The winners with the jury members, from left to right: Prof. Gaetano Paolone, Dr. med. dent. Britta Hahn, Sofia Grindenko, Chuttaporn Dejdumrongwood, Dr. Ian Cline and Prof. Dr. Rainer Seemann. (Photo courtesy: Dentsply Sirona)

Dentsply Sirona recognizes six winning dental students in two new competition categories

by Oral Health
The winners with the jury members, from left to right: Prof. Gaetano Paolone, Dr. med. dent. Britta Hahn, Sofia Grindenko, Chuttaporn Dejdumrongwood, Dr. Ian Cline and Prof. Dr. Rainer Seemann. (Photo courtesy: Dentsply Sirona)
The winners with the jury members, from left to right: Prof. Gaetano Paolone, Dr. med. dent. Britta Hahn, Sofia Grindenko, Chuttaporn Dejdumrongwood, Dr. Ian Cline and Prof. Dr. Rainer Seemann. (Photo courtesy: Dentsply Sirona)

For the first time in its 20-year history, the Dentsply Sirona Global Clinical Case Contest (GCCC) awarded prizes in two distinct categories: direct and indirect restorations. Six dental students from eight countries were recognized for their outstanding restorative cases using Dentsply Sirona materials and technologies.

This year’s competition attracted around 300 student submissions from 108 dental faculties worldwide. Ten finalists from Brazil, China, Estonia, France, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand and Germany were invited to present their cases in Constance, Germany, before an international jury of clinicians.

“It’s remarkable how enthusiastically and precisely the students implemented their cases,” said Dr. Britta Hahn, of University Hospital Würzburg, who served as a jury member. “Each finalist demonstrated how CAD/CAM workflows and modern materials can benefit patients — both esthetically and functionally — at a very high level.”

The 10 finalists from eight countries made it to the final round of the 20th Global clinical Cases Contest (GCCC). (Photo courtesy: Dentsply Sirona)
The 10 finalists from eight countries advanced to the final round of the 20th Global Clinical Case Contest (GCCC). (Photo courtesy of Dentsply Sirona)

Winners in the direct restorations category

First place: Sofiia Grindenko, Russian University of Medicine (Moscow), for a case involving a 32-year-old male patient treated with full-coverage composite veneers using Neo Spectra ST composites and Esthet-X HD.

“Winning is obviously a huge compliment for my work,” said Grindenko. “But it’s also a great motivation to continue striving to achieve the best possible esthetic outcomes for my patients.”

Second place: Yiting Chen, Capital Medical University (Beijing), for restoring a fractured central incisor using Neo Spectra and Prime & Bond Universal.

Third place: Ying Cheng Lu, National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan, R.O.C.), for a fractured upper central incisor restored with Spectra ST resin, Prime & Bond Universal, and Enhance Finishing.

Winners in the indirect restorations category

First place: Using CAD/CAM technology, this year’s top indirect restoration prize went to Chuttaporn Dejdumrongwood of Chiang Mai University (Thailand). Her case transformed a male patient’s smile with digitally manufactured veneers using CEREC Tessera™, Calibra Veneer, and Prime & Bond Universal.

Second place: Beatrice Julia Popescu, Johannes Gutenberg University (Mainz, Germany), for a 19-year-old patient with peg-shaped front teeth and missing mandibular incisors restored with CEREC Tessera™ veneers, CEREC MTL Zirconia bridges, and composite build-ups.

Third place: Chang Guo, Fourth Military Medical University (Xi’an, China), for a female patient with discoloured teeth affected by bruxism and secondary caries, restored with Celtra, Spectra ST, Prime & Bond Universal, and Calibra Veneer.

Since its launch in 2004/2005, the competition has provided a global platform for dental students to present documented restorative cases — both direct and indirect — under the guidance of university mentors.

“The GCCC is an important part of our efforts to support young dental professionals early in their careers,” said Prof. Rainer Seemann, Vice-President and Chief Clinical Officer at Dentsply Sirona. “We aim to give future dentists confidence in using modern technology and enable them to deliver the best possible care right from the start of their clinical journey.”