USU Public Relations – Students from Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) once again achieved remarkable success in the field of impactful innovation. This time, a product called Polyshell Dent was developed and won the 2025 Environmental and Social Innovation Award. The innovation stands as concrete evidence of the successful implementation of higher education transformation policies under the leadership of Rector Prof. Muryanto Amin, S.Sos., M.Si., which emphasize applied research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and laboratory-based outcomes.
This achievement also illustrates how USU students have effectively utilized science, technology, and innovation to create meaningful solutions to environmental challenges in society.
The team behind this innovation originally formed through the 2025 USU Student Creativity Program (PKM). It consists of students from multiple faculties:

• Muhammad Dwi Haikal (Faculty of Dentistry) as Chief Executive Officer,

• Aurora Graciella Br. Lumantobing (Faculty of Dentistry) as Research and Development Manager,

• Ferdy Salim Lubis (Faculty of Engineering) as Product Manager,

• Nathan Pratama Sihombing (Faculty of Economics and Business) as Finance and Marketing Manager, and

• Viola Delviana Br. Pakpahan (Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences).

The team was supervised by Drg. Kholidina Imanda Harahap, M.DSc., a lecturer from the Faculty of Dentistry. They successfully created a dental model made from recycled plastic waste and blood clam shell waste for use in dental student practicums. This innovation arose from a common problem—the commercial dental models typically used in training were prone to breaking when drilled.
According to Muhammad Dwi Haikal, the innovation was built upon prior research conducted by the Odonto Polyshell 2024 team. The production process of Polyshell Dent begins by extracting calcium carbonate from blood clam shells using 8% acetic acid. A mold is then created using dental stone, while polypropylene (PP) plastic and calcium carbonate are measured and heated.
“These materials are then mixed until homogeneous, poured into the mold, and pressed. Once molded, the dental models are polished. The leftover material from the molding process is recycled into jaw-shaped souvenirs, ensuring that Polyshell Dent’s production process generates no industrial waste,” Haikal explained in a statement on Thursday (October 9, 2025).
This innovation is expected to reduce both plastic waste and blood clam shell waste—materials that are commonly discarded in Medan, where clams are a popular culinary ingredient. For now, product sales are focused on meeting the needs of dentistry students at Universitas Sumatera Utara.
“We have also opened online sales through e-commerce, which can be accessed via our official Instagram account, @polyshelldent.ppkmkusu,” added Haikal.
The success of this innovation reflects the broader academic reforms implemented at USU since 2021 under the leadership of Prof. Muryanto Amin, S.Sos., M.Si. Over the past four years, USU has recorded significant growth in research productivity among students and faculty members. The number of PKM proposals increased by 280% between 2021 and 2025, while student research funding rose from IDR 1.8 billion (2021) to IDR 6.5 billion (2025) through matching fund schemes and internal grants.
Furthermore, integrated laboratory facilities at the Faculty of Dentistry and Faculty of Engineering have been upgraded with 3D printing technology, thermal press machines, and material strength testing equipment, all of which directly support student and faculty research and innovation development.