UB’s dental implant center receives prestigious international recognition

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buhite-DiMino Center for Implant Dentistry and Advanced Dental Education at the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine has been named an international scholarship center by the International Team for Implantology (ITI).

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, the 44-year-old nonprofit is the largest implant organization in the world with more than 25,000 members and fellows worldwide. UB was selected as the ninth ITI scholarship center in the United States and the 35th globally.

“This recognition is a significant milestone, positioning UB among the most distinguished international institutions in implant dentistry, such as the University of Michigan, Harvard University and Bern (Switzerland) University,” said Ahmet Orgev, DDS, the implant center’s clinical director and clinical associate professor in UB’s Department of Restorative Dentistry.

Universities are chosen for their ability to provide insight into various aspects of implant treatment, encompassing evidence-based treatment approaches and a sense of responsibility and care toward patients. Each center hosts an ITI scholar who is an early-career dental practitioner and ITI member interested in furthering their knowledge of the surgical and restorative aspects of implant dentistry.

“Becoming a scholarship center will increase our international research collaboration opportunities, as well as opportunities to receive research grants,” Orgev said.

The ITI has allocated more than $61 million to research projects, with individual grants ranging from $50,000 to $200,000.

A commitment to excellence

UB’s 6,000-square-foot implant center officially opened in April 2023 on the first floor of Squire Hall on the South Campus. The revamped facility promotes interdisciplinary education for dental professionals and represents the mission and vision of Robert Buhite Sr. and Frank DiMino. Buhite was a long-time dental school faculty member who practiced implant dentistry; DiMino was a friend and patient of Buhite who donated $2 million toward the center.

“Being included as one of only nine ITI scholarship centers in the U.S. speaks to the dental school’s dedication to cutting-edge research and practice and commitment to holistic patient care,” said Marcelo Araujo, DDS, MS, PhD, dean of UB’s School of Dental Medicine. “This is just the beginning of exciting years to come for our implant center. I look forward to meeting our future scholars.”

ITI scholars coming to UB

The ITI Headquarters Leadership Development Committee meets and reviews the scholar candidates. They choose the ones who are the best fit for the available spots based on their education, interests, application and support. Orgev will approve the selected candidates, the first of whom will join UB for the 2025-26 academic year.

Those scholars will work closely with Orgev and other faculty members, assisting with treatment planning and supporting predoctoral and postdoctoral students in preparation for implant surgeries. They also will participate in lectures and treatment planning seminars, as well as contribute to research in areas such as artificial intelligence and digital implant dentistry.

Competitive and transformative opportunity

Orgev served as an ITI scholar himself, as well as a digital implant fellow at the University of Florida Center for Implant Dentistry beginning in 2017.

“My experience as an ITI scholar was transformative,” said Orgev, who is originally from   Turkey and became acquainted with ITI while in private practice and studying at Yeditepe University in Istanbul.

Following his ITI scholarship experience, Orgev received a certificate of specialty in prosthodontics and master’s degree from Indiana University School of Dentistry. He joined UB in July 2022 as a clinical associate professor and was named director of the implant center in March 2023.

The ITI scholarship experience, he added, provided him with the advanced skills and knowledge to become a leader in implant dentistry. Under his directorship, he said he will help the UB implant center set new standards of excellence in clinical service to patients, student education and clinical research, achieving recognition at both national and international levels.

“The ITI scholarship is incredibly competitive,” Orgev said. “When I applied, there were 600 to 700 applicants for 25 fellowship positions. Today, there are likely over 1,000 applicants each year.”

Since 1998, more than 500 scholars have been selected from more than 50 different countries to have an international scholar experience in hosted scholarship centers.

“ITI members are typically young dentists passionate about implant dentistry who are looking for additional education to advance to the next level in their profession,” Orgev said. “After you complete your ITI scholarship, the goal is to return to your country of origin with what you have learned and inspire the next generation of dentists.”

 Orgev, who is director of a local ITI study club and oversees the activities of two implant study clubs in Buffalo, said he’s excited to see the ITI culture expanding at UB.

“Having UB added as an ITI scholarship center will elevate our reputation to the international level as a center of excellence in implant education” he said. “It will allow me to represent Buffalo at the annual ITI meetings nationally and internationally and help train young dentists to become world leaders in implant dentistry.”