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Universal Excellence | Less complexity, more confidence
KIZUNA (Japanese for "bond, connection") is a space for dialogue, inspiration, and the exchange of experiences, where different perspectives converge in one direction: effective and harmonious patient care.
KIZUNA is not just an event. It's a philosophy of collaboration. We are bringing the world of dentists and dental technicians together, creating a shared space for dialogue, learning, and inspiration.
Cultivate the true meaning of the Japanese word Kizuna.
Reduce unnecessary complexity, and increase your efficiency.
Teamwork as the basis of success - live right before your eyes.
Japanese noun [key-zeh-nah]
It means the enduring bonds between people forged through mutual trust and support. It is often born among people working towards the same goal, which fosters feelings of solidarity and serves as the underlying strength to overcome hardships.
18:00 - 18:20 Opening
18:20 - 22:00 Dinner and Entertainment
08:45 - 09:00 DR. AGNIESZKA PACYK
Welcome
09:00 - 09:45 DR. ERTAN ERDOGAN and DT TOMONARI OKAWA
Dentist - dental technician collaboration in practice for successful prosthetic treatment
09:45 - 10:30 DR. MICHAEL BRAIAN
The current landscape and future directions of AI in dentistry
10:30 - 11:00 COFFEE BREAK
11:00 - 11:45 DT SOPHIE DALLEM and DT GEORGE ZACUSAI
Optimizing the digital workflow in the lab: from data to design with smart ceramics
11:45 - 12:30 MDT DIOGO FIRMINO
Zirconia without secrets: from troubleshooting to predictable full-arch solutions
12:30 - 13:45 DT KOSTIA VYSHAMIRSKI
Zirconia Minimal aesthetic layering with CERABIEN MiLai
11:00 - 11:45 DR. WIKTOR PIETRASZEWSKI
Bond. Veneer Bond. Precision cementation with rubber dam isolation
11:45 - 12:30 DR. ALEKSANDRA LYZWINSKA
Direct overlay restorations - a step beyond traditional fillings
12:30 - 13:45 DR. JUSUF LUKARCANIN
Diastema closure CompoArt
13:45 - 14:45 LUNCH BREAK
14:45 - 15:30 DT DUMITRU LEAHU and DR. ALEXANDRE RICHARD
Dentist - dental technician synergy at the service of aesthetics
15:30 - 17:30 MDT NONDAS VLACHOPOULOS and MDT ANTONIO CORRADINI
One team, one goal: excellence in dentistry
17:30 CLOSING, DRINKS AND BITES
KIZUNA is more than a symposium – it is a living philosophy of collaboration, where dentistry and dental technology meet at the highest level. By joining us in Kraków, you will experience not only the scientific excellence of the program, but also the unique spirit of Kizuna - the Japanese sense of bond and harmony - unfolding in the magical surroundings of Eastern Europe’s cultural capital.
Attending the KIZUNA Symposium on-site gives you the opportunity to:
Build meaningful networking connections with peers and global experts.
Engage directly through live Q&A sessions and interactive discussions.
Meet lecturers, opinion leaders, and innovators shaping the future of dentistry.
Exchange insights with other professionals equally passionate about top-level patient care.
Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Kraków - a city where history, culture, and modern energy create an unforgettable backdrop. Kraków’s historic streets, vibrant districts, and timeless charm perfectly complement the Japanese-inspired philosophy of balance and connection that defines KIZUNA.
For those who cannot attend in person, there will also be the possibility to purchase access to a high-value streaming experience, ensuring you can still benefit from the knowledge and inspiration of KIZUNA wherever you are.
On the evening preceding the KIZUNA Symposium, we invite you to a unique social gathering designed to set the tone for the day ahead. Guests will enjoy an exclusive dinner featuring authentic Japanese cuisine, blending refined flavours with the artistry and elegance of Japanese culinary traditions.
This special evening will not only delight your senses, but also create the perfect atmosphere for networking and informal conversations with colleagues, lecturers, and fellow participants from across Europe.
To make the night even more memorable, we have prepared special attractions inspired by Japanese culture, details of which will remain a surprise until the very moment they unfold.
Join us for an evening that will combine fine dining, cultural inspiration, and the spirit of KIZUNA - the bond that brings us together.
MICHAELBRAIAN
ANTONIOCORRADINI
SOPHIEDALLEM
ERTANERDOGAN
DIOGOFIRMINO
DUMITRULEAHU
JUSUFLUKARCANIN
ALEKSANDRALYZWINSKA
TOMONARIOKAWA
AGNIESZKAPACYK
WIKTORPIETRASZEWSKI
ALEXANDRERICHARD
NONDASVLACHOPOULOS
KOSTIAVYSHAMIRSKI
GEORGEZACUSAI
MICHAEL BRAIAN
Dr. Michael Braian has dedicated his entire professional life to the field of prosthetic dentistry. He began his dental technology education at Malmö University in 1999 and has since graduated as both a dental technician and dentist. In 2018, he defended his doctoral thesis in digital dentistry. For the past fifteen years, Michael has focused exclusively on digital solutions in dentistry. In 2014, he fulfilled his dream of starting a private practice where he works as both a dentist and dental technician, allowing him to oversee the entire process from start to finish on all patient cases. Michael has won several awards for his pedagogical skills and is constantly engaged in expanding his knowledge in the field of prosthetic dentistry. He is the founder of the Swedish organisation for computer aided digital dentistry SWECADD.
ANTONIO CORRADINI
Antonio Corradini graduated in 1987 with a Master of Arts in metals and free design from the A. Vittoria State Institute in Trento. His interest soon shifted to dentistry, leading to a degree in Dental Technology from the G. Galilei Institute (Bolzano) in 1991, followed by a Master in Dental Technology in 1992. He began working as a dental technician in 1991 and has owned his own lab in Trento since 2002.Since 2008, he has focused on integrating digital technologies in dentistry and dental technology, contributing to the development of CAD-CAM systems, software, and materials. He specializes in complex implant-supported rehabilitations and aesthetic prosthetics using advanced materials like titanium, zirconia technopolymers. His work is centered on minimally invasive techniques, including no-prep solutions.His work is based on the Complete Digital Patient (CDP) concept, developed in collaboration with various industry partners. This approach places the patient at the center of each rehabilitation, serving as the focal point around which the entire dentist–dental technician team operates. It aims to improve interdisciplinary cooperation and reduce errors in planning and prosthetic execution.He regularly publishes articles in national and international dental journals and conducts lectures and hands-on courses worldwide, focusing on digital workflows, material use, and aesthetic rehabilitation.
SOPHIE DALLEM
Sophie Dallem is a passionate dental technician from northeastern France. After graduating in 2003, she opened her own laboratory in Metz in 2013, where she continues to work today. Sophie is a visionary professional deeply engaged in digital innovations in dentistry. She developed a nearly fully digital workflow, while still managing cases requiring physical impressions.Putting the patient at the center, she collaborates closely with dentists to create prosthetic projects like an architect of smiles, always using high-quality Kuraray Noritake materials. Since 2022, Sophie has been a member of Label Dent, a French network of about twenty labs within the Biotech Dental group, allowing her to share expertise and advance the profession nationally.Committed to education, she offers advanced courses for French dental technicians and invites leading experts worldwide to raise professional standards. Sophie is also a key opinion leader for MPF Brush, Renfert, and Kuraray Noritake. She is proud to be part of Damage Goods, an international collective of dental technicians focused on collaboration and knowledge sharing.Today, Sophie leads a dynamic team of 15 and collaborates with practitioners across France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and internationally. Her passion, expertise, and foresight make her a leading figure in digital dental prosthetics.
ERTAN ERDOGAN
Graduated from the University of Hamburg Dental School in 2001, Dr. Ertan Erdogan began his career as an assistant in private practices in Hannover and Hamburg until 2005. Since then, he has operated his own private practice in Hamburg. His expertise spans implantology, aesthetic dentistry, and minimally invasive restorative and surgical techniques.Since 2009, he has delivered presentations, workshops, and courses in reconstructive dentistry, focusing on implantology and adhesive methods. From 2017, he collaborates scientifically with Prof. Luiz Narciso Baratieri in Brazil, and since 2021, with the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral Surgery, and Implantology at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf.He has received several awards, including the German Society for Paediatric Dentistry’s best scientific lecture award (2003), and was part of the team that developed the innovative “caries infiltration” therapy, recognized by the German Innovation Prize (2010) and federal government honors. In 2025, he was voted one of the top 100 dentists worldwide.He serves as a board member of the German Association of Implantology (DGI) in Northern Germany and is an active member of multiple professional organizations, including DGI, DGOI, DGP, DGÄZ, and DGZMK.
DIOGO FIRMINO
Diogo Firmino is a dental prosthetist and owner of a dental laboratory in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. After graduating from the Faculty of Dental Medicine at the University of Lisbon in 2011, he has dedicated his career to merging traditional craftsmanship with the latest digital technologies in dental prosthetics.His expertise includes computer-aided design (CAD), intraoral scanning, and 3D printing, as well as advanced training in zirconia esthetics, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and CNC machining systems. This unique combination of skills allows him to deliver precise and innovative solutions tailored to both functional and aesthetic demands.Beyond his laboratory work, he collaborates with universities and research groups, contributing to the advancement of dental technology through education and innovation. He has also published several articles in professional journals, sharing his knowledge and experience with the wider dental community.His ongoing mission is to provide state-of-the-art prosthetic solutions, uniting accuracy, innovation, and aesthetics to achieve the highest quality outcomes for patients.
DUMITRU LEAHU
Dumitru Leahu is the head of Opal Atelier dental laboratory in Paris, France. He graduated as a Dental Technician from the University “Apollonia” in Iași, Romania, in 2021. His daily work focuses on ceramic restorations and veneers on refractory models, following the biomimetic concept and using Kuraray Noritake products.He has published two articles in Quintessence France Magazine on aesthetic ceramic restorations with Noritake ceramics, as well as one article in DTG Magazine. His passion for high-end dental aesthetics is reflected both in his technical work and in the courses he offers.
JUSUF LUKARCANIN
Dr. Jusuf Lukarcanin is a Certified Dental Technician (DCT) and holds a Doctorate in Dental Science (DDS). He completed his dental studies at Ege University Dental Faculty in Izmir, Turkey, earning a Master’s degree in 2011. In 2017, he was awarded a Ph.D. in Restorative Dentistry from the same institution.
From 2012 to 2019, Dr. Lukarcanin served as head doctor and general manager at a private clinic in Izmir. He then worked as a Restorative Dentistry specialist at two major hospitals between 2019 and 2020. Since 2021, he has been the owner and operator of a private dental clinic in Izmir.
ALEKSANDRA LYZWINSKA
Aleksandra Łyżwińska graduated from the Medical University of Warsaw (2017), where she later served as a lecturer and teaching assistant in the Department of Conservative Dentistry.
She is passionate about adhesive and microscopic dentistry, minimally invasive techniques, and vital pulp therapy. In her clinical practice, she focuses on aesthetic direct restorations in both the anterior and posterior regions. She is an advocate and promoter of the direct onlay restoration concept in Poland. In her courses, she proves that caries management doesn’t have to be boring—and that the bond in the bottle can be just as thrilling as the one on the big screen.
Since 2020, she has been conducting restorative dentistry courses for dental practitioners, collaborating with leading educational centers and serving as a Key Opinion Leader for Kuraray Noritake.
TOMONARI OKAWA
Tomonari Okawa is a highly skilled dental technician specializing in esthetic prosthetics and implant rehabilitation. He trained at Nippon Dental University College in Tokyo (1986–1990) and passed his Master Dental Technician examination in Münster, Germany, in 2004. Continuing his artistic education, he graduated from Kyoto University of Art in 2022 and is currently pursuing doctoral studies in Implant & Rehabilitative Dentistry at Kyushu University, Japan.Starting his career as an assistant at Nippon Dental University Hospital in 1990, Tomonari founded his own dental laboratory in Kawasaki, Japan, in 1994. Since 2005, he has been operating Okawa Zahntechnik in Hamburg, Germany, now known as Organ Dental Technology Hamburg.Tomonari is internationally active in clinical training and scientific presentations, regularly contributing at major conferences in Europe and Asia. His research and poster presentations focus on innovative ceramic restorations and adhesive techniques, earning awards such as the 2023 Second Prize at the DGOI Annual Conference and the 2024 Best Clinical Prize from the Japanese Society of Prosthetic Dentistry.He is a member of the Japan Prosthodontics Society and the Japanese Society of Oral Implantology. Tomonari has published extensively on aesthetic restoration techniques and is recognized worldwide for advancing minimally invasive prosthetic dentistry.
AGNIESZKA PACYK
Dr. Agnieszka Pacyk will serve as the host and guiding voice of the KIZUNA Symposium. A graduate of the Medical Academy in Łódź, she has been shaping the dental community in Poland and abroad for over two decades through her lectures, trainings, and academic work. Her professional journey includes introducing innovative restorative materials to the Polish market and authoring numerous publications on composites and bonding systems.
As a respected academic teacher at the Medical University of Łódź, Dr. Pacyk is renowned for her engaging style and dedication, recognized by students who twice awarded her the title of Best Academic Teacher. She also holds the prestigious position of Vice Regent for Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia within the International College of Dentists.
Dr. Pacyk brings to KIZUNA not only her scientific expertise and didactic mastery, but also her unique ability to inspire, connect, and create an atmosphere of trust and openness. Her presence as the symposium’s conference chair will ensure that every moment of KIZUNA resonates with professionalism, energy, and the philosophy of true connection.
WIKTOR PIETRASZEWSKI
Dr. Wiktor Pietraszewski is a restorative dentist and educator with a strong focus on adhesive dentistry. He divides his time between two private practices in London while actively sharing his knowledge with the wider dental community. Known for his creative presentation style and passion for dental photography, Wiktor also leads the renowned PUNCH Rubber Dam Isolation course, which explores more advanced isolation scenarios.
Since 2021, he has collaborated with Kuraray Noritake and in 2024 had the honour of visiting and lecturing at their headquarters in Japan. Wiktor has been fortunate to learn from mentors such as Didier Dietschi, Maxim Belograd, and Minesh Patel.
ALEXANDRE RICHARD
Dr. Alexandre Richard graduated from Paris V University in 2012, beginning his career in dentistry. Driven by a strong passion for learning, he completed an international postgraduate program in cosmetic dentistry at New York University (USA). Following this full-time program, he practiced as a private dentist in Paris for five years.In 2014, he pursued further specialization by enrolling in the Master’s program in Minimally Invasive and Cosmetic Dentistry at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, graduating in 2016. He then served as an Assistant Professor for this program while practicing between Geneva and Lausanne for three years.Since returning to France in 2021, his private practice has focused on adhesive, prosthetic, and cosmetic dentistry. Alongside clinical work, he actively shares his expertise through courses and lectures on topics such as shade matching, composite restorations, and multidisciplinary treatments.He is also co-editor-in-chief of QDRP (Quintessence Dentisterie Restauratrice Prothèse) with Éditions Quintessence, contributing to the dissemination of the latest dental advancements. As a member of the Bio Emulation group, he remains committed to staying at the forefront of dental innovation, always prioritizing excellence in patient care.
NONDAS VLACHOPOULOS
Nondas Vlachopoulos was born in Toronto, Canada, and graduated from the School of Dental Technology in 1985. He earned a BSc (Hons) from the Technological Educational Institution of Athens in 1989 and founded AestheticLab in Athens in 1990.
An expert in aesthetic all-ceramic and implant restorations, Nondas is an international member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, an editorial reviewer for the Journal of the AACD, and a member of the Hellenic Academy of Esthetic Dentistry. In 2024, he received the Kenneth D. Rudd Award from the American Prosthodontic Society.
He collaborates with the Department of Prosthodontics at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health (University of Rochester, USA), and has worked with the Dental School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Since 2015, he contributes to the postgraduate MSc program in Dental Biomaterials.
Nondas is a global lecturer and hands-on educator, presenting in the USA, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. He has published in both Greek and international dental journals and serves as an opinion leader for Noritake Dental and MPF Brush Co. in Greece.
KOSTIA VYSHAMIRSKI
Kostia Vysharmiski is a dental technician specializing in aesthetic ceramic cases, skillfully combining digital and manual technologies with over 10 years of professional experience. He earned his dental technician certificate from the Medical College in Minsk, Belarus, between 2011 and 2014. Since then, he has enhanced his expertise through numerous postgraduate courses, lectures, and symposiums worldwide, focusing mainly on Europe and the USA. In 2015, Kostia obtained certificate approval in Latvia, where he worked as an in-house dental technician at a clinic laboratory in Riga until 2018. Building on this experience, he founded and has led his own dental laboratory, KV-LAB, in Riga since 2019.Kostia is an active member of the Dental Technician Guild (DTG), a prestigious professional organization based in the USA. Additionally, he is an invited guest of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry (AAED), an exclusive, invitation-only group recognizing excellence in the field.His passion for innovative dental technology and high-quality aesthetics drives his commitment to delivering exceptional restorations. Kostia continues to expand his knowledge by attending international events and sharing his expertise with colleagues, ensuring his work remains at the forefront of the profession.
GEORGE ZACUSAI
George Zacusai is a dental technician specializing in CAD/CAM design (Exocad) with over ten years of experience. Since 2014, he has been based in France, working as a Dental Designer for the Label Dent Group. In addition to his clinical work, George leads the entrepreneurial project Natural Shapes, where he develops ultra-realistic digital tooth libraries. His original collections include “Collection 1–5,” ANTERIORES (created in collaboration with Dr. Jan Hajto), and iCervico, developed for VPI Advanced Emergence Profile Management.Driven by a philosophy of learning through admiration and curiosity, George founded the Facebook community Dental Technicians Worldwide—a platform for sharing knowledge and showcasing the achievements of dental technicians globally. He believes in the power of mutual support and collaboration, summarized in his motto: #AlwaysBetterTogether.George’s combination of technical expertise, creative innovation, and community leadership positions him as a respected figure in modern dental technology.
The ICE Kraków Congress Centre is a modern and prestigious venue that will become the heart of the KIZUNA European Congress – an exceptional event dedicated to dentists and technicians.
Located in the very center of Kraków, will provide an inspiring setting for dialogue, innovation, and the exchange of expertise, blending Japanese precision with European openness.
Near the ICE Kraków Congress Centre, you’ll find a wide selection of hotels within walking distance, offering both convenience and comfort throughout your stay. These hotels are not only ideally located, but also nestled close to Kraków’s historic landmarks, allowing you to experience the city’s charm after the inspiring day of the KIZUNA Congress.
Please note that travel and accommodation are not included in the ticket to the symposium - participants are responsible for booking their own hotel.
We especially recommend the elegant Q Hotel Plus Kraków, which offers a special rate for participants of the KIZUNA conference. The number of the rooms with the special rate is limited and the offer is valid until November 28, 2025.
We can recommend as well the nearby Park Inn by Raddisson and Hilton Garden Inn – both provide a high standard of service just steps away from the congress venue.
Expolore Kraków, a city rich in history and charm, from the iconic Wawel Castle to the vibrant Cloth Hall in the Main Market Square. Explore historic districts like Kazimierz and Podgórze, enjoy the greenery of Planty Park, and uncover hidden gems throughout the city. Whether tasting traditional pierogi or admiring Gothic architecture, Kraków offers unforgettable experiences. Plan your post-congress visit today at the official portal: https://krakow.travel/en
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVESONE DIRECTION
