Our Speakers
Digital Integration Specialist
Core3dcentres USA
Mr. Mark Ferguson graduated from the American Institute of Medical/Dental Technologies in Provo, UT in 2001. His career as an AC dental technician and lecturer began almost immediately with his first position in the industry, working directly with Matt Roberts on large cosmetic restorative cases. Over the next few years, Mark worked in a variety of areas of increasing responsibility with several laboratories, covering all aspects of dental laboratory operations including case planning and development with dentist clients. During this time, Mark also spent time training with Lee Culp at the Institute for Oral Art and Design on a range of techniques and their application in the laboratory. His broad experience in traditional techniques of waxing, metal, casting, pressing, and laser welding along with working in the Advanced Cosmetic and implantology departments has been invaluable in understanding the application and impact of digital technologies throughout the laboratory.
In 2003, Mark joined Aurum Ceramic @ LVI in Las Vegas, NV where he worked as a full mouth technician, becoming the CAD/CAM crown and bridge manager in 2006. Working directly with doctors on all aspects of case planning, preparation, presentation, and restoration of full mouth restorations, he continued to grow his experience and expertise in all aspects of comprehensive esthetics and neuromuscular dentistry. Mark has completed the Full Mouth Waxing, Core 1, Core 4 and Core 6 programs at LVI.
Mark became Assistant Manager USA, Dental Solutions Integrator, USA in 2010 for the Aurum Group’s Core3Dcentres milling center, also headquartered in Las Vegas. Currently the Digital Integration Specialist at Core3dcentres USA and with over a decade of experience in various Dental CAD/CAM packages (such as Sirona, 3Shape, Dental Winds, exocad and Cercon), his responsibilities include sales/support for these systems, and others, including new system installation and training. He is also one of the select few to be a Sirona and 3Shape beta-tester and is currently on Core3dcentre’s global technical committee created to advance digital dental technology.
Mark has applied his broad experience in developing and teaching the Core I, II and III curriculums for Core3daCADemy. He also consults widely outside the aCADemy on-site with a range of laboratories on applying and perfecting Digital and CAD/CAM technologies in their operations. Mark has regularly authored hands-on, technical articles in leading publications like Inside Dental Technology and Dental Lab Products and spoken at Dental Laboratory meetings across North America. He currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of Dental Lab Products.
On a personal basis, Mark lives in Las Vegas, NV with his wife and 2 girls. A former tennis pro, Mark’s interest in the industry comes naturally, he hails from a family of dental professionals - his Grandfather, Father and Brother are all dentists.
Al Fillastre III, CDT
Owner Ceram-O-Arts Dental Laboratory
Lakeland, Florida
Al Fillastre, C.D.T., began his training in dental technology shortly after receiving his B.S. degree in chemistry from Stetson University in 1975. Following two years at a commercial laboratory in Atlanta, Georgia, he attended The University of Florida School of Dentistry for two years but resigned to continue his pursuit of dental technology. Al opened his own commercial laboratory in his father’s dental practice in 1979 and since that time has become an accomplished technician in all disciplines within the Crown & Bridge laboratory, including digital design and manufacturing. He has presented hundreds of hands-on clinics and seminars in Ceramics, Composite Resins, Waxing & Metal Design, Implants, Occlusion & Articulation and digital design. Al is also published in numerous dental journals and has lectured extensively to technicians and dentist alike on quality, communication, technical and digital skills. He is currently involved with a number of companies including Whipmix and Bego USA in a digital and technical capacity providing training, support, and consulting for laboratories nationwide. Al presently owns and operates Ceram-O-Arts Dental Laboratory in Lakeland, Florida.
Dr. Barry Franzen
Prosthodontist
Special guest lecturer Dr. Barry Franzen offers an invaluable in-depth perspective from the clinician’s perspective on implant and bar design at the two day aCADemy™ 2: "Digital Implant and Implant Bar Design" course.
Following his graduation from Marquette University School of Dentistry, Dr Franzen took a Post-Doctoral Residency in Prosthodontics and Prosthodontics at the University of Missouri and Truman Medical Center in Kansas City Mo. Since 1985, he has maintained a full-time private practice limited to all phases of Prosthodontics with a major emphasis on dental implants. For the past 20 years Dr. Franzen has lectured extensively on dental implant dentistry throughout the United States as well as with the British Dental Association in London, England. His daily hour and a half lectures at aCADemy 2 address the issues he sees happening in the laboratory that are contributing to case failure - the common mistakes and challenges that happen on a daily basis. He also explains why doctors request what they do and how that impacts on both dentist and technician alike. The goal is to bring the course full circle and closes the disconnect often experienced when it comes to the “whys” of design.
Mr. Harris began his business career with Nabisco Foods in Marketing in the consumer package goods industry. He joined Nobel Biocare Branemark® team in the late 80’s working with both labs and Dentists. In 1997, Mr. Harris had the privilege to start Procera® in Canada and shortly thereafter joined the U.S. Procera® team developing and lecturing to both Laboratories and Dentists.
Mr. Harris was then given an opportunity to join Dental Services Group as the Director of Sales and Marketing. During his time with DSG Greg has had the opportunity to really learn what it takes to get a product out of the lab on time. Being responsible for the implementation and marketing of new products for 30 locations have taught him the challenges of local marketing in a crowded competitive market.
Mr. Harris’ lecture covers the key issues facing the small lab owner today. Mr. Harris also covers the newest developments in CAD CAM dentistry and how it will affect the communications between the dental office and the laboratory.
Susan van Kinsbergen
Consultant, SvK Consulting
A CDT with 30 years of practical experience, 10 in management, with a variety of dental environments and departments, Susan has served as Operations Manager, Winter Laboratory (Laguna Beach, CA); General Manager, DFF Dental Laboratory (Portland, OR) and Operations Manager, Issaquah Dental Laboratory/Issaquah Milling Center (Issaquah, WA). A Recognized Specialist at the Kois Center in Seattle, WA and Participant at the Scottsdale Center for Dentistry in the “Mastery of Esthetics on Implants and Teeth - Creating Natural Beauty” program, she is a dynamic, articulate communicator offering superior technical, leadership and motivational skills. Over the years, Susan has proven to be a strong client relationship builder based on service, support and follow-through and has a demonstrated ability to evaluate and implement new products and processes to ensure consistent quality and improved production. Today, Susan combines all of that experience and expertise as an independent consultant, delivering solid advice on establishing and maintaining high quality standards, exceeding production targets and creating profit-oriented sales strategies for dental laboratories large and small.
Martin Schmid
BEGO Director of Educational Services North America
Martin Schmid was born in Oberhausen, Germany. Influenced by his two older brothers, a dentist and a master dental technician, he chose to pursue a career as a dental technician. Martin studied and trained in Duesseldorf where he practiced various techniques such as crown and bridge, porcelain, full and partial dentures. Thereafter, Martin taught porcelain courses for VITA in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In 1993, Martin joined BEGO as North Americas Director of Educational Services. He is also the owner of European Dental Arts - a precision dental laboratory in Massachusetts. Martin is highly skilled in the areas of porcelain, milling, attachment cases and partial denture design.
Mark Eyre
Director of Customer Operations,
Brightsquid Dental Link
Mark's career started out in the hospitality industry before moving into IT and Internet based software in 2000. In the intervening years Mark has gone from start-up software companies to large multi- national organizations; all the while with a focus on both technology and end-user satisfaction. Customer service and software usability are passions that drive Mark and his team day in and day out. Mark has earned diplomas in Operations and Management (Selkirk Colleague-Nelson, BC) and Network Administration (CDI College-Calgary, AB). Prior to joining Brightsquid Mark held management positions at Neovia Financial PLC and Splice Software.
Jeremy Wohlers, CDT
Training Service Manager
Jeremy Wohlers, CDT is a talented technician and international lecturer. He has been active in the dental business for over 16 years, working in both the clinical and laboratory aspects. Jeremy grew up working in his father’s small dental practice, giving Jeremy a unique perspective on what Doctors need from the lab technicians to provide the highest quality product to the patient. He is currently a member of five prosthetic study clubs which range in focus from traditional prosthetics to implant prosthetics. Jeremy traveled to Germany to work closely with Master Technician Frank Poerschke and Merz Dental in the development of several new products. In 2013, he was certified as a Merz and Hi-Tec Instructor and is a strong advocate of technology.
Jeremy specializes in aesthetic, removable, CAD/CAM designed titanium bars and attachments for removable partial denture/fixed partial denture combination cases. His background in highly aesthetic removables, implant and CAD/CAM technology, combined with his techniques and teaching methods, have made Jeremy a great resource for technicians preparing for tomorrow’s dentistry.
Christien Kopas
CS Solutions Specialist
Christien Kopas is the CS Solutions Specialist for Canada and has been in the dental industry for over 26 years. Her first sales position, following her 8 years as a CDA and Office Manager, was with Aurum Ceramic Dental Lab. She went on to manage large dental practices, becoming a Practice Management Consultant and Speaker. Her last position was with Kastle Mills by Argen Canada as the Canadian 3Shape Trios Digital Implementation Specialist and Sales Leader. Since coming to Carestream, her main focus is on introducing the CS 3500 IOS to dentists, dental team and dental laboratories as the only truly open architecture scanner on the market.
Jim McGuire
CDT, Director of Education and Technical Services VITA
North America
Jim McGuire has been in the dental field for over 37 years. Jim's dental career started in Anchorage, Alaska making rugae patterns, for a penny apiece, at his Father’s Denture laboratory. In 1984, Jim received his Associates of Science Degree in Dental Technology from the Dental Technology Institute in Orange, California and in 1994 became a Certified Dental Technician. Jim managed a commercial Dental Lab for 10 years in Huntington Beach, California, then owned and operated his own laboratory for 5 years utilizing VITA VMK68 and VMK95 porcelains. His digital dental experience started with the design and milling of STL files for sub-periosteal implant frameworks and has worked with the Nobel Procera digital systems.
Since 2004, Jim has been a Technical Trainer for VITA North America, distributor of VITA products and materials. Jim has had an opportunity to work directly with VITA on several projects and materials for modern dental applications. Jim has published dental lab implant articles, has frequently lectured, and conducted many hands-on clinical and laboratory implant and prosthetic courses as well as training on CAD/CAM systems and material indications. He is currently the Director of Education and Technical Services for VITA, North America.
Dr. Bart Silverman
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
Special guest lecturer Dr. Bart Silverman has been lecturing in the field of dental implants for over 20 years. A graduate of Fairleigh S. Dickinson Jr. School of Dentistry with his doctorate of dental medicine degree, Dr. Silverman completed his residency in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Westchester County Medical Center and served as Chief Resident in 1989. He currently is Board Certified in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, is on faculty at Westchester County Medical Center in Valhalla, NY and is President of the Bi-State and Hudson River Study Groups.
As part of the two day aCADemy™ 2 program, he will present on digital workflow from start to finish and the uses of the CS3500 digital intraoral scanner in implant dentistry (including the fabrication of scanning appliances and implant guides). Dr. Silverman will discuss the implant process in depth from when the patient comes into the dentist’s office until the lab technician receives the digital file and what occurs after they receive the abutment and crown back from the lab. He will also cover how to scan standard abutments in order to fabricate crowns and address digital fixture level impressions with the use of scanning bodies. Finally, he will provide an overview from the clinician’s viewpoint as to what the dentist looks for when they design their custom abutment and when to use cementable vs screw-retained restoration.
Jason Atwood, DT, CDT
Senior Digital Solutions Advisor
Core3dcentres NA
Jason Atwood was actively pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Art degree at University when he answered an ad “seeking artistically talented individuals to work in the dental lab industry”. Accepted for that entry level position with Aurum Ceramic Dental Laboratories in 2000, he has since made a career in the industry, working in a variety of departments with increasing responsibility. Starting off in the Crown & Bridge area “” (as he likes to say), Jason later worked in the Advanced Cosmetic and Implantology departments. As digital technologies began to infiltrate the laboratory business, his natural artistic talents and background helped him to make the transition to, and grow with, Digital Dentistry and CAD/CAM very early on. In fact, he worked with one of the first Zenotec systems in North America.
Jason has spent well over a decade working with a wide variety of different CAD/CAM systems (including Cercon®, 3M™ Dental, exocad, Sirona, Dental Wings, NobelProcera, and many others) in a high production lab environment. While working “on the bench” directly with doctor clients, he estimates that he has completed over sixty thousand digital restorations in his career – in the full range of materials like zirconia and titanium - covering crown and bridge, full anatomical crowns, custom abutments, implant bars, guided surgical planning for implant cases, full mouth reconstruction and neuromuscular restorations.
His main focus, however, has been on working with 3Shape. Having been involved with Core3dcentres since they began operations in Canada in 2009, and because of his early and on-going involvement with digital restorations, Jason has helped to develop many of the operating procedures and design techniques currently practiced at Core3dcentres – Canada. He also is a Sirona and 3Shape beta-tester and serves on Core3dcentre’s global technical committee created to advance digital dental technology.
Today, as Senior Digital Solutions Advisor with Core3dcentres, Jason shares his knowledge with others through online customer support, hands on training and hosting webinars on various topics. In addition, he will be involved in refining and teaching the Core3daCademy Course curriculums. He is still an artist at heart and takes great pride in every “piece” of digital art that he creates.
Jason resides in Calgary, AB with his wife and three children; and is an accomplished artist in the area, with some of his work being seen by many thousands.