In this episode of Instagram Live recording, I invited Dr. Daniel Vegh, a young faculty member and prosthodontist from Semmelweis University (Budapest, Hungary) to share with us his early journey of learning about dental 3D printing, his recent accomplishments in the space, and his vision for its future.  Dr. Vegh is the author behind @3d_printing_dentistry on Instagram. During the interview, Daniel also shared how he leveraged social media to build a community for dental 3D printing both locally and internationally.  He also brought us a few examples of his past works on camera.

Additional highlights of this interview:

What is the current status of establishing formal curriculum in dental schools?

Who is most interested in adopting 3D printing in their dental practices?

How to find other dentists who are actively using 3D printing?

What are some suggestions for new dentists to the space?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 3D PRINTING DENTISTRY🦷 (@3d_printing_dentistry)

About our guest: Dr. Daniel Vegh

Dr. Dániel Végh DMD, Ph.D.

Specialist in Conservative Dentistry and Prosthodontics

Semmelweis University – Department of Prosthodontics – Budapest, Hungary

In his own words, ” My name is Dr. Daniel Vegh! I earned my DMD degree at the Semmelweis University in 2015!

I am working at the Department of Prosthodontics since then! I am a prosthodontist since 2018, and I earned my Ph.D. Degree in 2019, the topic was diabetes and oral complications!

As a regular participant of dental congresses, I meet with 3D printing technology on-site, and I become a fanatic! 

I found out that a lot of my colleagues are interested in it, but there is a lack of experience and knowledge about it! I started my Instagram page ( @3d_printing_dentistry), where my aim is to build International connections! Semmelweis University established SE3D lab, an innovative place dedicated to 3D printing for students and staff! It has research, educational and clinical aspects!”

Support the show 

Related Links:

IG Live Recording: 3D printing in dentistry W ChengXi Wang

Metal 3D Printing in Dentistry – Restoration

3DHEALS Instagram Live Recording: Dental 3D Printing with Innov3D Founder Dr. Mayra Vasques

Interview with Mike Graffeo -Being a 3D Bioprinting Entrepreneur (IG Live Recordings)

3DHEALS Live!

The post Learning Dental 3D Printing Through Social Media: An Interview with Dr. Daniel Vegh 🗺 appeared first on 3DHeals.

Dr. David Kelliny is a Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Endodontics, Orthodontics and General Practice Residency, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC. Dr. Kelliny has been engaged in teaching endodontics with specific emphasis on surgical endodontics and 3D dentistry.

He is a member of the American Dental Association, California Dental Association, Western Los Angeles Dental Society, American Association of Endodontists, American Dental Society of Anesthesiology, and the International Congress of Implantologists. 

Dr. Kelliny lectured nationally and internationally on surgical implantology and the use of custom surgical guides for implant placement, endodontic access guides, and Apical Surgical guides. Dr. Kelliny will be speaking on the Digital Dentistry Panel at the upcoming 3DHEALS2020.

Nabeel: How did you get started with 3D Printing? 

David: I used dental implant surgical guides for guided surgery, it was costly and took a long time for the turn around from manufacturers, so I decided to take control of the process, cut my costs and shorten wait time to treatment day. 

Nabeel: What motivates you the most for your work? 

David: The ability to use 3D printing and guided cases to treat difficult complicated cases that are untreatable otherwise. It allows me to be more conservatiove and more accurate in treatment delivery and results. 

Nabeel: As an endodontist, a root canal specialist, what unique challenges and opportunities do you think you have developing 3Printing solutions? 

David: Prototyping is the worst challenge I had. I have many concepts but I was stuck with traditional manufacturing and prototyping protocols, from trying to find a company to look at my design to prototyping it to getting an actual drill in hand to test it. Very tedious, expensive and slow process. 

Nabeel: What advice would you give to a smart student looking to learn about 3D Printing? 

David: The sooner you get into 3D printing the better. Start small but with room to expand, try to print different things, for dental and fun purposes. You’ll learn something new with each print, especially in the beginning. 

Nabeel: What were/was the best investment you made of time or money in 3D printing/bio-printing/bio-fabrication? 

David: Buying my own printer, it allowed me to print over and over again and try different things and allowed me to get instantaneous results. 

Nabeel: What do you enjoy in your spare time? What are you passionate about outside of your work/3d printing? 

David: Playing Golf, hiking, offroading and outdoors activities 

Related Articles:

Interview with Dr. Mayra Vasques, Dental 3D Printing, INNOV3D

Interview: Game Changer with 3D Printed Dental Implants (Video)

Interview with Professor Gustavo Mendonca, University of Michigan (Video)

From Esthetic to Functionality – Perspectives of Anodized 3D Printed Titanium Dental Restorations

The post Interview with Dr. David Kelliny, 3D Printing in Endodontics appeared first on 3DHeals.

Location:

Inovabra Habitat – Auditorium – 10th floor

Av. Angelica, 2529 N, Sao Paulo, SP 01227200, Brazil

Qualification of applicant company registration

O produto ou a tecnologia precisam se concentrar em aplicações de saúde usando impressão 3D ou tecnologias de bioprinting / bio-fabricação, ferramentas de visualização 3D (por exemplo, VR / AR) ou uma combinação delas.

A startup pode ser (e não se limitar) relacionada a software, hardware ou material.

A startup precisa estar em estágio inicial de financiamento (pré-semente, semente ou série A).

Prêmios

Oportunidade de apresentar sua empresa na primeira competição de negócios para impressão 3D em saúde, para uma banca de grandes nomes do mercado  nacional de impressão 3D e empreendedorismo, além do publico do 3DHeals Brazil Conference.

Pra o vencedor da competição:

1. Opportunity to present your startup to international investors from the 3DHeals platform
2. Mentoring with Jenny Chen, CEO of 3DHeals and Investor (3hs)
3. Technical mentoring in additive manufacturing with Fabio Sant’ana, partner in Farcco Tecnologia (6 months)
5. 3D Systems Brazil offered a prize for the competition. They are giving vouchers for the imprima3d.com.bre their printing service (imprima3d.com.br) – email attached. 
6. First place will win 1000,00 BRL to print products and second place will win 500,00 BRL.They offered a visit to their facilities too.

Judges:

Jorge Vicente Lopes da Silva Diretor  – CTI Renato Archer; Pesquisador do Centro de Tecnologia da Informação Renato Archer – CTI, desde 1988. Criou e coordena até hoje o Núcleo de Tecnologias Tridimensionais – NT3D do CTI (Ministério da Ciência Tecnologia, Inovações e Comunicações – MCTIC) dentro da qual são desenvolvidos três grandes programas de P,D & I em impressão 3D (manufatura aditiva) direcionados para três setores da atividade (Hospitais,Pequenas e médias empresas e Universidades

Jack Cavalcanti Partner Strategy – NosInnovators; Innovation maker, digital business developer e investor em iniciativas de base tecnológica. Fundou a Unitech, serviços corporativos de Ti, a Unipartners, holding de investimentos, NosInnovators, gestora de Hubs de inovação, entre outros. Atua como consultor, conselheiro e membro de conselho de administração de startups e iniciativas relacionadas a Inovação

Fernanda Jabur Diretora comercial – Dental Factory; Cirurgiã-dentista  com pós graduação em Administração,  trabalha  no mercado corporativo há 19 anos, com carreira em empresas como  Degussa, Dentsply, Sirona, Dental Cremer

Samanta Lopes Educadora, publicitária e empreendedora. Atuação em grupos como BlackRocks Startups e Startup Weekend voltados a fortalecimento do ecossistemas de inovação brasileiro. Atuação em projetos com foco no desenvolvimento do mindset autônomo e empreendedor através de metodologia PBL. Acredita da equidade étnica, de gênero, de oportunidades e na participação e inclusão de todos através da educação e respeito humano.

José Claudio Terra Diretor de Inovação do Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Professor de Empreendedorismo e Inovação, formado em Economia e Engenharia de Produção, mestre em Business Administration e PhD em Engenharia.

Mayra Vasques Graduate, Master and Doctor – Faculty of Dentistry of USP, in the area of ​​additive manufacturing; Postgraduate in Temporomandibular Disorders and Orofacial Pain – University of Kentucky; Specialist in Orthodontics – Neom-SP (Facset); Lecturer and Consultant in the field of 3D printing in dentistry; Community Manager in Sao Paulo of the organization 3DHeals ; Researcher in the area of ​​additive manufacturing (3D printing) in the area of ​​clinical implementation and material development (FOUSP); Idealizer and Organizer of the group of studies – “Dental 3D Meetup”; Smart T Digital Consultant; Co-ambassor in Sao Paulo of the organization “Women in 3D Printing”

Fabio Sanches Sant’AnaPartner of Arcam AB; Specialist in Additive Manufacturing and 3D machining; Community Manager in Sao Paulo of the organization 3DHeals; Member of the groups. ASTM F42 Additive Manufacturing, ABNT-CB261 ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING / ABNT-CB26 MEDICAL HOSPITALERS and International Standards Organization ISO / TC 261 / WG 2 / WG 4

https://3dheals.com/3dheals-brazil-sao-paulo-healthcare-3d-printing-and-bioprinting-next-generation/3DHEALS Brazil, São Paulo: Healthcare 3D Printing and Bioprinting, Next Generation, April 17th, 2019

The post 3DHEALS Brazil, São Paulo : Pitch Competition, April 17th, 2019, 19:00-20:30 🗓 appeared first on 3DHeals.

Want to write a piece for 3DHEALS Expert Corner? Email us: info@3dheals.com

Dental practice owners may feel overwhelmed with all of the decisions that need to be made on a daily basis, from Human resources issues to equipment purchases. As social media becomes more prevalent, patients are more informed which means a dental office must also maintain relevance. This means advancing their technological capabilities for increased patient communication and decreased chair time.

One of the most confusing and important purchases a dentist will make this year will be to become a digital dental practice or maintain their conventional workflows. This could include an Intraoral scanner, 3D printer, chairside mill, 3D face scanner or Digital CBCT.

Equipment manufacturers, supply companies and even implant representatives are all inundating dentists with information, daily deals and giveaways to entice dentists to go digital. The information on all of this equipment can be extremely confusing, usually resulting in a stalemate where the dentist does not make any decisions at all.

The best way to navigate this process is to analyze your needs and ask yourself what you would be using this equipment for and if the ROI and training downtime is worth the investment.

Prior to purchasing your Intraoral Scanner ask yourself these questions:

How much am I paying for Impression Material per year?

How much do I pay for impression trays and bite registration material per year?

How many crowns do I do a year? How many bridges?

(this info can be gathered from your material providers )

Start timing your Crown and Bridge procedures for two weeks …how many minutes does it take for an impression, separate into CDA and Doctor time. Break down the time and the costs for each provider. This info will assist you in determining which IOS you should purchase.

Carestream CS 3600

Once you have your data:

What procedures will I use this for?

Who will be trained?

Do I require color? Do you have an intraoral camera? If not, this can be used instead of a camera.

Do you want to keep impressions of all of your clients over the required 15/30 years?

Do you want to analyze the changes such as wear, periodontal disease, recession, over the lifetime of your patient?

If I was to see my practice and sell all of my equipment, the new dentist wants to make their own 3D printed models, I want the scanner to be able to be open enough to allow them to do that…Future Proof!

Do I want to send scans of all of my new patients to my lab for storage, access, and security?

Do you want to take this scanner with you to multiple practices? Old age facilities?

As an Associate dentist, would you like to keep all of your impressions and patient data with you as you move from office to office? Would you like to send to your lab of choice instead of the lab your principal dentist uses?

Once these questions have been answered, sitting down with the representatives from the top three Intraoral scanning companies 3Shape Trios, Itero and Carestream and narrowing the choices based on needs is the most reliable and comfortable way to make this decision.

The decision to purchase a 3D printer is the same.

What will I be 3D printing?

What is the cost of the printer, also the trays and materials? Those are usually separate.

Are the materials Health Canada or FDA approved currently? If not, when?

When new materials are available, will my 3D printer be able to print them? From other companies as well?

Do I want to make clear aligners? If so, what software would I require to design the models? 3Shape ortho analyzer? Exocad? What is the cost but also what is the yearly license fee? Does this make the purchase financially responsible?

Most importantly, is my team on board and who will be trained? What is their long term plan for their career?

3D printing will eventually be the future of dentistry. The purchase price can go from 5000.00 to 50,000.00. Formlabs is one of the most cost-effective printers on the market and the most popular in dentistry currently. Eventually, we will be 3D printing everything from dentures to crowns. This shift from milling will eventually happen and confirming your scanners are future proof, as previously mentioned, is very important as well.

About the Author:

Christien Kopas, CRMO
Schell Dental Ceramics, Digital Implementation Specialist and Practice Management Consultant

Christien Kopas began her career as a Certified Dental Assistant over 30 years ago. She offered Hygiene Consultative Services to dental practices facilitating a soft tissue management program across Alberta and BC. She then managed and created a marketing campaign for a large dental practice and was asked to join Argen as the first 3Shape Trios 3D imaging system trainer across Canada. Following that she joined Carestream as the Canadian CAD CAM Specialist, facilitating the sale and support system of the CS 3500, CS 3600 Intraoral scanner and CS 3000 in office chairside mill. Currently, she is the CRMO and Digital Implementation Specialist for Schell Dental Ceramics and Innovation Centre in Kelowna, BC, Canada.

You may also like:

3DHEALS Influencer Interview: Dr. Mayra Vasques, PhD Fellow at School of Dentistry at University of Sao Paulo

Cybersecurity for 3D Printed Medical Devices, Less Crazy and More Useful Than Bitcoins

The post What Matters When Enabling Your Dental Practice with 3D Printing and 3D Scanning appeared first on 3DHeals.

“The “wow” moment for me was when we did the first surgery with a Formlabs printed guide. I had flown down to see the process start-to-finish with a good friend, Dr. Daniel Whitley. The surgery itself was something I had at that point seen dozens of times online. But when the patient sat down in the chair, and Dr. Whitley put the guide in and was about to start drilling, it really hit home: these are people’s lives and health that are being impacted. It’s incredible not just to be working on something that seems like it has an impact, but also to see it first hand. I was also really happy that the surgery went smoothly!”

Gideon Balloch is the dental product lead at Formlabs, the pioneer and industry leader in professional desktop 3D printing. Balloch drives the company’s dental product development efforts, opening up use in hundreds of thousands of treatments, with over 1 million dental appliances produced on Formlabs printers to date. Previously, Balloch spearheaded the launch of Formlabs products in international markets including China and Japan. Balloch holds a degree in mechanical engineering from McGill University.

Mr. Gideon Balloch will be presenting at our upcoming 3DHEALS Boston event.

Jenny: What inspired you to start your work in medical 3D printing?
Gideon: As with so many developments, it was learning from our users that led us to the opportunity in medical and dental 3D printing. A handful of Form 1+ users were dental customers who were using crazy amounts of resin, and the more we dug into what they were doing with the printers, the more potential there seemed to be. When we launched the Form 2 we knew we finally had a printer that was ready for the dental market, and so we invested a lot of time and energy into dental materials, applications, and market development.
Fast forward three years and I think it’s fair to say that this has not just taken off for us, but also helped make dental 3D printing mainstream, industry-wide. It’s really humbling to know that our printers have been used to make over 1 million dental appliances, and be used in hundreds of thousands of treatments.
Jenny: Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D printing (bio-printing/bio-fabrication)? This can be a mentor, a patient, a celebrity, anyone basically. You can name more than one as well.
Gideon: The “wow” moment for me was when we did the first surgery with a Formlabs printed guide. I had flown down to see the process start-to-finish with a good friend, Dr. Daniel Whitley. The surgery itself was something I had at that point seen dozens of times online. But when the patient sat down in the chair, and Dr. Whitley put the guide in and was about to start drilling, it really hit home: these are people’s lives and health that are being impacted. It’s incredible not just to be working on something that seems like it has an impact, but also to see it first hand. I was also really happy that the surgery went smoothly!
Jenny: What motivates you the most for your work?
Gideon: There are two important areas: (i) the right conditions, (ii) the right problem space. At Formlabs, the conditions are really remarkable – we’re constantly working to apply technology on tangible problems. The fact that it’s a hardware, software and materials product makes for a fantastic array of things to learn and do with a diverse, intelligent group of people. On top of that, to be working on opening up applications that are changing the way people practice medicine has been particular tangible and rewarding.
Jenny: What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing/bio-printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?
Gideon: A major challenge for the industry is that users need end-to-end digital workflows, which require a broad set of currently disparate technologies that don’t necessarily connect well together. In general, the workflow is (a) scan, (b) design treatments and prosthetics in CAD software, (c) 3D print or CNC mill, (d) post-process.
As a 3D printer and materials company, we offer an important, but limited, part of that whole workflow. Scanning and software are major barriers to the adoption of our technology. To combat this, we’ve built close relationships with several dental-specific scanning and CAD manufacturers, as well as a distribution network that effectively delivers these end-to-end solutions to our customers. On top of this, we’re lucky that those dental CAD and scanning companies have been making deep investments in pushing the industry towards digital solutions for much longer than Formlabs has been involved. This has helped us drive mass adoption of dental 3D printing applications.

As we look to new applications, different types of users, and particularly the broader set of medical applications, this is definitely a continuing challenge. There is a lot of development that still needs to happen to get most of the medical workflows to the level of usability required to become the standard of care. 3D printing and material development are rapidly changing, and this will drive adoption, but I would say that currently, the scanning and CAD software challenges are probably paramount.
Jenny: If you are granted three wishes by a higher being, what would they be?  
Gideon: The cultural representation of these types of grant-wishing beings, or genies, is comically variable. In many places, these are beings to fear, who grant wishes literally but by interpreting them in negative ways. I’d decline.
Jenny: What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice you heard should they ignore?
Gideon: There are too many people peddling clichéd commentary that is often more self-assurance than it is outwardly useful advice. You’re better off thinking through your specific situation, motivations, and problems on a first principles basis.
If you must, find some people who seem like they are on paths that you could see yourself on, and don’t ask them for advice. Ask them about their perspective heading into various points in their lives, and how this differed from how things actually unfolded. And discount everything by what seems like post-hoc fallacy or survivorship bias.

The post Interview: Gideon Balloch, Dental Product Lead at Formlabs appeared first on 3DHeals.

Dr. Mayra Vasques is a Ph.D. Fellow at School of Dentistry at the University of Sao Paulo, where she leads a project in 3D printing focused on offering the digital technology as one solution for the patient with orofacial pain and dental patients with functional limitation. She is deeply involved in creating a positive ecosystem and accessibility for digital technology and 3Dprinting for patients and dentists adapting it to an emergent market reality (Brazil). Dr. Vasques will be a speaker at #3DHEALS2018. 
Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?
Mayra: It was in 2014, I started a Ph.D. project in 3D printing occlusal splints. My focus was mainly the clinical aspects and I was not familiar with the 3D technology, actually, I was counting that I would find someone that had the experience and the interest in this area, what did not happen..
First time I saw a 3D printer working my mind was blown away and I realized all the potential it had and that I had to dominate it all to really develop me and my project and improve the healthcare of my patients. I knew that I had to make that happen.
Jenny: What inspired you to start your journey/company/career/research in 3D printing (bio-fabrication/bio-printing)?
Mayra: I spent part of my time teaching dentists how to deliver a great occlusal splint for bruxism and temporomandibular dysfunction treatments but I was limited by time and space, so I started wondering how I could use technology to concentrate this knowledge and automate the process as much as possible. At the same time, there was an opportunity to start a Ph.D. study at the University of Sao Paulo and one of my advisors told me to think about working with 3D technology because this must be the future in dentistry. So I decided to mix these ideas and in 2015 I started my Ph.D. project of 3D printing occlusal splint. Since then, I´m developing a blind clinical trial (evaluating splint´s fit, biological responses of oral tissues, patients comfort and compliance and time spent to fabricate and adjust the splints). The project grew up and there are branches of the project being developed with other related subjects focused on patients with functional limitations.
                        
Jenny: Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D printing (bio-printing/bio-fabrication)? This can be a mentor, a patient, a celebrity, anyone basically. You can name more than one as well.
Mayra: I was inspired firstly by one of my advisors and by my curiosity. Through this path, as each difficult emerged, I was impacted by a bunch of people in the internet community. This showed me the power of the collaborative work when people get together because they understand that it develops themselves and the community faster. Had it not, I was probably in big trouble during this project, because as it is a new technology the knowledge is not established, and sharing what you know is the best knowledge improvement option. In my environment, it was not usual. The knowledge transmission was basically from an institution to the people, so 3D printing showed me in practice how it is to think outside the box.
Jenny: What motivates you the most for your work?
Mayra: To work with 3D tech is a world of possibilities, for me and for the patients. I have to make it happen and be part of this revolution. At the best and the worst moments I always think about it.
Jenny: What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?
Mayra: During this path, the biggest challenges were the support. Things definitely changed in the last 4 years, but I had to face a lot of distrust and resources limitations. I was recommended to give up countless times. At some point, my family decided to support me and invest in my dream. I owe much of the project success to them.
Jenny: What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing/bio-printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?
Mayra: For me, the biggest challenge in 3D printing nowadays are the biocompatible materials. Despite its huge development in the last years- it needs to be extensively tested and improved for long-term use in humans, considering that the goal is to overcome the established materials considering biological and mechanical aspects.
Jenny: If you are granted three wishes by a higher being, what would they be?
Mayra: 

• To be able and have the opportunity to spread the 3D printing knowledge in my community;
• To have more time with family and friends;
• To keep me healthy (body and mind) and productive.

Jenny: What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice you heard should they ignore?
Mayra: The advice would be “knowledge is never too much, keep learning about everything you can” and “ignore people that try to eliminate your confidence and convince you can´t do something”.
Jenny: If you could have a giant billboard to promote a message to millions and even billions of people in our community (i.e. healthcare 3D printing and bio-fabrication), what message would that be?
Mayra: 3D printing is already changing the world, be a part of it!
Jenny: What were/was the best investment you made in 3D printing/bio-printing/bio-fabrication?
Mayra: The best AND the worst investment I made was my 3D printer. All the experience that I had to understand and dominate all process of 3D printing was really hard work! The printers are being improved more and more but the process still experimental, the good on it is that the users are part of this development. It takes our time and lots of sleep hours, but it’s worth it.
Jenny: What was/is the biggest risk you took in your career?
Mayra: I put all my energy in the last 4 years on my Ph.D. thesis and at some point, supported by my family, I decided to travel from Brazil to the US just to buy a 3D printer to avoid the risk of project cancelation. There was a huge risk of facing some problem during the importation process and, after that, there was a risk to have a printer in a place that there was no support (from producer company or other experts). I risked my project, my credibility, and my money, but I knew that was the only way for me to achieve my goals, I had to take the risk.
Jenny: What do you enjoy in your spare time? What are you passionate about outside of your work/3d printing?
Mayra: This is a classical answer but what I love most is to travel, to be with all the world’s possibilities at your feet, enjoying the new.
Jenny: What is your favorite quote? Why?
Mayra: “They did not know it was impossible, so they did it!” – Mark Twain. This quote means for me that there´s no limit for you if your mind doesn’t realize it.
Jenny: What does the word “3DHEALS” mean to you? =)
Mayra: For me, 3DHEALS means a 3D solution in healthcare

You may also like:

Additive Manufacturing Strategies Conference 2019 – Dental Overview

A Helping Hand to Those in Need—Improving the World with 3D Printing

The post Interview: Dr. Mayra Vasques, School of Dentistry at University of Sao Paulo appeared first on 3DHeals.

A New York native, Dr, Nima Massoomi is a Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon who attended the University of Pennsylvania where he received his Dental and Masters in Education. He then attended Medical school at Vanderbilt University where he also completed his Oral Surgery residency in 2007. This was followed by a Cosmetic surgery fellowship in 2008 at Ohio State alongside Dr. T. William Evans, fine-tuning his skills in the management of the soft-tissue and skin. He is currently a clinical instructor at the Department of Oral Surgery at the University of Pacific in San Francisco and maintains two practices in San Francisco and Cupertino. He has lectured nationally and internationally on the use technology in oral surgical procedures, with a goal of improving surgical outcomes using CBCT technology. Most recently, he was part of the team that brought to market the first FDA-approved robot “Yomi” for Dental Surgery in January 2017. This was after many years of collaboration with a team of scientists and engineers at Neocis in Miami, Fl. The Yomi robot will have the capabilities of performing a wide variety of oral surgical procedures, based on 3D CBCT data, being able to provide same-day surgery from start to finish. Dr. Nima Massoomi will be a speaker at the #3DHEALS2018 conference on April 20-21st, 2018. 
Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?
Nima: Approximately 15 years ago, I became involved in 3D printing when I was in medical school as we prepared to remove a tumor from a patient’s lower jaw.  We worked with a company called “Medical modeling” who 3D printed a model of the patient’s skull with the tumor anatomy and vital structures such as nerves, in order to plan our surgical approach.  This allowed us to pre-bend the plates that would be required during the tumor resection surgery.  This was only made possible creating a surgical template using CBCT imagery.  Even back then I thought this was so cool and revolutionary, to preplan surgeries prior to even making an incision.  Today, many companies are even pre-printing custom-made plates for these types of cases!       
                                             
Jenny: What inspired you to start your journey in 3D printing (bio-fabrication/bio-printing)?
Nima: Honestly, it was the ability to provide better and more precise care to my patients.  It is my belief that if technology can be used to better patient outcomes, then it should be employed to its fullest extent. 
Jenny: Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D printing (bio-printing/bio-fabrication)? This can be a mentor, a patient, a celebrity, anyone basically. You can name more than one as well.
Nima: It really wasn’t a particular person, but I have to thank my the chairmen of my OMFS surgery department, Dr. Samual McKenna, and Dr. Scott Boyd, who was back then even willing and open to such ideas. 
Jenny: What motivates you the most for your work?
Nima: Improving my patient’s lives and making them smile. This can range from the simplest form of dental injury which can include the loss of a front tooth, to the more devastating injuries from extensive facial trauma. 
Jenny: What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?
Nima: Data. I think all of us in the 3D printing field have to generate data to validate the use of this technology.  I have been working closely with the faculty at University of Pacific Dental School to publish 2 papers on the accuracy of 3D printed material and how it affects outcomes.  More papers are in the works.
Jenny: What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing/bio-printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?
Nima: For the practitioners that are interested in using this technology, the expense of the equipment and the materials to start down this journey can be overwhelming. Additionally, it’s the lack of “cross-breeding” of ideas.  For instance, I am currently working on solving a problem for an oral surgery procedure and need something printed in 3D printing using metal.  However, I have no idea who has done this in the other fields and if they have, is it FDA approved to use in the surgical realm?
Jenny: If you are granted three wishes by a higher being, what would they be?
Nima: Make 3D printing universal, cheaper and faster. 
Jenny: What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice you heard should they ignore?
Nima: To make AI, 3D printing a part of their schooling.
Jenny: If you could have a giant billboard to promote a message to millions and even billions of people in our community (i.e. healthcare 3D printing and bio-fabrication), what message would that be?
Nima: “Got 3D? We do!”
Jenny: What were/was the best investment you made in 3D printing/bio-printing/bio-fabrication?
Nima: The treatment planning software that I use on a daily basis to create surgical guides/templates to perform surgery
Jenny: What were/was the worst investment you made in 3D printing/bio-printing/bio-fabrication?
Nima: I don’t think I have made one yet….time will tell?
Jenny: What was/is the biggest risk you took in your career?
Nima: Again, I think its too soon to answer that. Ask me in 10 years!
Jenny: What do you enjoy in your spare time? What are you passionate about outside of your work/3d printing?
Nima: Mission trips and volunteer work here in the US and internationally.  Also trying newer adventures, such as robotics in the oral surgical procedure. 
Jenny: What is your favorite quote? Why?
Nima: Mahatma Gandhi “live as if you were to die tomorrow, Learn as if you were to live forever.”
Jenny: What does the word “3DHEALS” mean to you? =) 
Nima: 3D can heal.

Related Articles:

Interview: Mr. Shashi Jain, IoT Innovation Manager at Intel Corporation

The post Interview: Dr. Nima Massoomi, Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon appeared first on 3DHeals.

Dr. Michael Scherer is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Loma Linda University, a Clinical Instructor at University of Nevada –Las Vegas, and maintains a practice limited to prosthodontics and implant dentistry in Sonora, California. He is a fellow of the American College of Prosthodontists, has published articles, DVD training series, and in‐person and online courses related to implant dentistry, clinical prosthodontics, and digital technology with a special emphasis on implant over dentures. As an avid technology & computer hobbyist, Dr. Scherer’s involvement in digital implant dentistry has led him to develop and utilize new technology with CAD/CAM surgical systems, implement interactive CBCT implant planning, and outside of the box radiographic imaging concepts. Dr. Scherer also maintains two online courses: 1‐ Fast‐Track Digital Dentistry & 3D Printing, 2‐ Fast‐Track Full‐Arch Reconstruction Implant Overdentures, and five YouTube channels: “LearnLOCATOR”, “LearnLODI”, “LearnSATURNO”, “LearnLOCATOR F‐Tx” and “The 3D Dentist”‐ popular YouTube channels on dental implant procedures and digital dentistry.
Dr. Scherer will be a speaker at 3DHEALS2018.
Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?
Michael: Thank you for the opportunity to have this interview! I began working with 3D printing early in practice in the form of surgical templates to assist in dental implant positioning. The original guides were printed in Europe, had to travel via customs, and were incredibly expensive. Looking back, it was a paradigm shift. Wow, things have changed!
Jenny: What inspired you to start your journey/company/career/research in 3D printing (bio-fabrication/bio-printing)?
Michael: To democratize the system and make printing available via reasonably priced systems, open-source software, and printers that were available to clinicians around the world. I knew from day 1 that it was going to be big for clinical dental practice, but there were so many barriers to implementation. Slowly but surely we have begun to break down each one of those and are starting to see the proliferation of desktop-grade printers in our industry.
Jenny: Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D printing (bio-printing/bio-fabrication)? This can be a mentor, a patient, a celebrity, anyone basically. You can name more than one as well.
Michael: When I got started with these workflows, very few or even any other dentists were actually using 3d printers in their practices. There were early leaders in 3D printing techniques within dentistry, such as Dr. Ganz who is a leader in 3D imaging and some of the incredible people at Loma Linda University Implant Dentistry department and their pioneering work in “rapid prototyping” of mandibles for dental implant reconstruction in 1983-1985.
Jenny: What motivates you the most for your work?
Michael: I am motivated by being able to see the smiles on my patients’ faces when I show them what we can do with dental 3D printing and modern technology. I have one patient, Jan, who is an older lady that loves rubber ducks. I asked her to bring in her favorite rubber duck and I offered to print an exact copy of it. Using my dental x-ray machine, I was able to scan the duck, create a model out of it, and then 3D print one for her. I was blown away by how touched she was… and will never forget her smile.
Jenny: What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?
Michael: People who say it can’t be done. There are many naysayers and those who have motivations other than improving the quality of care and bringing enhanced access to modern technology. I enjoy the challenge of proving them it can be done.
Jenny: What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing/bio-printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?
Michael: A lack of real and useful biocompatible materials. Regulatory agencies need to make the approval process easier and less expensive than it currently is. We have the computing technology to do almost anything but we don’t have materials that can be used intraorally or those we have are very limited in scope.
Jenny: What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice you heard should they ignore?
Michael: Respect your professors yet challenge them every day. Have perspective and ask questions yet understand where we have come from. Do not settle for “this is the way we have always done things” and most certainly never stop pushing.
Jenny: If you could have a giant billboard to promote a message to millions and even billions of people in our community (i.e. healthcare 3D printing and bio-fabrication), what message would that be?
Michael: The most important rule: “You have to have fun while doing this or else it won’t go the distance.” I began this journey when I was young… playing video games. An insane amount of Atari/Nintendo/early Computers. It must be fun to do and not boring, there always should be a challenge, a jump you can’t seem to make in level 9, to keep us going. Like Jobs’ said, “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” I live this mantra daily.
Jenny: What were/was the best investment you made in 3D printing/bio-printing/bio-fabrication?
Michael: Absolutely my first Formlabs printer. It wasn’t my first printer, in fact, I owned 5 of them prior to my first Formlabs, but it was my first printer that just got the job done, rather than spending hours “troubleshooting.”It’s been a really fun journey since then and figuring out what works for dentistry.
Jenny: What does the word “3DHEALS” mean to you? =)
Michael: It’s our commitment to improving worldwide healthcare through the use of additive manufacturing, digital technology, and innovation but also at a reasonable cost. It’s about stoking the fire within each and every one of us to better push ourselves to drive healthcare into the 21st century.

The post Interview: Dr. Michael D Scherer On Digital Dentistry – "The original guides were printed in Europe, had to travel via customs, and were incredibly expensive. Looking back, it was a paradigm shift. Wow, things have changed!" appeared first on 3DHeals.

Dr. Cooper is a private practice prosthodontist with a passion for dentures. Called the “Denture Queen” by her prosthodontics co-residents, the name stuck, and her love for removable prosthodontics grew with time. Dr. Cooper presents a systematic approach to digital denture treatment which she has been refining since she switched to all-digital denture fabrication in 2015. Digital dentures started as a subtractive manufacturing process, but Dr. Cooper has been working on protocols for additive manufacturing more recently. Her mission is to help bring low-cost quality dentures to the world’s people using this technology. Dr. Cooper’s prosthodontics training and Master of Science in Dentistry was completed at The Ohio State University in 2009. She received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at The Ohio State University in 2006. Dr. Cooper was selected for Omicron Kappa Upsilon dental honor society, as well as received several awards for general clinical and academic excellence. Her undergraduate degree is a Bachelor of Science in Biology, also from The Ohio State University, 2002. Research also has been an interest of Dr. Cooper. She began as a student research assistant in a lab which studied the genetics of cleft lip and palate. As a prosthodontics student, she completed a human research study in the dietary and microbial analysis of adults with rampant caries. Currently, she is a member of the American College of Prosthodontics, American Dental Association, and serves on the board of directors for the Dayton Dental Society. Dr. Cooper will be speaker and hands-on digital denture workshop instructor at #3DHEALS2018.

Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?

Valerie: First, I am passionate about dentures. I want to make excellent dentures and have been working toward that challenging goal for years. To make beautiful dentures conventionally, one needs to be talented and take a lot of time, you need to be a true artisan. However, I wanted to make beautiful dentures easily, quickly and using techniques and materials that are accessible to most providers. In other words, I wasn’t concerned with making the most amazing dentures possible if others couldn’t do it also. My goal is to help make great dentures for everyone, not just the people who can see me and afford my fees. So years ago my practice transitioned to making digital dentures, using CAD/CAM techniques and subtractive/milling manufacturing. A major change compared to conventional processing and a change that I believe will make dentures easier and therefore more accessible to the world’s people.

Jenny: When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing? What was that experience like? What were you thinking at that moment?

Valerie: Now that the intro is out of the way we can talk printing! I knew that progress was being made in printing materials for denture fabrication, but the materials weren’t quite ready. I first really contemplated printing when I was introduced to Jenny!! Over a drink, we chatted about the digital manufacturing of dentures. As I told her the process and my goals for dentures, how I wanted to make dentures easier, faster, and more affordable I started listening to my own words. What technology is possibly faster, more forgiving, less costly, and spreading like fire? I decided to learn more about (3D) printing and how it was developing in my world….of dentures.

Jenny: Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D printing? This can be a mentor, a patient, a celebrity, anyone basically. You can name more than one as well.

Valerie: Patients without any teeth truly have a disability. It is very hard to wear dentures, but often dentures are the only treatment they can afford. As a specialist in making dentures I can often help those with the worst conditions, but I have higher fees than most. My inspiration comes from the many patients I regularly encounter referred to me who simply cannot afford the dentures I offer. For years I have held an annual event making dentures for free in my community. The first two years we conventionally processed dentures, for two more years we digital manufactured them, and this year I HOPE to print them.

Jenny: What motivates you the most for your work?

Valerie: My main motivation in the denture journey is my own insane curiosity, stubbornness, and dedication. When I am fascinated with a topic I must think about it, express it as art, write about it, pursue new methods, talk endlessly to people about it, and try every tool for it. This is just who I am.

Jenny: What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?

Valerie: The biggest obstacle for what I do is actually working with denture patients. Unlike many other types of dentistry, patients needing dentures can be challenging. Everyone in dentistry can recall the denture patients who have made them miserable. Many have vowed to never make dentures again after a bad experience. The problem is that dentures are hard to wear and not very functional and patients often have too high of expectations no matter what you do. I do not claim to have solved this problem and still struggle sometimes. I am not gifted with “people skills” but have found a way to make dentures without the stress and heartache caused by denture failures. My solution is two parts. The first part relates greatly to 3D printing. When making dentures conventionally, the typical process takes possibly five or six appointments, with a high lab fee, with many tedious steps that cannot be easily corrected. Can you see the benefit of being able to make dentures faster, easier, and less costly? This means that if you have a difficult denture patient the very worst outcome is you can simply return their money and move on, so much easier than when heavily invested. Less stress and less fear. The second part of my solution was a mind shift change. I lived with my grandmother who had dementia during the last year of her life. That experience taught me many things, but importantly, I discovered that many of the personality changes I saw in her, many of her frustrating behaviors were exactly what I saw in my difficult denture patients. While not all difficult denture patients have dementia, it is interesting how much we are learning about the connection with edentulism. What I learned is that patients behave the way they do because that is just what their brain makes them do. It opened my eyes to the behaviors that I used to be so offended by. That is just how some people’s brains are and I am there to try to help if I can. Thank you to my dear grandmother for that lesson.

Jenny: What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing/bio-printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?

Valerie: Currently, we are sitting on the edge of a radical transformation of the denture process from handmade products to engineered machine made devices. Despite having had digital methods for denture fabrication for years, few dentures are actually made with the technology today. I feel that is because the current methods rely on relatively costly services and are poorly understood and accepted. The good news is that the leaders in manufacturing digital dentures are already incorporating printing into their existing product offerings making a seamless transition. The challenge here is that I do not simply want to make cheaper, easier, and faster dentures. I want to make excellent dentures better than ever before, cheaper, easier, and faster. I want to merge the best of the classic techniques and knowledge into easily printed devices. This is the challenge. Most dental providers do not feel comfortable with their denture skills, many experienced denture technicians are retiring and not being replaced, many dental schools are reducing the hours of denture education. So if I want to bring up the level of quality with these new dentures I need a solution. To me, the solution is (surprise) technology. I have always been a collector of data and I think using data collection is a solution. For example, we could use algorithms to assist in denture tooth placement based on computer analysis of patient files. We could load facial scans into software and show the provider several proposed designs generated for ideal esthetics. We could use tracking of the patients’ jaw movements to shape the teeth for ideal function. The best news is that all of these solutions are already starting. We have the technology to do this.

Dental 3D Printing: Pioneers and Rulebreakers (On Demand, August 11th, 2022)

Dental 3D Printing: Latest in Digital Dentistry (On Demand, October 21, 2021)

Interview with Rick Ferguson: Teaching Dental 3D Printing

What Matters When Enabling Your Dental Practice with 3D Printing and 3D Scanning

From Esthetic to Functionality – Perspectives of Anodized 3D Printed Titanium Dental Restorations

Interview with CEO of Arfona Printing, Justin Marks

3D Printing Implants for Atrophic Jaws

The post Interview: Dr. Valerie Cooper, "Denture Queen" appeared first on 3DHeals.