The dental equipment manufacturer and supplies company, Dentsply Sirona, awarded Chris Barwacz, associate professor and chair of Family Dentistry, a $162,500 award for his research team’s project “An open, prospective, multicenter clinical investigation to evaluate clinical outcome of PrimeTaper EV implant in extraction sockets and healed ridges- A 5 year clinical investigation.”

The PrimeTaper EV Implant uses a novel implant design with progressive threads. The design is intended to streamline implant placement procedures, whether the placement is immediate or delayed. Barwacz and his team are conducting a clinical trial at multiple sites to determine the long-term impact of this new design on the biological site and the prosthetic implant.

In particular, the team will assess implant survival, implant stability when it is surgically placed, marginal bone-levels, and clinical conditions of the peri-implant mucosa.

Barwacz is a collegiate leader in developing industry partnerships to improve patient care at the college. He begins with that end goal in mind, and then works backward to optimize care so that the patient’s desired outcome is accomplished in the most effective and efficient way possible while considering the best technology and the biology of the patient. In this case, he is using a multicenter, interdisciplinary clinical research collaboration to help establish evidence-based protocols for the use of this novel product.

Barwacz’s research team includes:

• Sukirth Ganesan, assistant professor of periodontics
• Carlos Garaicoa Pazmino, assistant professor of periodontics
• Izzie Wang, assistant professor of periodontics
• Megumi Williamson, assistant professor of periodontics
• Anvita Maharishi, prosthodontics resident at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine