Patricia Strimb Takes Grand Prize at 2023 Panthera Master Cup

In a thrilling competition that drew dental technicians from around the world, Patricia Strimb of Germany emerged as the grand winner of the prestigious 2023 Panthera Master Cup. The award ceremony, hosted by Panthera Dental, a global leader in CAD/CAM implant solutions and dental sleep appliances, took place on October 6, 2023, at the Panthera Dental headquarters in Quebec, Canada.

Patricia Strimb's skills and craftsmanship secured her the coveted first place in this year's Master Cup. She triumphed out of an initial field of 10 technicians including semi-finalists Evgeny Korneychuk and Nina Frketin, who clinched the second and third positions, respectively. The three winners collectively earned prizes valued at over CAN$75,000.

This year's Master Cup attracted 10 talented participants from 7 different countries, all vying for the top spot. Each contestant was provided with the same materials and a common patient profile, setting the stage for a level playing field. After 3 months of intense effort and dedication, their work was evaluated by a panel of renowned judges and dental technicians, including Oleg Glozanski, Margaret Wibberley, John Wibberley, 2022 Panthera Master Cup winner Sébastien Mioranza, and Dr Michael J. Tholey. The judges evaluated each finished set of dentures, assessing each competitor’s knowledge, skills, functionality, and the restorations’ esthetics.

Notably, the competition's top three finalists, Nina Frketin from the UK, Evgeny Korneychuk from Ukraine, and Patricia Strimb from Germany, were awarded an exclusive trip to the Panthera Dental headquarters to attend the award ceremony.

All three finalists collectively received more than CAN$75,000 in prizes, which included valuable items like an articulator, a furnace, technical articles published in various dental magazines, and a unique 3D-printed ring, all courtesy of Panthera Dental and the competition's official partners, VITA, Amann Girrbach, and LMT.

In addition to the main competition, VITA acknowledged Lola Welch from the UK with a €500 voucher for submitting the best documentation of her case.

“The entire Panthera Dental team would like to congratulate Patricia on her outstanding work. All functional, esthetic, and documentation criteria were skillfully met,” says Béatrice Robichaud, co-founder and VP of marketing and customer experience at Panthera Dental. “Congratulations once again to Evgeny and Nina, and especially to the 10 participants who submitted impressive work in this edition’s very complex case.”

The 2023 Panthera Master Cup not only recognized excellence but also served as a valuable learning experience for all participants. Special congratulations go out to Sophie Dallem, Olivier Herblot, Salvatore Marono, Shawna Schonauer, Ryan Tran, Derek Walker, and Lola Welch, who each received an Artex CR articulator supplied by Amann Girrbach. These individuals have not only proven their skills but have gained invaluable knowledge from this unique competition.