HuangshanDental.com is pleased to announce the winners of the 2023 Cuspies awards. The people, products, and events that took home a trophy reflect the increasingly global and demographic diversity of the profession, as well as the mental health toll experienced by many dental professionals.
The winners educate dental professionals across the world, teach dental terms in multiple languages, and share dental knowledge across content types. Many of the winners are also women or are championed by women in leadership roles, signifying the continued advancements women have made in driving the future of dentistry and dental hygiene.
Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Cuspies awards, and to the runners-up and semifinalists. See the full list of winners below.
Cuspies 2023 Dental Educator of the Year: Dr. Brittany Seymour, MPH
Dr. Brittany Seymour, MPH.
Dr. Brittany Seymour, MPH, is a pioneering educator in global oral health and a leading voice for digital public health communication. She is the global health discipline director and an associate professor at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Her courses have been adopted by dental schools and organizations in 30 countries.
“I think my work resonates because we are building bridges between nations, between programs that don’t have oral healthcare and those that do, and between communities who need dental training and trainers who can teach them,” Seymour said.
“The challenges the dental profession is facing today are global in scope, and we feel a sense of responsibility to communities near and far. We all want to feel like we can build these kinds of bridges, working together to transform today’s problems into shared solutions, and making the world, and ourselves, better in the process.’
Runner-up: Dr. Gordon J. Christensen, MSD, PhD
Cuspies 2023 Hygiene Educator of the Year: Jennifer Turner, RDH
Jennifer Turner, RDH.
Jennifer Turner, RDH, has worked with hundreds of dental practices across Canada, supporting teams with change management and the implementation of clinical systems to enhance and elevate patient care. She is the vice president of dental hygiene operations at 123Dentist and an award-winning dental hygiene professor.
“Thank you very much for supporting me to be recognized as DrBicuspid’s Hygiene Educator of the Year,” Turner said. “It is a dream come true to have the ability to share my passion for providing optimal patient care while understanding the business of dental hygiene with my colleagues in North America. It is a privilege that the DrBicuspid audience is resonating with my work to educate, elevate, and inspire that begins and ends with a people-first culture within the DSO space and beyond.”
Runner-up: Amber Auger, RDH
Cuspies 2023 Best Dentistry Training Program: Texas A&M University School of Dentistry
The Texas A&M University School of Dentistry dentistry students.
The Texas A&M School of Dentistry has been educating dentists with hands-on clinical training for more than 115 years. The school is the largest single oral healthcare provider in North Texas, with departments spanning biomedical sciences, comprehensive dentistry, and public health.
“This recognition wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of our incredible faculty, staff, and student body,” said a representative for the Texas A&M School of Dentistry. “Our integrated curriculum, translational research, and robust clinical training programs bolster our continued legacy of educating exemplary dental clinicians and providing countless patients with compassionate care.”
Runner-up: Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Cuspies 2023 Best Hygiene Training Program: Texas A&M University School of Dentistry Dental Hygiene Program
Texas A&M University School of Dentistry dental hygiene students.
The Texas A&M University School of Dentistry Dental Hygiene Program educates oral health professionals to provide education, clinical services, and therapeutic services that support overall health through oral health. The school houses its signature Bachelor of Science in dental hygiene undergraduate program as well as a Master of Science degree in education for dental hygiene.
“Texas A&M – Texas A&M University School of Dentistry is truly honored to receive the 2023 Cuspies Award for both our dental and dental hygiene educational programs,” said a representative for the Texas A&M School of Dentistry. “It is an even greater honor to be placed in such distinguished ranks as those past recipients, all who have made significant contributions to the field of dentistry and in shaping the careers of the next generations of dental professionals.”
Runner-up: Dental hygiene program at Collin College
2023 Cuspies Dentist Influencer of the Year: Dentists in the Know
Dentists IN the Know.
“Dentists IN the Know” is a collaborative dental community that brings dental professionals in the know together every week. Best known for its weekly podcast, hosts Drs. Jeff Horowitz, Chad Duplantis, and Jennifer Bell discuss current events, new products and techniques, dental education, and organized dentistry in an unpretentious and welcoming format.
“Dentists in the Know is incredibly humbled to be recognized as Dental Influencers of the Year by DrBicuspid,” Bell said. “What started as a COVID project between three friends has grown into an impactful community full of engaging interviews, honest information, and challenging discussions in a most lighthearted and fun atmosphere. We like to think of our platform as the happy hour event after the CE course is over, where the real learning begins with friends. It seems this message is really resonating with the dental community and DrBicuspid’s audience specifically, because many are longing for an unpretentious and collaborative community amongst our peers. Thank you so much for the recognition, and we will continue to work hard to bring valuable content to our audience.”
Runner-up: Dr. Mary Pham
2023 Cuspies Hygienist Influencer of the Year: Amber Lovatos, RDH
Amber Lovatos, RDH.
Amber Lovatos, RDH, is a clinician, educator, author, and podcaster, as well as the hygienist behind the popular Instagram handle @thelatinardh. Lovatos has used her Instagram profile to teach her 5,000+ followers basic dental Spanish. She also speaks to issues impacting the Latino dental community and Spanish-speaking patients.
“Being awarded the Hygienist Influencer of the Year is a great honor and a recognition of the hard work and dedication I put into creating valuable content for the dental community,” Lovatos said. “It means that my efforts to educate and empower dental professionals to communicate effectively with Spanish-speaking patients has resonated with the DrBiscupid audience and has made a meaningful impact on their practice. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue sharing my knowledge and helping improve the quality of care for all patients.”
Runner-up: Britt Glauz, RDH
2023 Cuspies Best New Imaging Product: Trios 5 Wireless intraoral scanner, 3Shape
The Trios 5 Wireless.
Last September, 3Shape rolled out the new version of its Trios 5 Wireless intraoral scanner that includes more than 50 changes to improve its ease of use, design, and infection control capabilities.
Scanner features include a more compact build and thin single-use sleeves to cover the body and minimize the risk of cross-contamination. The scanner also comes with ScanAssist intelligent alignment technology, an LED light, and haptic feedback to guide dental professionals during the scanning process.
“3Shape is very honored to receive the 2023 Cuspies award for Best New Imaging Product,” said Jakob Just-Bomholt, CEO of 3Shape. “We spent several years perfecting the technology behind the game-changing Trios 5 and reshaping it to fit into a more compact and hygienic design. Trios 5’s ease of use, coupled with our 3Shape Unite platform and Trios Share technology that enables you to scan and plan on every PC in the practice, is making it so much simpler for dentists to better care for their patients, drive practice growth, and work with treatment partners.”
Runner-up: Primescan Connect intraoral scanner, Dentsply Sirona
Cuspies 2023 Best New Hygiene Product: Dragonfly powered loupe, Orascoptic
Orascoptic’s Dragonfly powered loupe.
Orascoptic’s Dragonfly loupe integrates the company’s signature magnification with a built-in, battery-powered headlight. The headlight is designed to reduce pressure on the nose bridge. It also hides wires and cables by placing the headlight batteries and electronics within the frame.
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