Gülce Çakmak, Manuel Raffa, Hashem Marei
It’s always a pleasure to welcome new faces into the Digital Dentistry Society family, and this time my coffee table gets a truly international touch. In this edition, I have the privilege of introducing three new Local Ambassadors representing Turkey, Malta, and the United Arab Emirates—three regions with unique identities, vibrant professional communities, and a growing passion for digital dentistry.
From the dynamic energy of Turkey, to the close-knit and forward-thinking dental community of Malta, and the fast-paced, innovation-driven environment of the UAE, these ambassadors reflect the diversity and strength of our global Society. Each of them brings a distinct perspective shaped by their local context, clinical experience, and vision for innovation, yet they are united by a shared commitment to education, collaboration, and the advancement of digital workflows in everyday practice. I’m delighted to give them the floor, hear their stories, and officially welcome them as part of the DDS global network. Let’s get the conversation started.
The Small Rose and the Digital Horizon: The Global Journey of Dr. Gülce Çakmak
The Small Rose and the Digital Horizon: The Global Journey of Dr. Gülce Çakmak
The story of Associate Professor Dr. Gülce Çakmak, DDS, Ph.D, Dr. med.dent, is not merely a record of academic appointments and scientific citations; it is a narrative of restless curiosity and the pursuit of a global vision. At just 39 years old, she stands as a singular figure in the landscape of modern dentistry—a bridge between the traditional craftsmanship of the past and the digital, AI-driven workflows of the future. Yet, to understand the woman behind the “Head of Digital Dental Technologies Laboratory” title at Charité in Berlin, one must look beyond the sterile light of the clinic and into the heart of a dreamer.
The trajectory began in a small village in Turkey, a place where the horizons might have seemed fixed to anyone else. But Gülce was possessed from childhood with an uncommon energy. Her path into dentistry was paved by her own experience as a patient; undergoing orthodontic treatment as a young girl, she became fascinated by the metamorphosis of the human smile. She saw, firsthand, how clinical intervention could alter a person’s self-perception and confidence. This spark of interest was fanned into a flame by a lecturer during her dental school years who recognized her potential, telling her she was destined to be an internationally known speaker. It was a suggestion that resonated deeply with her inner dreamer.
After graduating from dental school in 2004, she did not take the comfortable path of local private practice. Instead, she dived into the rigors of research, completing a PhD in Turkey that tackled a gritty, fundamental question of material science: the genotoxicity of metal-ceramic nickel-chrome prostheses. At the time, these were common restorative materials, but Gülce was driven to investigate their relationship to oral cancer, focusing on the long-term safety and biological impact of what dentists put into the human body. This early focus on longevity and biocompatibility would remain a cornerstone of her philosophy, even as the tools of her trade shifted from casting metal to printing polymers.
The true expansion of her world began with her “scholarship journey.” Gülce characterizes herself as someone who “accepts challenges” and possesses a constant desire to grow, a trait that led her to the United States in 2016. She arrived at Ohio State University during a biting Columbus winter, a sharp contrast to the warmth of her home. However, the cold weather was balanced by a revelation in the lab. It was here that she first encountered the burgeoning world of 3D printing in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment. She saw, for the first time, how digital precision could merge with material science to create something entirely new. This experience transformed her from a restorative dentist into a digital pioneer.
From the industrial heart of Ohio, her journey took an unlikely and soul-stirring turn toward Mexico. Under the auspices of an ITI (International Team for Implantology) scholarship, she joined the faculty at UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico). While she initially went there to sharpen her surgical skills, the experience gave her something much more profound. In Mexico, Gülce found a culture that celebrated the joy of the present moment. She fell in love with the people, the food, and the sun-drenched landscapes of places like Tulum. Her mentors there taught her that while clinical success requires a plan, a true leader requires an open heart. Mexico was the place where the “Small Rose”—the literal meaning of her name, Gülce—truly began to bloom.
However, the “Small Rose” also required the structure of precision, which she found in the pristine laboratories of Switzerland. Moving to the University of Bern to work under the legendary Prof. Dr. Daniel Buser, she entered an environment where planning was not just a phase of treatment, but a philosophy of life. Switzerland provided the counterweight to her time in Mexico; if Mexico taught her how to live, Switzerland taught her how to execute with flawless accuracy. She became deeply involved in “chairside workflows,” seeking ways to make digital dentistry more efficient, predictable, and beneficial for the patient. It was here that she learned how rigorous planning can remove the stress from a clinician’s life, a lesson she now passes on to every student she mentors.
Today, Dr. Çakmak occupies a unique dual role that few in her field can claim. She manages the Digital Dental Technologies Laboratory at Charité—one of the oldest and most prestigious hospitals in Europe—while simultaneously serving as a Senior Research Associate at the University of Bern. This synergy allows her to merge the resources of two major European institutions. She navigates clinical excellence in Berlin while sustaining the high-level research output expected in Bern. With over 160 publications and a relentless pace of grant writing—having gained 23 proposals recently and pursuing Horizon funding with innovative ideas—she is a workaholic by her own admission. Yet, she is also a strategist, learning through trial and error how to secure the funding necessary to push the boundaries of dental science.
Her current research is a far cry from the genotoxicity of nickel-chrome, yet it is linked by the same core concern for patient outcomes. She is now a global authority on 3D printing and CAD/CAM technologies, specifically focusing on the mechanical behavior of new-generation polymers and 3D-printed zirconia. Her goal is to eliminate the need for traditional milling, moving toward a purely additive manufacturing process that is more sustainable and ecologically friendly. She is particularly interested in how AI can simplify these approaches, potentially allowing for the scanning, designing, and fabrication of restorations in a single day—a breakthrough that would revolutionize care for geriatric and disabled populations through tele dentistry.
“She is now a global authority on 3D printing and CAD/CAM: her goal is to eliminate the need for traditional milling, moving toward a purely additive manufacturing process that is more sustainable and ecologically friendly.”
Despite her mastery of the digital realm, Dr. Çakmak remains a vocal advocate for the “human factor.” One of her award-winning presentations analyzed how operator experience and interruptions affect the accuracy of digital impressions. Her conclusion is a necessary reality check for an industry obsessed with automation: you cannot automate away the need for clinical skill. She believes that as humans, we learn through our mistakes, and because no two patients are ever identical, the “customized solution” will always require the critical thinking of a trained clinician. She sees AI not as a replacement for the dentist, but as an exponential tool that requires a human at the helm to ensure ethical data protection and clinical relevance.
Her leadership extends into the very fabric of the dental community.
As a prominent member of the ITI, she serves on the Leadership Development Committee and directs the Digital Young ITI Study Club—the first of its kind to focus specifically on the needs of young clinicians. She is acutely aware of the challenges facing the next generation, from gender equity to the pace of technological change. She views herself as a role model, particularly for young women and international scholars who may feel that the path to a professorship is closed to them. Her message to them is consistent: “Love what you do, question what you do, and stay curious.”
This curiosity is fueled by a rich inner life that has nothing to do with dentistry. If Gülce were not a world-renowned researcher, she would be an artist. She is a passionate painter of landscapes and flowers, particularly daisies and roses. Her art is her sanctuary, a way to find a work-life balance that she admits is a constant struggle. When she paints, she is no longer the “Associate Professor”; she is the “Small Rose,” reconnecting with the nature and culture of her home in Turkey. She finds inspiration in the Impressionists, especially Monet, whose play of light and color mirrors her own desire to see the beauty in the world.
Her life is also deeply influenced by the philosophy of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The story of the pilot crashed in the Sahara and his encounter with a young prince from a distant asteroid serves as a reminder to her that “what is essential is invisible to the eye.” In the high-stakes, data-driven world of academic research, it is easy to become narrow-minded like the adults in the book. Gülce strives to maintain the prince’s perspective—to value friendship, responsibility, and the imagination of childhood. She often speaks of “manifesting” her future, a practice of visualizing where she wants to be and how she can reach people. For her, planning a lecture is not just about data points; it is about how she can touch the lives of her audience.
As she undergoes the Habilitation process—one of the highest academic qualifications in the German Swiss system—her eyes are set on a future that prioritizes innovation over bureaucracy. Rather than pursuing administrative leadership, she is committed to remaining in the clinic, lab, and the lecture hall, where she believes meaningful change begins. She envisions the Charité lab as a global center of innovation, a place where young people can have the freedom to explore new technologies without fear of failure. She wants to continue expanding the horizons of young dentists and international scholars, fostering a network of collaboration that spans continents.
Ultimately, Dr. Gülce Çakmak is a study in contrasts: the precision of a Swiss clock and the warmth of a Mexican sunset; the rigorous logic of a researcher and the whimsical dreams of a painter. She is a woman who has traveled the world to find that the most important thing she can be is a “good person.” Whether she is discussing the ethics of AI data protection or the perfect shade of a painted rose, she does so with a passion that is infectious. Her journey from a small village to the pinnacle of her profession is a testament to the power of a dream, proving that even a “Small Rose” can change the landscape of an entire field when tended with enough courage and curiosity.
The Code, Craft and Pursuit of Dignity in Precision: Manuel Raffa
The Code, Craft and Pursuit of Dignity in Precision: Manuel Raffa
In the quiet of a high-tech laboratory in Malta, where the rhythmic hum of 3D printers and milling machines provides a mechanical backbeat to the focused silence of technicians, Manuel Raffa moves with the spatial awareness of the professional athlete he once was. To understand the director of Aestetica Dental Lab, one must look past the modern digital scanners and see the man who views every dental framework not just as a medical device, but as a restoration of human dignity. His journey is a complex tapestry woven from the volcanic soils of Sicily, the competitive courts of professional volleyball, and a deep-seated humanist philosophy that treats the word of a man as his ultimate bond.
The foundation of Manuel’s world was laid in Palermo, Sicily, where he watched his father work as a master ceramist. His father was a man ahead of his time, an artist who had trained with the legendary Willi Geller and who operated his own laboratory for thirty-five years. For Manuel, the laboratory was initially a backdrop to a different ambition. At the age of fifteen, he left the family home to pursue a professional volleyball career that would span thirteen years across Italy, including a significant tenure in Vicenza. The sport was his first great teacher, a rigorous academy of the soul where he learned that the essence of competition is not the destruction of an opponent, but the pursuit of excellence within a framework of mutual respect.
In volleyball, decisions are made in a split second, and fairness is the very heartbeat of the game. This athletic discipline—the grit to fight for a common goal as a team and the profound respect for both teammate and opponent—remains the governing logic of his business today.
Life, however, rarely follows a linear trajectory. In 2010, the illness of his mother brought the family to Malta. It was a pivotal crossroads. Manuel, then twenty-five, had finished his classical studies in Greek and Latin philosophy and was contemplating a future in medicine or physical therapy, paths that felt like natural extensions of his athletic life. Yet, as his mother recovered, a new purpose emerged.
He and his father decided to open a laboratory together in Malta, starting literally from nothing. They began in a small, rent-free room, utilizing their life savings to purchase the essentials. When his father asked him to join the venture, Manuel committed himself with a ferocity that bordered on the monastic. For the next ten years, he had no life outside the lab, working eighteen-hour days, seven days a week. He was a student again, being trained classically by his father while traveling back to Palermo every year to complete private certifications and exams.
This period was an immersion in the “purist” school of dental technology. Before Manuel ever touched a digital mouse, he mastered the analog basics: the chemistry of plaster, the physics of casting metal, and the delicate artistry of hand-layering porcelain. This classical foundation is what he believes is missing in the modern era. To Manuel, you cannot truly harness the power of digital tools if you do not understand the perfection of the analog flow. You must know what the material wants to do before you tell a machine how to mill it. This transition from the slow, deliberate pace of traditional craftsmanship to the lightning speed of the digital age defines his career.
When Manuel first entered the Maltese market, the only digital workflow was the production of Zirconia, a process he found cumbersome and limited. The greatest hurdle wasn’t the technology itself, but the “conviction gap.” He spent years trying to persuade clinicians that a digital scan could match the precision of a physical impression. It was a battle of hearts and minds that only truly shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic. When the world paused, the exposure to digital tools exploded. Intraoral scanners, which had been a luxury, became a necessity for safety and efficiency. Seizing the moment, Manuel made a radical executive decision: Aestetica would stop accepting analog work and become a digital-only facility. He didn’t just wait for the change; he drove it, utilizing government grants to subsidize the capital outlay for technology and traveling privately for intensive training on implant planning software like Straumann’s CoDiagnostix.
Despite this digital pivot, Manuel remains a humanist in a world of algorithms. He is deeply concerned about the “de-skilling” of the industry. He sees global corporations pushing AI-driven designs that aim to bypass the technician entirely, promising a “scan-and-mill” future that threatens the livelihoods of families and the nuance of bespoke care. He views himself as a guardian of the craft. His lab is not just a place of production but a sanctuary for education. One entire floor of his facility is dedicated to teaching, where he hosts University of Malta dental students. His message to them is consistent: do not be seduced by the “glitter” of the newest trend. Instead, understand the anatomy of a scan body and the physics of the scanner. He wants to set the next generation on a path that avoids the decade of trial and error he endured, ensuring they see technology as a tool for the patient, not an end.
“His lab is not just a place of production but a sanctuary for education. He wants to set the next generation on a path that avoids the decade of trial and error he endured, ensuring they see technology as a tool for the patient, not an end.”
Life, however, rarely follows a linear trajectory. In 2010, the illness of his mother brought the family to Malta. It was a pivotal crossroads. Manuel, then twenty-five, had finished his classical studies in Greek and Latin philosophy and was contemplating a future in medicine or physical therapy, paths that felt like natural extensions of his athletic life. Yet, as his mother recovered, a new purpose emerged.
He and his father decided to open a laboratory together in Malta, starting literally from nothing. They began in a small, rent-free room, utilizing their life savings to purchase the essentials. When his father asked him to join the venture, Manuel committed himself with a ferocity that bordered on the monastic. For the next ten years, he had no life outside the lab, working eighteen-hour days, seven days a week. He was a student again, being trained classically by his father while traveling back to Palermo every year to complete private certifications and exams.
This period was an immersion in the “purist” school of dental technology. Before Manuel ever touched a digital mouse, he mastered the analog basics: the chemistry of plaster, the physics of casting metal, and the delicate artistry of hand-layering porcelain. This classical foundation is what he believes is missing in the modern era. To Manuel, you cannot truly harness the power of digital tools if you do not understand the perfection of the analog flow. You must know what the material wants to do before you tell a machine how to mill it. This transition from the slow, deliberate pace of traditional craftsmanship to the lightning speed of the digital age defines his career.
When Manuel first entered the Maltese market, the only digital workflow was the production of Zirconia, a process he found cumbersome and limited. The greatest hurdle wasn’t the technology itself, but the “conviction gap.” He spent years trying to persuade clinicians that a digital scan could match the precision of a physical impression. It was a battle of hearts and minds that only truly shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic. When the world paused, the exposure to digital tools exploded. Intraoral scanners, which had been a luxury, became a necessity for safety and efficiency. Seizing the moment, Manuel made a radical executive decision: Aestetica would stop accepting analog work and become a digital-only facility. He didn’t just wait for the change; he drove it, utilizing government grants to subsidize the capital outlay for technology and traveling privately for intensive training on implant planning software like Straumann’s CoDiagnostix.
Despite this digital pivot, Manuel remains a humanist in a world of algorithms. He is deeply concerned about the “de-skilling” of the industry. He sees global corporations pushing AI-driven designs that aim to bypass the technician entirely, promising a “scan-and-mill” future that threatens the livelihoods of families and the nuance of bespoke care. He views himself as a guardian of the craft. His lab is not just a place of production but a sanctuary for education. One entire floor of his facility is dedicated to teaching, where he hosts University of Malta dental students. His message to them is consistent: do not be seduced by the “glitter” of the newest trend. Instead, understand the anatomy of a scan body and the physics of the scanner. He wants to set the next generation on a path that avoids the decade of trial and error he endured, ensuring they see technology as a tool for the patient, not an end.
His leadership style is an evolution of his early years spent working as a barista and waiter from the age of twelve. In those high-pressure hospitality environments, he learned the art of managing chaos without panicking. He learned that while his father is the quintessential “gentleman” who takes every employee’s struggle to heart, a director must also be decisive. For Manuel, business is a matter of equity: he will treat you with absolute fairness if you are fair to him. This sense of “word as bond” is a cultural bridge between his Sicilian roots and his Maltese life. He laments the modern acceleration of Malta, where a “buy your passport” culture sometimes clashes with the old-world values of welcoming a stranger as family. He refuses to compromise on quality, even if it means sacrificing profit to outsource a superior framework from abroad.
The turning point for Aestetica’s growth was Manuel’s innovation in titanium. He recognized a systemic failure in traditional “All-on-4” or “All-on-X” implant cases, where cast bars and porcelain-fused-to-metal structures were prone to failure. By repurposing laser-welding machines typically used in the jewelry industry, he developed a method to create high-precision titanium bars without the exorbitant costs of traditional milling. This breakthrough caused the business to explode, with 80% of the lab’s workflow now dedicated to complex implant cases. His passion for precision also led him to adopt the Matisse shade-taking system, using polarized filters to create a digital “recipe” for tooth color, effectively eliminating the guesswork of traditional shade guides.
Yet, for all his technical success, Manuel’s heart is currently focused on the most vulnerable members of society. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree and co-authoring research in geriatric dentistry. This is where his pursuit of dignity becomes most tangible. He sees a future where digital dentistry isn’t just for those who can afford “aesthetic” perfection, but for the elderly and disabled who have lost their voice. He is working to standardize “copy dentures”—a process where a technician can travel to a care home, scan a patient’s existing cracked or worn denture, and produce a new, functional replacement in a matter of hours. This is not about profit; it is about restoring the self-esteem and nutritional health of people with dementia or limited mobility. His dream is to see this become public policy, a global standard where a database of scans ensures that no elderly person is left without the dignity of a smile.
As an Ambassador for the Digital Dentistry Society, Manuel seeks to be a neutral voice in a noisy, corporate-driven landscape. He values the DDS because it prioritizes scientific results over product sales. He believes that education must come from independent sources, not just from the companies selling the hardware. His vision for the Mediterranean region is one of collaborative exploration. He doesn’t want clinicians to feel that digital dentistry is “more work”; he wants to be their teammate, walking beside them as they navigate the transition from analog to digital, ensuring that the focus remains steadfastly on the patient.
In the end, Manuel Raffa is a man of syntheses. He is the athlete who understands that winning is nothing without respect; the philosopher who uses Latin and Greek to inform his medical ethics; and the technician who uses the most advanced AI while insisting on the primacy of the human hand. He is a man who seeks the “true center,” a craftsman who knows that while the machines may mill the ceramic, it is the soul of the technician that provides the light. His work is a continuous evolution, an endless pursuit to learn and grow, driven by the belief that every person—regardless of age or status—deserves to be treated with the highest level of care. To him, quality is not just a measurement of microns; it is a measurement of integrity. It is the consistency of a man’s word and the relentless refusal to take a shortcut.
The Sacred Geometry of Service: Hashem Marei
The Sacred Geometry of Service: Hashem Marei
The journey of Professor Hesham Marei is not merely a chronicle of academic titles and surgical precision; it is a tapestry woven from profound faith, an insatiable pursuit of knowledge, and a deep commitment to serving humanity. At the heart of his career lies a foundational belief that every action—whether performing complex maxillofacial surgery or shaping academic curricula—is an act of service and purpose. This spiritual orientation transcends the boundaries of formal religion, manifesting as a universal ethos of service and growth. It is a belief that the “long game” of life is played out in the service of others, and that the rewards for such labor are often harvested in a realm beyond the visible. This perspective has allowed Hesham to ascend numerous professional ladders, not as an end in themselves, but as higher vantage points from which to provide more significant impact. From his early days in Egypt to his influential roles across the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates, his path has been guided by the internal compass of a man who views his career as a sacred vessel.
Professor Marei’s path was shaped early by moments of inspiration that ignited his lifelong passion for excellence. As a dental intern in Cairo, he attended a conference where Professor Ashraf Ayoub delivered a presentation that left a lasting impact on him. Witnessing Professor Ayoub’s clinical mastery, academic depth, and international stature opened his eyes to the possibilities of a global academic and surgical career. Equally influential was Professor Hossam Hamdy, a visionary leader in establishing and managing universities across the Middle East. Through his mentorship and example, Professor Marei gained a deep appreciation for strategic academic leadership, institutional development, and the importance of integrating education with healthcare systems. His clinical and professional growth was further strengthened by the invaluable opportunity provided by Mr. Andrew Cronin, alongside an eminent maxillofacial surgeon in Wales.
His academic journey reflects this desire to bring a broad skill set to the widest possible array of accomplishments. Recognizing that being a great clinician does not automatically make one a great educator, Heshem sought to bridge the gap between the operating theater and the classroom. After establishing himself as a formidable surgeon with a fellowship from Royal College of Surgeons and a doctorate in Oral and maxillofacial Surgery, he pursued a second doctorate in Medical Education from the Netherlands. This was a monumental undertaking for a practicing surgeon, yet for Heshem, it was a necessary evolution. He understood that to truly serve the next generation, he needed to grasp the deep theories of how humans learn, moving beyond the mere transfer of information to the cultivation of meaningful, usable knowledge.
His pioneering work with Virtual Patients and digital simulation transformed clinical training by allowing students to engage with complex scenarios in a safe, structured environment. This innovation later expanded into broader digital health initiatives and the integration of AI-driven educational models. However, the implementation of such innovation required more than just technical savvy; it required the leadership to integrate these tools into the very fabric of the curriculum. Hashem’s philosophy is that innovation must never be an “add-on.” It must be the daily bread of the student’s experience.
As Dean of the College of Dentistry and Vice Chancellor for Academics at Gulf Medical University, Professor Marei championed curriculum modernization, international accreditation, and quality assurance. Under his leadership, the institution achieved major milestones in academic recognition and global standards. His leadership is characterized by an extraordinary ability to manage multiple, disparate roles through the power of delegation and team building. Working eighteen-hour days, he wears many hats: the administrator, the researcher, the practicing surgeon, the educator and the accreditation reviewer. Yet, he views his ability to function at this level as a gift of energy from his connection to the Divine. He treats his colleagues and students with a profound sense of social intelligence, controlling his emotions and adapting his communication to serve the specific needs of the person before him. This, he believes, is the true engine of career progress. Beyond academia, he has contributed significantly to digital dentistry, guided surgery, and competency frameworks designed to future-proof the profession.
“His ongoing objective is to strengthen core competencies, empowering students to operate at advanced levels of clinical and academic excellence in both the medical and dental fields.”
Professor Marei is currently collaborating with subject matter experts in Artificial Intelligence to develop a comprehensive “AI Toolbox for a Medical Teacher”. He envisions AI not as a substitute for human judgment, but as a foundational suite of tools designed to enhance and facilitate the learning process—much like a craftsman’s toolkit enables the creation of a masterpiece. His ongoing objective is to strengthen core competencies, empowering students to operate at advanced levels of clinical and academic excellence in both the medical and dental fields.
Grounded in humility and gratitude, Professor Marei continues to emphasize service over personal recognition. Professor Hesham Marei’s story illustrates how inspiration, mentorship, and unwavering dedication can converge to create transformative impact—shaping institutions, empowering future professionals, and advancing healthcare across borders.
