ISO/TR 15599:2002 provides a code of dental laboratory procedures which is digital so as to render it language-independent. This makes it convenient to use as a basic reference for existing or future dental codes, and ensures their compatibility through simple softwares, which is the fundamental goal of the exercise.

In addition the digital code is intended to provide, as a result of built-in indexing functions:

• the identification and traceability of dental prostheses and materials, epidemiology and forensic dentistry, investment planning, teaching, research, industry, insurance systems, social services and regulatory authorities;
• the creation of performing databases for the field evaluation of materials, design and construction techniques of dental prostheses, and their effects, wanted or unwanted;
• the possibility of communication between the dental professions, dental industry and trade, on both qualitative and quantitative scales.