UAB DENTISTRY IMPACT

When a Birmingham Zoo green aracari lost part of his upper beak, veterinarians turned to an unexpected partner: the UAB School of Dentistry. The result was a custom prosthetic that restored the bird’s ability to eat, climb, groom, and interact normally. But the outcome is only part of the story. Behind the Beak explores the prosthodontic expertise, digital design, materials science, and problem-solving that made the project possible, offering a look at how principles used every day in patient care were adapted to help one of UAB Dentistry’s most unusual patients.