Ten dental students from 10 countries presented their case studies on clinically challenging restorations using Dentsply Sirona products at the final of the annual Global Clinical Case Contest (GCCC) in Constance, Germany. Each had previously won their respective regional competitions. The contest aims to empower dental students to do their best for patients and confidently advance their skills. An international jury selected three winners, who were recently honored in a prestigious award ceremony.
Presenting excellence in dental restorations, 411 students from a total of 127 universities in over 20 countries took part in this year’s global competition by participating in regional preliminary rounds. The regional winners came together for the final in Constance, one of Dentsply Sirona’s sites in Germany, to present their work to an international jury. The jury consisted of Dr. Britta Hahn, University Hospital Würzburg (Germany), Dr. Ian Cline, dentist at King’s College London (UK) and Prof. Gaetano Paolone from the University of Milan (Italy).
The cases submitted were challenging anterior and posterior restorations that were implemented either directly or indirectly in the CAD/CAM workflow. Only Dentsply Sirona products were used, for example CEREC Tessera, Calibra Ceram and Prime&Bond. The finalists of the Global Clinical Case Contest received awards and an invitation to Constance.
High-caliber final with deserving award winners
- 1st place – Winning case: fractured upper right central incisor
The winner was N Movina Wu from the National Cheng Kung University, China Taiwan. She presented the case of a fractured upper right central incisor. After confirming the tooth’s vitality, a minimally invasive direct composite restoration was chosen. A wax-up cast aided alignment, and the restoration involved shade matching with Neo Spectra composite, bevel preparation, and layered composite application. Finishing and polishing were completed with the Enhance® Finishing system and Prisma Gloss materials, achieving a natural-looking result.
- 2nd place – Diastema closure post orthognathic and orthodontic treatment
Second place was awarded to Qinyang Li from the Sichuan University, China, with the case of a patient who needed diastema closure after completing orthognathic and orthodontic treatment. Direct composite restoration was used, guided by digital design for precise reshaping. The process involved etching, bonding with Prime&Bond Universal Adhesive, and using Dentsply Sirona ceram·x composites. Finishing and polishing were done with the Enhance® system, resulting in successful diastema closure and improved anterior aesthetics.
- 3rd place – Aesthetics procedure of upper anterior teeth post orthodontics treatment
Third place was received by Mayar Mostafa from the Alexandria University, Egypt, for a patient case in which a 23-year-old female sought treatment for poor aesthetics of her upper anterior teeth after orthodontics, showing decalcification and staining. Composite veneers were chosen for their minimal invasiveness. Following digital smile analysis and a 3D resin model, the procedure included rubber dam isolation, selective enamel etching with 37% phosphoric acid, and layering Neo Spectra ST composites. Finishing and polishing were done with the Enhance system. This resulted in a natural-looking, glossy finish in a single visit, providing the patient with a new smile.
Impressive commitment and skills showcased at GCCC
The jury praised the high standard of the cases submitted. “The restorations presented were produced by the students with great personal commitment and technical skill,” jury member Dr. Britta Hahn summed up. “This passion was evident in all the participants’ work and was impressive. All the finalists outstandingly showed what possibilities exist with modern materials and workflows to provide patients with a beautiful smile.”
The finalists appreciated the live event in Constance, to which they were invited by Dentsply Sirona together with their tutors, as an opportunity to demonstrate their skills in advanced dental restorations, compete with fellow students, and present to a panel of experts. “It was a privilege to be part of a competition with such talented young dentists from all over the world. The award confirms my ambition to foster dental health and provide patients with state-of-the-art treatments,” said N Movina Wu. “I felt truly inspired by listening to the other delegates’ cases and learning from them and the judges’ feedback. I can only recommend young dentists to take part in a competition like the GCCC to share your experience, learn and be inspired for your professional career.”
Dentsply Sirona supports young scientists
“The Global Clinical Case Contest is an important international dental contest for the next generation of dentists – both for the students themselves and for the company,” emphasized Dr. Rainer Seemann, Vice President Clinical Affairs and Workflows at Dentsply Sirona. “We want to support future dentists to advance confidently by helping them provide their patients with the best possible care right from the start. For this reason, Dentsply Sirona promotes innovative training programs with state-of-the-art technology through extensive cooperation with universities around the world.”
The Dentsply Sirona Global Clinical Case Contest has been taking place since 2004/2005 academic year. The competition is aimed at dental students enrolled in a college or university at the time of entering. Participants document their case in text and images and are supported by a tutor from their university.
Applications for the GCCC 2024-2025, the 20th anniversary of this contest, can be submitted now. More information about Dentsply Sirona’s Global Clinical Case Contest can be found here: www.dentsplysirona.com/gccc.
