This year, CANDULOR is once again staging its renowned dental technology “KunstZahnWerk” (KZW) Award. The KZW is almost an institution within the dental industry and offers talented dental technicians a unique platform to showcase their expertise and perfect craftsmanship. In this, the 14th edition of the competition, the aim is to solve a challenging patient case in the field of full denture prosthetics, which requires both dental technique, creativity in aesthetic realisation and a sound understanding of the functional relationships of the orofacial system. The international jury, is composed by Oliver Benz, Head of the Swiss School of Prosthetics by Candulor (SSOP), Daniel Weber, DMD, from the University of Marburg and Steven De Maesschalck, owner of the dental technology laboratory dtb Steven de Maesschalck in Ingelmunster.
The Jury
The jury for the KunstZahnWerk Award 2025 has again been made up of three renowned prosthetic experts: Oliver Benz (MDT) from the SSOP, Daniel Weber, DMD, from the University of Marburg as well as Steven De Maesschalck, owner of the dental technology laboratory dtb Steven de Maesschalck in Ingelmunster. “We are delighted to welcome these three outstanding experts and practicing prosthodontists to our new jury," explains Alexander Ewert, Director Marketing & Education at CANDULOR. “Their expertise and passion for excellent solutions will help to make the KZW 2025 a very special showcase for full dentures."
According to a defined catalogue of criteria, the experts of the jury evaluate the submitted works. During this procedure, great importance is attached to a comprehensible model analysis, the set-up of the teeth as well as the characterization of the denture base. In addition, it will be analyzed whether the work meets the specific patient preferences. Above all, it is important to the jury that the participants learn from the case. After all, working on the patient's case is not only about practical experience, but in particular about the application of prosthetic expertise. By publishing at least one case study, participants can analyze and compare their own work for further improvement. It is also a way of sharing and transferring knowledge.
Expert knowledge at the highest level
Steven De Maesschalck studied dental technology at the Stella Maris Institute in Antwerp and graduated in 1997. Afterwards, he increasingly specialized in full dentures and perfected the GERBER technique with the help of his mentor, MDT Max Bosshart. Through him, being a close colleague of the late Prof. A. Gerber, he was able to acquire in-depth, comprehensive know-how about the GERBER system. In addition to running his own dental laboratory, he is a sought-after speaker and lecturer on GERBER set-ups and full dentures in the Benelux region and Canada.
Senior physician Daniel Weber, DMD, studied dentistry at the Philipps University of Marburg from 1998-2003. He specialized in prosthetics at an early stage and worked as a research assistant in the Department of Orofacial Prosthetics and Functional Sciences at Giessen and Marburg University Hospital after completing his studies. He received his doctorate and was appointed senior physician in 2008. Since 2009, he has been head of the special consultancy for temporomandibular joint disorders and masticatory dysfunctions. In addition to treating patients and his scientific work, he is active as course manager of the Denture Science II course in the practical and theoretical training of students in the field of dental prosthetics as well as functional diagnostics and therapy. Weber is a certified specialist for prosthetics of the DGPro, an examiner of the DGPro and LZK (Dentists' Association) in Hesse as well as a board member of the DGFDT (German Society for Functional Diagnostics and Therapy). In 2019, he was awarded the “Prize for Outstanding Teaching 2019” by the Department of Medicine at Philipps-Universität Marburg for his teaching activities.
Oliver Benz successfully completed his training as a dental technician in 1990 and says of himself: “Being a dental technician was and is my dream job.” Following his interpretation of the old craftmanship tradition, he then embarked on his years of travel and gained extensive and, above all, very varied professional experience in German laboratories, culminating in his master's examination in 2001. After holding positions as laboratory manager and key account manager at renowned dental companies, his further career led him to CANDULOR and the Swiss School of Prosthetics, where he found his true calling: first as a teacher, and since 2019 as Head of Education and developer of this unique educational initiative. This is because he has always been strongly committed to preserving important know-how and sharing it on globally by communicating knowledge and skills in an appealing manner, bundling expertise and presenting it in a didactically inspiring way. Sharing this with like-minded and interested people has always been a “matter close to his heart”. The focus was on full dentures, which always interested him greatly and challenged him to come up with sophisticated solutions.
“As a member of this year's jury, I am looking forward to receiving many high quality entries and am very excited to see which "works of dental art" we will be judging this year. We are confident that many of the participating dental technicians will create prosthetic solutions that are highly functional and virtually indistinguishable from the natural original. In the combination of excellent know-how and refined craftsmanship, prosthetics becomes a form of art, as we will no doubt see again at the Awards,” says Oliver Benz, looking forward to the competition.
For further information and participation requirements for KunstZahnWerk 2025, please visit the website:
www.CANDULOR.com/de/kunstzahnwerk-wettbewerb-2025
