Sep 20, 2018 Dr. August de Oliveira graduated from dental school in 1997 from the University of Washington and completed his General Practice Residency in Los Angeles in 1998. Dr de Oliveira has been lecturing on 3D technology since 2004 when he started as a CEREC Basic Trainer. Since 2008 he has been involved with Implant Direct’s R and D department developing Guided Surgery Software and Hardware and testing their CAD Milled Bars and Substructure Department. Dr de Oliveira has written three books on Dentistry: Implants Made Easy, Guided Implantology Made Easy. and Dental 3D Printing Made Easy. He has been involved with beta testing Sirona’s Sidexis Program, as well as developing the Opti and CEREC Milled Surgical Guides. He has a passion for 3D printing and is on the advisory board for two printer companies and beta tests for 5 other 3D Printing Companies.Dr de Oliveira lectures worldwide for Sirona on the Galileos Cone Beam system and Sirona Guided Implant Surgery as well as 3D Printing. He also teaches for Implant Direct at their Las Vegas Educational Facility. Dr de Oliveira lives and practices in Los Angeles CA. Dr. Oliveira will be presenting in the upcoming 3DHEALS Los Angeles event.
Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like?
Dr. Oliveira: Form 2 by Formlabs printing surgical guides. It was hard to wrap my brain around the limitations of printing as I was used to CNC milling. But the learning curve was short.
Jenny: What inspired you to start your journey in 3D printing?
Dr. Oliveira: I wanted to make my own clear aligners and print my own surgical guides for implants.
Jenny: Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D printing?
Dr. Oliveira: There are a few dentists, Drs. Michael Scherer and Baron Grutter.
Jenny: What motivates you the most for your work?
Dr. Oliveira: Giving patients their teeth back and relieving pain.
Jenny: What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?
Dr. Oliveira: Usually time and patient finances. We can cut down on lab turnarounds by incorporating 3D printing and by using that we have lowered our fees on Implants and Aligners
Jenny: What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing?
Dr. Oliveira: Resin toxicity, speed and price. Loads of BS in the market.
Jenny: What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice you heard should they ignore?
Dr. Oliveira:
Good advice: Get into computer science.
Bad advice: That you need a post-grad degree to make it.
Jenny: What was/is the biggest risk you took in your career?
Dr. Oliveira: Placing dental implants. 10 years ago it was a little taboo for a general dentist to place them.
Jenny: What is your favorite quote? Why?
Dr. Oliveira: Everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die.” I think a lot of people want success but few are willing to put in the time and effort.
Jenny: What does the word “3DHEALS” mean to you? =)
Dr. Oliveira: Using 3D technology in medicine and dentistry to make people feel better.
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