{"id":19325,"date":"2026-09-02T11:02:43","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T11:02:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=19325"},"modified":"2026-09-02T11:02:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T11:02:43","slug":"meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-americans-who-are-not-able-to-afford-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=19325","title":{"rendered":"Meet Connor Gibson, a 22-year-old Tennessee engineer using 3D printing to make free dentures for Americans who are not able to afford them"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-133703366,imgsize-789333,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-people-who-are-not-able-to-afford-them.jpg\" alt=\"Meet Connor Gibson, a 22-year-old Tennessee engineer using 3D printing to make free dentures for Americans who are not able to afford them\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>3D printing has come a long way over the years. No longer is it solely used for printing figures and props for D&amp;D campaigns, but it is now expanding to take space in all kinds of places, including your mouth.<!-- --> According to a CNN report, a 22-year-old engineer Connor Gibson, is using the 3D printing technique to make free dentures for people who may not be able to afford them. The Tennessee native is working with Remote Area Medical, helping turn a process that once took three months into one that takes only a few hours.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"3\"\/>Gibson volunteered with the nonprofit while studying engineering at Walters State Community College. He was instantly inspired by the organisation&#8217;s mission to help the country&#8217;s poor and was determined to find a way to improve the speed at which dentures could be delivered.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"7\"\/>Interestingly, he had no background in dentistry and not much knowledge of 3D printing. But he taught himself all about dental anatomy and digital design, learning the depths of the software needed to manufacture custom dentures based on every patient&#8217;s scans. \u201cHonestly, if you told me three years ago, this is what I would be doing, I would have called you crazy,\u201d he told CNN.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"9\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>A crazy weekend<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Gibson now works as RAM's digital technology manager&lt;br&gt;\" msid=\"133703423\" imgsize=\"765502\" resizemode=\"4\" width=\"\" title=\"He has printed as many as 35 sets of dentures in a single weekend. \" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/imgsize-765502,msid-133703423\/gibson-now-works-as-rams-digital-technology-managerbr.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>He has printed as many as 35 sets of dentures in a single weekend. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/>Out of all the things you could spend your weekends doing, getting customised dentures made is now one. Gibson now works as RAM&#8217;s digital technology manager with a mobile office loaded with two 3D printers that run round-the-clock on weekends. He has printed as many as 35 sets of dentures in a single weekend. The non-profit organisation based out of Rockford, Tennessee, provides free dental, vision and medical care through volunteer-powered mobile clinics across US.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"16\"\/>\u201cNever, ever, in school did they say, \u2018You can design something that could change someone\u2019s life like a denture,\u2019\u201d Gibson told the outlet. <!-- -->\u201cIt\u2019s not something immediately on someone\u2019s mind when they\u2019re thinking, \u2018Oh, I\u2019m going into engineering.\u2019\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"20\"\/>\u201cMirror moments\u201d is what Gibson calls the experience of watching someone with a freshly printed set of dentures see their new, beautiful mouth of teeth in the mirror for the first time, with some openly weeping at a sight they never imagined they would get to see again. \u201cSomething that I was able to have a hand in makes a grown man burst into tears,\u201d Gibson said, reflecting on the first patient. <!-- -->\u201cTo see that raw, human emotion and just know that I played a change in this person\u2019s life \u2026 it\u2019s very humbling, and I\u2019m beyond blessed.<!-- -->\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/>\u201cSince then, it\u2019s all just like fireworks every weekend. That\u2019s what we\u2019re striving for \u2014 to get more and more of those mirror moments. It\u2019s something you can\u2019t truly describe unless you\u2019re there.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/>In the US, about 72 million adults, roughly 27% of the population, do not have dental insurance. <!-- -->Even for those who have Medicare, the US federal health insurance program primarily for people 65 and older, in most cases it doesn\u2019t cover dental services like routine cleanings, fillings or items like dentures and implants. He is a dental saviour at a time when millions of Americans lack dental insurance and when Medicare lacks dental coverage for some.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Continuing a legacy<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Remote Area Medical has served over 1 million patients &lt;br&gt;\" msid=\"133703445\" imgsize=\"586851\" resizemode=\"4\" width=\"\" title=\"In 2026, RAM plans to host more than 90 \u201cfull-scale medical, dental, and vision clinics.\u201d \" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/imgsize-586851,msid-133703445\/remote-area-medical-has-served-over-1-million-patients-br.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>In 2026, RAM plans to host more than 90 \u201cfull-scale medical, dental, and vision clinics.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"34\"\/>Remote Area Medical has served over 1 million patients and provided nearly $240 million in care since its founding in 1985, thanks to the charity\u2019s 230,000 volunteers. <!-- -->It was founded by the late Stan Brock, the captivating British cowboy who co-starred in \u201cMutual of Omaha\u2019s Wild Kingdom\u201d television series in the 1960s and \u201970s, before making it his life mission to provide free healthcare to underserved communities across the United States.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"38\"\/>It was the documentary on Brock that first inspired Gibson. He saw the film at a movie theatre in 2023 with his father. \u201cThat movie really opened my eyes when it comes to where our nation is right now,\u201d he said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"41\"\/>RAM\u2019s CEO Chris Hall first joined the charity in 2013. At the time, the organisation held about 12 events a year. In 2026, RAM plans to host more than 90 \u201cfull-scale medical, dental, and vision clinics.\u201d \u201cThe goal for us is to make someone\u2019s day better,\u201d Hall told CNN.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"44\"\/>He said Gibson embodies everything about Brock and his legacy. \u201cConnor never had the opportunity to meet Stan,\u201d Hall said. \u201cBut if Stan was to meet Connor, I think Stan would see someone who truly has the ability to change the world, someone who has passion to help other people.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"47\"\/>Gibson&#8217;s story has brought in more support for the organisation. A manufacturer of 3D printers reached out, Hall said, about donating newer and better machines that will give RAM a fleet of three mobile dental units, instead of its current one lab. That will allow RAM and Gibson to make over 100 dentures in a single weekend, tripling the number of \u201cmirror moments.\u201d<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/world\/us\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-people-who-are-not-able-to-afford-them\/articleshow\/133703112.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>3D printing has come a long way over the years. No longer is it solely used for printing figures and props for D&amp;D campaigns, but it is now expanding to take space in all kinds of places, including your mouth. According to a CNN report, a 22-year-old engineer Connor Gibson, is using the 3D printing [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19326,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop-150x150.avif","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop-300x169.avif","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop.avif","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop.avif","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop.avif","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop.avif","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop.avif","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop.avif","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop.avif","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop.avif","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop.avif","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop.avif","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop.avif","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop.avif"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"3D printing has come a long way over the years. No longer is it solely used for printing figures and props for D&amp;D campaigns, but it is now expanding to take space in all kinds of places, including your mouth. According to a CNN report, a 22-year-old engineer Connor Gibson, is using the 3D printing [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":1,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":5,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop.avif",400,225,false],"medium":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop-300x169.avif",300,169,true],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/meet-connor-gibson-a-22-year-old-tennessee-engineer-using-3d-printing-to-make-free-dentures-for-peop-150x150.avif",150,150,true]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/author\/admin"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"#\" class=\"category-link category-link-31\">\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19325"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19325\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/19326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}