Greg Bennett, DMD, executive associate dean at the UNMC College Of Dentistry, visited with the dental residents and some faculty members of Offutt Air Force Base in April to give a presentation on “Denture Workflows for the Modern Dental Practice.”
Dr. Bennett visited Offutt’s Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residents through an invitation from Lt. Col. Cole Christensen, DDS, who is currently serving as the AEGD-1 residency program director and also is a 2013 graduate of the UNMC College of Dentistry.
Dr. Bennett chatted with the residents before the presentation, recognizing some of them from the VetMOM event in 2025. Dr. Bennett’s own Naval service provided an icebreaker, as did shared military dentistry experiences.
Although his presentation focused on how modern techniques can expedite the creation of dentures, it also included fascinating tidbits on denture history (for example, suction cups were once used to adhere dentures to the roof of the mouth). After the presentation, Dr. Bennet also joined the residents in the clinic.
“It was truly an honor to visit Offutt AFB and work alongside the AEGD residents on digital denture techniques,” Dr. Bennett said. “Sharing cutting-edge technology with the next generation of military dental providers is something I’m deeply passionate about.
“Equipping them with these skills ensures our service members receive the best care possible, and that mission never gets old. As a Navy Dental Corps veteran, being able to continue serving in this way is a privilege I don’t take for granted. I look forward to reconnecting with this talented group at this year’s VetMOM.”
Lt. Col. Christensen said Dr. Bennett’s presentation was beneficial to the base’s dental residents.
“We have all the technology that Dr. Bennett was describing today in-house,” he said. “From a readiness perspective, if we can decrease the chair time and the amount of appointments, that’s also going to generate a better readiness for our military members. That’s really the driving point.”
Lt. Col. Christensen said that as a UNMC alumnus, he appreciated Dr. Bennett sharing his time and expertise.
“Certainly, Nebraska is very appreciative of the military community, and they do a lot for it – the VetMOM event is a good example of that. We certainly feel the love from University of Nebraska, and there is room for even more collaboration.”
Following Dr. Bennet’s afternoon of resident instruction, Dr. Christensen reached back out to Dr. Bennett to thank him and the UNMC College of Dentistry for agreeing to provide instruction to Offutt’s six dental residents. He informed Dr. Bennett that his CAD/CAM digital denture presentation contributed to one of his residents receiving a runner-up finish in a Table Clinic competition of 60 AEGD-1 residents across 10 different Air Force Bases.