The patient needed dentures, but he couldn’t afford them.
So dental student Adam Robinson, drawing on what he learned in an Adams School of Dentistry course, created a virtual 3D model of the man’s mouth and saved the image file. Robinson then uploaded the file to a dental fabrication lab, which used a 3D printer to produce a set of dentures for the patient.
The process saved time and money while improving the man’s life and health.
Approximately 90 aspiring dentists like Robinson take courses taught every semester by Dr. Wendy Clark, clinical assistant professor, that blend digital fabrication methods with conventional practices. They learn computer-aided design and manufacturing methods to create dentures and other artificial devices that function in place of missing parts of a patient’s mouth. They train with online tools and in a University BeAM Makerspace in Murray Hall to…
