An intra-oral scanning system includes a hand piece having a scanning head with one or more projectors for projecting light onto an oral region and image sensors for detecting reflected light in the oral region. A computer system is operatively connected to the hand piece for receiving data from the image sensors. The data is representative of a scanned area in the oral region. The computer system images a 3D representation of the scanned area and a display assembly operatively connected to the computer system displays the 3D representation of the scanned area. A transducer operatively connected to the computer system emits a visual, audible and/or vibratory signal that provides information related to a status of the scanning system.