Giving back through digital dentistry
There are many reasons why people get into dentistry, but at its core, it’s about helping people.
Words by Cory Lambertson, GM Asiga America (a.k.a resident Dental Technician)
It’s easy to spend our days talking about printers, materials, software, and workflows. Those things matter, but every once in a while, you have an opportunity to step back and remember what all of that technology is really for.
For me, the Michigan Mission of Mercy was one of those opportunities.
Earlier this year, Jim Brodoski from BroDent and Scott Ward from Ward Dental Lab reached out and asked if Asiga would help produce flexible dentures during the Michigan Mission of Mercy. My answer was simple: yes, we can help!
There wasn’t much to think about. As someone who grew up in Michigan, the chance to use the technology we work with every day to help people in my home state was an opportunity I didn’t want to pass up.
Once we committed, it became clear that this wasn’t something any one company could do alone. If we were going to make digital flexible dentures a reality during the event, we needed an incredible group of people willing to donate their equipment, materials, time, and talent.
My first call was to Justin Souyjas at 3Shape. I explained what we were trying to accomplish and asked if there was any way they could help with intraoral scanners. He didn’t hesitate. Justin secured three 3Shape scanners, giving us the ability to capture patient scans throughout the clinic.
The next piece was design. I reached out to Cole Bishop, CDT, at 3Shape Design Services, and he immediately offered his team’s support. Jim and Scott contacted Justin Kim at Pearl Dental Services, whom they had met during a Think Tank at LMT Lab Day Chicago. Justin was all in from the start. Between both design teams, we had the support needed to keep cases moving from scan to production.
For materials, I knew exactly who to call. Veronika Perrone at DETAX generously provided DETAX Crown and DETAX Denture Flex resin so we could produce dentures with materials we trusted.
We supplied two Max 2 printers, two Ultra printers, and a Cure to set up a production workflow that ran throughout the event.
Over the course of just 24 hours, our team digitally designed, printed, and delivered 37 flexible dentures to patients who otherwise may not have had access to this type of care.
I’m proud of what we accomplished, but what I’ll remember isn’t the number of dentures we produced.
What stands out most is seeing so many people come together with the same goal. Designers, technicians, dentists, assistants, and volunteers all stepped in wherever they were needed. Everyone was there because they wanted to help.
“People have come together to help everybody else.
Don’t we need more of that.”
Mary Valentine – Innovative Dental Design
One of the things that made this event especially meaningful was seeing how many volunteers had personal connections to dentistry. There were many parent-and-child teams working together, sharing their passion for helping others and giving back to a profession that has been such an important part of their lives.
For me, that was especially true. My father, Marvin Lambertson, a retired dental laboratory technician, was there by my side volunteering. Having him there made the experience even more special. He spent his career as a lab technician, and I have spent mine helping advance digital dentistry. To stand together at the Michigan Mission of Mercy and use our combined experience to help patients was something I will always remember.
It was a reminder that dentistry is more than a career. It is a community built on people who care, and that passion is often passed from one generation to the next.
The patients are what made the weekend special. You could see the excitement and relief when they received something they didn’t think would be possible. Something as simple as being able to smile again can completely change the way a person feels about themselves. Watching those moments throughout the weekend reminded me why events like the Michigan Mission of Mercy are so important.
“Thank you to Asiga for the heartbeat to help.”
Scott Ward- Ward Dental Lab
Michigan is home for me. Being able to give back to the community that helped shape me made the experience even more meaningful. It was also a reminder that the technology we use every day has a much bigger purpose than producing parts or improving workflows. It has the ability to restore confidence, improve quality of life, and make a lasting difference for someone who truly needs it.
I’m incredibly grateful to Jim Brodoski and Scott Ward for inviting Asiga to be part of this effort. Thank you to Justin Souyjas and 3Shape for providing the intraoral scanners that made the digital workflow possible, Cole Bishop and the team at 3Shape Design Services, Justin Kim and Pearl Dental Services for their design support and commitment to keeping cases moving, Veronika Perrone and DETAX for providing the materials needed to deliver quality results, and every volunteer who gave their time, expertise, and resources to make this possible.
When we started this project, the goal was to create a digital workflow that could help provide patients with flexible dentures. What we accomplished was much more than a workflow, it was a reminder of what is possible when people across our industry come together with a shared purpose.
A big thank you to everyone involved.
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