Jim Glidewell Recognized by AAID for Transforming Implant Dentistry

The American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) announced that Jim Glidewell, CDT, the founder and president of Glidewell is the recipient of the 2023 Isiah Lew Memorial Research Award.

Each year the AAID presents the award to an individual who has made significant contributions to the field of implant dentistry. Glidewell was chosen to receive the award based on the number of innovations he and his company have pioneered in both CAD/CAM implant restorations and implant manufacturing.

Known for driving the rise of zirconia restorations with the signature BruxZir® Zirconia, Glidewell’s accomplishments including developing dental implant systems, digital treatment planning and surgical guide solutions, and CAD/CAM fabrication techniques for various implant restorations, have helped make implant dentistry an established part of many practices, according to a press release from Glidewell.

The development of the Inclusive product line in 2011 allowed Glidewell to help make implants more accessible to clinicians and patients. The ISO-certified Inclusive implant components are compatible with leading systems, and this allowed Glidewell's implant lab to flat-rate lab fees, reducing the expense of restoring implants for dentists. In 2015, Jim Glidewell partnered with Jack Hahn, DDS, to develop the Hahn Tapered Implant System.

“Our shared philosophy of making high-quality implant treatment accessible to more patients brought Dr Hahn and me together,” Jim Glidewell says in the press release. “The combined clinical expertise of Dr Hahn and our lab's capabilities resulted in a product that simplifies surgical and restorative aspects of treatment and enhances affordability for patients."

Alongside his dedication to innovating the technology of dental implants, Jim Glidewell also believes strongly in providing clinicians with the education they need to master the latest techniques and technologies and bring higher standards of care to their patients. Since its inception in 2011, Glidewell Clinical Education has provided dental professionals with ongoing education and training. A partnership between Glidewell and the Resnik Implant Institute offers models and implant accessories used in their hands-on workshops, with the Hahn implant system becoming the institute's official choice.

When it comes to technology, Glidewell helped develop and pioneer a range of digital treatment planning workflows. The Glidewell Digital Treatment Planning team currently work with a database of more than 2 million implant restorations which help them collaborate with doctors to produce treatment plans and surgical guides that ensure safe, predictable, and reliable implant placements.

In 2023, Glidewell initiated support for the AAID MaxiCourse® program in Southern California. This comprehensive implant education program provides more than 300 hours of continuing education to doctors in the region and will be conducted at the Glidewell Clinical Education Center, situated on the Glidewell campus in Orange County, California.