OraTech, LLC

Scot Andersen, Vice President

Salt Lake City, Utah

Question No. 1

Inside Dentistry (ID): What was the need or opportunity that OraTech identified in the dental industry?

Scot Andersen (SA): We didn’t want the dentist to have to choose between quality and affordability. To use the “newest” and “greatest” products on the market, it’s the dentist that often has to pay a premium in terms of cost. We saw the opportunity and the need for superior products at a value price. Because we develop and manufacture our products in-house, we’re able to control the costs associated with everything from formulation to marketing. This control also allows us to be more adaptable to changes that the market demands. Our focus is always on “smarter solutions” that ultimately helps dentists save on their bottom line and, therefore, remain competitive and offer better options to their patients.

Question No. 2

ID: How did OraTech set about creating value-priced options to further the dental industry?

SA: We recognized that practitioners have to treat their dental materials as an investment. That investment should provide a positive return, contribute to the bottom line, and provide a vehicle for growth. To create a focused line of dental products that answered these demands, we surveyed more than 500 dentists and 50 industry insiders, such as line buyers for major distributors. We compiled their feedback, grouped the findings, and implemented a strategy that followed their direction on everything from kit components to fill volume to packaging and pricing, and so forth. The result of more than a year’s worth of studying what dentists, and in some cases the distribution channels, wanted was the ProOptions line of materials.

Question No. 3

ID: How do these findings and strategy translate into your products?

SA: One example is our cured pit-and-fissure sealant. After it is applied, this material is under daily grind and stress, so it’s extremely important to choose a product that will not wear down quickly. That is why we created a sealant with a 58% particle fill, one of the highest filled materials on the market. Our objective was to develop the strongest pit-and-fissure sealant available on the market, yet not have to charge a premium for it. So although there are other pit-and-fissure sealants available, ours rises above the competition and, very importantly, ProOptions is ofered at a better price. “Better product at a better price” is our constant charge in determining where opportunity lies in a competitive marketplace.

Question No. 4

(ID): What do you consider to be your responsibility as a private-label manufacturer in the dental industry?

SA: As a private-label manufacturer, OraTech currently conducts business in 52 countries around the world, and we are working diligently to offer the ProOptions line globally as well. In some countries, economic conditions may not allow for routine use of some of the more advanced materials and procedures available. Further-more, it may be that the country’s infrastructure and resources aren’t such that progressive materials can be produced and offered locally. Our view is that these underdeveloped markets offer opportunity. Perhaps not in terms of equivalent earning potential in the United States and other developed markets, but more of an opportunity to further the advances of dentistry and even access to dental care by supplying our materials at a cost that is within line with the local economic conditions. There-fore, OraTech is dedicated to furthering dental healthcare globally by making sure our cutting-edge products are within reach to every dental professional, regardless of region.

Question No. 5

(ID): What do you see as the future of OraTech and ProOptions?

SA: With the construction of our new facility and investment in new manufacturing equipment, OraTech is well positioned to answer the manufacturing demands of the dental and medical industries. Our new facility is staged to keep us competitive in the ever-challenging world of quality, regulations, manufacturing technology, global supply, and so forth. Our aim is rather simple: We plan to continually roll out new products and manufacturing capabilities that not only keep pace with the market but also, more often than not, outpace the market.

ProOptions: The Smart Choice for Your Dental Practice

While the name OraTech and its brand ProOptions might be new to a few in the dental industry, they bring more than a decade of experience and an opportunity for dental professionals to provide quality solutions using everyday dental materials that are affordable, while focusing on profitability and convenience for dentists.

OraTech, a private-label manufacturer, is responsible for the development of some of the most innovative and widely used products in the cosmetic dental industry. Inspired by a successful history of launching new products and approaching the challenges of the dental industry with forward thinking, the next logical step for OraTech was to create a branded line to provide the dental professional with “smarter solutions.” The objective for the new line of products was to provide a high-quality, yet cost-effective, choice for everyday dental materials.

“We felt it was time to leverage our expertise and our proven history to create a quality and value-priced option for the dental professional, hence the name ProOptions.”

About the Author

Scot Andersen
Vice President
OraTech, LLC
Salt Lake City, Utah