diff --git a/backend/bec_atlas/datasources/mongodb/mongodb.py b/backend/bec_atlas/datasources/mongodb/mongodb.py
index ea23a3a..c854db4 100644
--- a/backend/bec_atlas/datasources/mongodb/mongodb.py
+++ b/backend/bec_atlas/datasources/mongodb/mongodb.py
@@ -268,6 +268,8 @@ class MongoDBDatasource:
             # pipeline = self.add_user_filter(user, pipeline)
 
         out = self.db[collection].aggregate(pipeline)
+        if dtype is None:
+            return list(out)
         return [dtype(**x) for x in out]
 
     def add_user_filter(
diff --git a/backend/bec_atlas/router/scan_router.py b/backend/bec_atlas/router/scan_router.py
index aa65223..466834c 100644
--- a/backend/bec_atlas/router/scan_router.py
+++ b/backend/bec_atlas/router/scan_router.py
@@ -36,6 +36,13 @@ class ScanRouter(BaseRouter):
             description="Update the user data of a scan",
             response_model=dict,
         )
+        self.router.add_api_route(
+            "/scans/count",
+            self.count_scans,
+            methods=["GET"],
+            description="Count the number of scans",
+            response_model=dict,
+        )
 
     async def scans(
         self,
@@ -137,3 +144,26 @@ class ScanRouter(BaseRouter):
         if out is None:
             return {"message": "Scan not found."}
         return {"message": "Scan user data updated."}
+
+    async def count_scans(
+        self, filter: str | None = None, current_user: UserInfo = Depends(get_current_user)
+    ) -> int:
+        """
+        Count the number of scans.
+
+        Args:
+            filter (str): JSON filter for the query, e.g. '{"name": "test"}'
+            current_user (UserInfo): The current user
+
+        Returns:
+            int: The number of scans
+        """
+        pipeline = []
+        if filter:
+            filter = json.loads(filter)
+            pipeline.append({"$match": filter})
+        pipeline.append({"$count": "count"})
+
+        out = self.db.aggregate("scans", pipeline=pipeline, dtype=None, user=current_user)
+        if out:
+            return out[0]