A coating device for coating a medical device with a drug-eluting material uses an in-process drying station between coats to improve a drug release profile. The drying station includes a dryer having a telescoping plenum which provides a shield and drying region for the stent or scaffold to reside while a heated gas is passed over the stent/scaffold. The shield and drying region improve efficiency in drying, predictability or drug release rate, uniformity of coating material properties lengthwise over the stent/scaffold and provide a platform that can effectively support stents that are over 40 mm in length.