Smart Casual Dentistry Σymposium, 2026

Oliver Brix
GERMANY

Oliver Brix is a highly experienced and skilled dental technician from Bad Homburg, Germany, recognized for his expertise in esthetic dentistry. His focus lies on all-ceramic restorations such as crowns, veneers, and non-prep veneers, as well as biomechanical occlusal design, and implant supported restorations. Since 1989, he has worked in leading dental laboratories and practices, combining technical precision with artistic vision to create functional and beautiful restorations.
An accomplished educator, Oliver has delivered lectures and continuing education courses worldwide, including guest lectures for Ivoclar, sharing his knowledge on esthetics, ceramics, and advanced restorative techniques. He has been an active member of the German Association of Esthetic Dentistry (DGAZ) since 2000.
Since 2006, Oliver has run his own laboratory in Bad Homburg and is the author of two influential books, Fundamentals of Esthetics and Fascinating All-Ceramics.
With his creative artistry and technical mastery, Oliver brings his esthetic perspective to the jury, highlighting the importance of beauty, balance, and function in restorative dentistry.

Esra Uzer Celik
TURKEY

Dr. Uzer Celik graduated from Faculty of Dentistry, Ankara University in 2001. She received a PhD degree in Restorative Dentistry from Ege University in 2007. She has a diverse experience in dental education by giving many theoretical and practical courses in Suleyman Demirel University and Izmir Katip Celebi University. She received the “Associate Professor” title in 2012 and “Professor” title in 2018. She served in various administrative positions at different universities, including Vice Dean of Faculty of Dentistry, Head of the Department of Restorative Dentistry, Erasmus Coordinator and Farabi Coordinator.

Her research interests include esthetic dentistry, composite restorations, caries risk assessment, adhesion, clinical trials and digital dentistry. She has authored or co-authored many peer-reviewed publications, and has given many presentations at national or international specific meetings. She is a member of International Association for Dental Research (IADR) and Turkish Association of Restorative Dentistry.

Antonis Chaniotis
GREECE

Chaniotis Antonis graduated from the University of Athens Dental School, Greece (1998). In 2003 he completed the three-year postgraduate program in Endodontics at the University of Athens Dental School.
Since 2003, he owns a limited to microscopic Endodontics private practice in Athens, Greece.
For the last ten years, he served as a clinical instructor affiliated with the undergraduate and postgraduate programs at the University of Athens, Athens Dental School, Endodontic department, Greece.
In 2012 he was awarded the title of Clinical fellow teacher at the University of Warwick, Warwick dentistry UK.
He lectures nationally and internationally, and he has published articles in local and international Journals.
He currently serves as a member of the Hellenic Association of Endodontists (ESE member society), as country representative of the Hellenic Association of endodontists in ESE, as a certified member of the European Society of Endodontology (ESE) and international member of American Association of Endodontists (AAE).

Gabi Chaushu
ISRAEL

Prof. Gabi Chaushu, DMD, MSc
Professor, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Head, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tikva, Israel.
Attended the Hebrew University at Jerusalem. Completed residency training in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel. Head, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tikva, Israel 2011-now.
Member of the Israeli Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. Past president of the Israeli Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. Member of the Israeli Scientific Council of the Israeli Dental Association.
Head of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery unit at the Tel Aviv Medical Center 2002-2006. Head of Oral Health and Dental Implantology Center at the Assaf Harofeh Medical Center 2008-2011. Fellowship in implantology, trauma and reconstructive surgery, Jackson Memorial, Miami, Florida, USA 2010-2011.
Published over 200 articles in the English literature. Author of chapters in books. Has lectured extensively internationally. Conducted many courses in the field of implant dentistry. Editor and reviewer for numerous journals worldwide. His fields of research include implant dentistry, immediate implant placement, bone grafting, sinus augmentation, block grafting, postoperative morbidity and oral pathology.

Dimitar Filtchev
BULGARIA

Dr. Dimitar Filtchev obtained his degree in Dental Medicine from the Faculty of Dental Medicine in Sofia, in 1998. In 2000 he was appointed Assistant Professor at the Department of Prosthetic Dentistry at the same Faculty and from 2008 is a Senior physician at the same department. In 2003 he acquired a postgraduate specialization in Prosthetic Dentistry. In 2012 he completed his doctoral thesis on the following topic: “Arrangement of artificial teeth for implant-supported and non-implant supported overdentures”. Co-founder of the Laser Dental Center and the Implant Center at the Medical University in Sofia. Specialization in Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry – Munster, Germany. Visited a number of practical and theoretical courses in Implantology, Orthodontics and Esthetic Dentistry by leading dental professionals like Prof. Nitzan Bichacho, Dr. Mauro Fradeani, Prof. Angelo Putignano, Dr. Henry Salama, Dr. Maurice Salama, Prof. Michelle Jabbour, Prof. Andre Saadoun and many others. Since 1998 he has been running a successful private practice in Sofia, focused on Implantology and Esthetic Dentistry. Dr. Filtchev has more then 50 publications in scientific journals, many scientific presentations at international dental congresses, numerous participations as an invited speaker at national and international congresses.

Ophir Fromovich
ROMANIA

Prof. Dr. Fromovich graduated from the Medicine & Pharmacy institute in Bucharest, Romania. He is an expert on dental implants and he is leading a private practice dedicated to placement and restoration of dental implants. Dr. Fromovich is the inventor of many implant systems and restorative implant parts. Moreover, he has lectured extensively nationally and internationally. Dr. Fromovich has also conducted many advanced implant courses and he is the author of book chapters in implant dentistry and scientific publications.

Uli Hauschild
GERMANY

Uli Hauschild is a German dental technician who successfully runs his laboratory in Sanremo, Italy since 1985. Specialized in esthetic and functional prosthesis, he serves an international clientele and looks back on a founded scope of experience with different systems of Computer aided Implantology.
In order to share his knowledge, he gives lectures in post-graduate and master programs at the universities of Padua and Genua and also publishes in various scientific and professional journals.
Uli Hauschild has been a speaker for numerous organizations including the Computer Aided Implantology Academy (CAI), the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI), the German Society of Oral Implantology (DGOI), the European Association of Dental Implantologists (EDI) and the European Association of Dental Tecnology (EADT).
He is a certified member of the International Dental Excellence Laboratory Group, Mentor of Simplant Academy and member of the board of the Cai Academy 2011/12 and obtained Fellowship and IPS mastership status of the ICOI.

Maria Karakousoglou
GREECE

Dr. Maria Karakousoglou was born and raised in Athens, Greece. She attended dental school at the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, and graduated with her dental degree in 2016. Following her graduation, she worked as a general dentist, gaining valuable experience in collaboration with orthodontists. Seeking further training in orthodontics, she relocated to the US and completed a three-year residency in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics at the University of Texas Health San Antonio (UTHSA) School of Dentistry, earning a master’s degree in Dental Sciences. Additionally, she completed a fellowship in lingual orthodontics at UTHSA. Currently, she holds a full- time Assistant Professor role at UTHSA with a specialized focus on digital orthodontics.

Dr. Karakousoglou is an ABO Certified Orthodontist and an active member of the American Association of Orthodontists. She is the President of the American Lingual Orthodontic Association (ALOA) and serves on the board of the San Antonio Chapter of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), as well as the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR).
In her current role at UTHSA, she serves as the Interim Program Director of the Postgraduate Orthodontic Residency Program. Her teaching scope at UTHSA encompasses subjects such as growth and development, lingual orthodontics, digital technology in orthodontics, and aligner treatment.

Dr. Karakousoglou brings extensive experience in managing patients with complex craniofacial anomalies and is skilled in utilizing 3D printing technologies and clear aligner treatments. Her research interests align with her clinical expertise, actively engaging in studies related to the applications of digital technology in orthodontics. Committed to academia and research, she provides mentorship to orthodontic residents, guiding their scholarly projects and fostering the adoption of innovative technologies in orthodontic practice.

Bora Korkut
TURKEY

Dr Korkut graduated from Marmara University Faculty of Dentistry in 2008 and completed his doctorate thesis and PhD in Restorative Dentistry at Marmara University Faculty of Dentistry Department of Dental Diseases and Treatments in 2015. He has worked as an academic at Marmara University Faculty of Dentistry Department of Restorative Dentistry since 2015, earning an Assistant Professor title in 2018 and an Associate Professor title in 2022. Dr Korkut has many national and international scientific publications about direct and indirect restorations, prerestorative clear aligners, tooth bleaching, clinical dental photography, tooth wear, CAD/CAM restorations, magnification in dentistry, and caries diagnosis and management. He has presented many scientific lectures in national and international dental meetings about dental photography, anterior/posterior composite and ceramic restorations, clear aligners, ICON therapy, tooth bleaching, tooth wear, and restoration complications since 2015. He is a certified Invisalign provider. He has participated as an instructor in more than 100 hands-on courses since 2015. He is a member of the GC Europe Restorative Advisory Board and the Bio-Emulation Group. He is also a key opinion leader and official international speaker of several leading international dental companies such as GC Corp, Hu-Friedy Group Europe, Tokuyama, Dentsply Sirona, Align Technology, Eighteeth, iVeneer, Polydentia, Ivoclar, Busch, and Horico.

Christian Makary
Lebanon

Dr. Christian Makary graduated as a doctor of dental surgery in 1993 from St Joseph University in Beirut, Lebanon.

He holds a certificate of Oral Surgery from Paris VII University and a postgraduate diploma in Oral Implantology from Bordeaux II University in France. He also holds a diploma in Oral Pathology from Paris VI University and a master degree and PhD in oral biology from St Joseph University Beirut Lebanon. He is an assistant professor and head of the oral surgery department at the Faculty of Dental Medicine of St Joseph University in Beirut.

His practice is limited since 1996 to Oral Surgery and Oral Implantology.

Dr Makary has several local and international lectures and publications in the field of oral surgery and oral implantology.

Alexandros Manolakis
GREECE

Dr. Alexandros Manolakis was born in Thessaloniki, Greece. After graduating from the University of Freiburg in Germany in 2002, he received his Dr. Med. Dent. degree from the University of Göttingen in Germany in 2003. He was a visiting associate professor in the department of Periodontology in the University of Freiburg until 2004. After attending military service in Greece as a dentist, he maintains since 2006 a private practice specializing dental implants together with his brother, Kleanthis Manolakis, in Thessaloniki, Greece. Dr. Alexandros Manolakis is coauthor of a German Periodontology Textbook (Praxis der Zahnheilkunde, Parodontologie, 4th Ed; Elsevier, 2005), has published articles in dental journals and held presentations in various international congresses. He is an official teaching mentor for different dental implant systems in Greece and Germany and he is giving lectures as well as hands-on courses with live-surgeries in implantology, soft-tissue-management and bone-management. Areas of special interest include Periodontal Micro-Surgery, Computer-Guided Implant Placement and Immediate Loading of Implants placed in the Edentulous Jaw. He is an affiliate member of the European Academy of Esthetic Dentistry (EAED).

Filippo Menini
ITALY

Dr. Filippo Menini is an Italian dentist specializing in endodontics, aesthetic dentistry, and conservative restorative procedures. Based in Belluno, he is a recognized figure in adhesive dentistry, balancing private practice with academic teaching and professional society memberships.

Yaniv Mayer
ISRAEL

Dr. Yaniv Mayer is a specialist in periodontics and serves as the Director of Graduate Periodontology and the Head of Clinical Research and Innovation in the Department of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, and is a past president of the Israeli Society of Periodontology. He is a certified specialist by the Israeli Ministry of Health and the European Federation of Periodontology.
Dr. Mayer is involved in clinical research and is a guest speaker at leading conferences in Israel and abroad. He is an official reviewer for several professional scientific journals in the fields of dental implants and periodontology, and has published a number of professional articles which received international awards. Dr. Mayer teaches residents and students at the Technion Institute of Technology Faculty of Medicine in Haifa. In 2021, Dr. Mayer was nominated by both Forbes and Dun & Bradstreet, and cited as one of the leading periodontists in Israel. Dr. Mayer founded Periocenter Ltd., one of Israel’s foremost clinics focused on periodontology, implantology and aesthetic dentistry. Dr. Mayer is the director of the Israeli ITI study club. He received his degree in dental medicine from the Hebrew University Hadassah School of Dental Medicine in Jerusalem and specialized in periodontics at the Rambam Medical Center School of Graduate Dentistry in Haifa.

Carlo Monaco
ITALY

Carlo Monaco is Associate Professor of Prosthodontics at University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. He holds a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Bologna (1992). After graduation from the Dental School, he had worked as a scholarship holder at the Department of Oral Sciences, Division of Restorative Dentistry (1994-1996) and at the Division Prosthodontics and maxillo-facial rehabilitation (2000) of the University of Bologna. In 2003 he was invited as a visiting researcher to the Division of Cariology School of Dental Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland. In 2000 he obtained the master and in 2005 the Ph.D in Dental Materials at University of Siena. In May 2013 he obtained a second Ph.D in Material Engineering at Faculty of Engineering at University of Bologna, Italy. He is a frequent presenter and lecturer at scientific meetings, and received several national and international awards. He has held numerous continuing education courses in Italy and Europe. He has also reviewer of several scientific journals. He published over 60 papers and book chapters on national and international journals. In the last twenty years he developed with Prof. Giovanni Zucchelli new approaches regarding the relationship between prostheses, new dental materials and periodontics and implant dentistry above all in the esthetic area.

Alessandro Perucchi
Switzerland

Dr. med. dent. Alessandro Perucchi graduated at the University of Bern Switzerland (ZMK) in 2005 and obtained his Doctorate in dental medicine in 2007.

From 2007 to 2010 he worked as medical assistant at the cantonal hospital of Lucern: Maxillofacial surgery clinic and oral surgery under the direction of the PD. Dr med. Dent. Johannes Kuttenberger and obtained in 2011 the title as specialist in Oralsurgery SSO. Since 2012 he worked in his own private dental office and oral surgery at Mendrisio (www.perucchi.dentist). From 2014 is an ITI Speaker. Dr. Perucchi is active in clinical research related to implant surgery, prosthodontics and digital dentistry. His work has been published in international peer-reviewed journals. He participates as an invited lecturer in international and national conferences and congresses.

Cristian Scognamiglio
SWITZERLAND

Dr. Cristian Scognamiglio is active in the clinical researches related to oral surgery and implants, his works have been published on different dental journals and he participates as a speaker for national and international congresses. Since 2022 he is an opinion leader for Polydentia and in 2023 he was selected as one of the “World’s Top 100 Doctors 2023”. Dr. Cristian Scognamiglio is an active member of SSO (Swiss Dental Association), DDS (Digital Dentistry Society), EAO (European association for Osseointegration), ITI (International Team for Implantology), OMDCT (Canton Ticino Dental Association).

Massimo Simion
ITALY

Professor and Chairman of the Department of Periodontology at the Dental School of the University of Milan. 

Member of the Board of the European Association for Osseointegration (EAO) 1998 - 2005. 

President of EAO for the years 2001-2003 and Immediate Past-President for years 2004/2005. 

Member of the Council of EAO since the year 2005.

Founder of the Italian Society of Osseontegration and of the Italian Academy of Osseointegration.

President of the Italian Academy of Osseointegration in the years 2023/2024

Active Member and Vice-President of the Italian Society of Periodontology (SidP) for the years 2003-2005. 

Referee of the International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry.

He was recognized with the Branemark Award and ISPRD Distiguished Clinician Award for the year 2022, and with the ICOI Charles E. English Award for 2023.

He published more then 120 scientific papers and is international lecturer about the topic Periodontology, Osseointegration 

and Bone Regeneration.  

Martina Stefanini
ITALY

Graduated in 2005 from the University of Bologna, Italy with a degree in dentistry.
She was awarded Ph.D. in Medical Sciences in 2016 from the University of Bologna, Italy Since 2018 Researcher at the Departement of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences , Bologna University Member of the Editorial Committee of the Italian Society of Periodontology in 2018-2019 Member of the Scientific Committee of the Italian Society of Periodontology in 2016/2017 Visiting Professor at San Raffaele University Milan 2015-2016 Teacher at the postgraduate program Dental School San Raffaele University Milan 2017 Teacher at the II level International Master at Bologna University 2017/2018 Since 2018 ITI Fellow Since 2012 active member of the Italian Society of Periodontology (SIDP) Since 2005 to 2013 awarded research grant working with Prof.Giovanni Zucchelli. Since 2005 to date dental surgeon in private practice as an expert in Periodontology Author of several publications in Pubmed Speaker at national and international conferences on Periodontology

Marius Steigmann
GERMANY

Marius Steigmann graduated in Dental Medicine in Neumarkt in 1987. In 2005, he received his PhD Summa cum laude from the University of Neumarkt. Dr Steigmann is a Diplomate of the ICOI, served as ICOI Vice President of Germany and was a board member of the DGOI for 15 years. He has also received the medal of "Semmelweiss" Budapest University Dental School Department. Of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Furthermore, Dr Steigmann is an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor University of Michigan Department of Periodontics and held the position of Adjunct Assistant Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Boston University. He is also Honorary Professor of the “Carol Davila “University, Bucharest, since 2003 and was founder and Scientific chairman of “Update Implantologie Heidelberg. Marius Steigmann is the founder and director of the "Steigmann Institute". He maintains a private practice in Neckargemünd, Germany.