SGH: Using 3D Printing to Heal

🔗 Companies and Technologies Mentioned

• 3D Slicer
• Stanford 3D and Quantitative Imaging Laboratory (3DQ Lab)
• Mayo Clinic 3D Anatomic Modeling Laboratories
• SUTD Capstone Programme
• Sengkang General Hospital: 3D-Printed Custom Insoles for Diabetic Foot Care
• RSNA-ACR 3D Printing Registry
• RSNA 3D Printing Special Interest Group
• RSNA 3D Printing Appropriateness Guidelines

🔗 Papers and Further Reading

• Virtual Surgical Planning and Clinical 3D Printing from Medical Imaging for Orthopedic, Hand, and Spine Surgery
• Virtual Surgical Planning at Scale: How SGH Built a Point-of-Care AM Program That Works
• Mark Tan: EHFAM 2025 Speaker Profile

🔗 Learn More from 3DHEALS!

• Interview with Mark Tan: 3D Printing Radiologist
• 3D Printing at the Point of Care
• Lattice Brief: FDA Clears First 3D-Printed Implant Made at the Point of Care
• Advancing 3D Surgical Planning
• 3DHEALS Healthcare 3D Printing Resource Center
• 3D Printing in Hospitals
• Hospitals as Manufacturers for Point-of-Care 3D Printing 
• Proving 3D Printing’s Value in Healthcare