Jul 21 2010
SensAble Technologies Inc., a privately held provider of 3D modeling software, haptic devices and dental restoration design and fabrication solutions, announced that it achieved record dental sales during its second quarter ending June 30, driven by worldwide popularity of its integrated SensAble Dental Lab System (SDLS). As dental labs rapidly adopt digital technologies, sales of SensAble's systems increased across all geographies, and the company added new SensAble Authorized Production Centers (SAPCs) - labs that produce restorations for their own dentists, as well as provide scan, design and fabrication services to other labs - in Korea, Japan, Canada and the US.
“The speed at which labs are going digital to remain competitive is accelerating faster than any other market I've seen”
SensAble partly attributes its strong dental sales to the increasing demand for partial dentures, which are gaining favor as Baby Boomers age and the economy is driving patients to seek more affordable options than dental implants. As the only provider to offer a lab-proven digital solution for the production of both partials and crown & bridge restorations, SensAble is helping labs increase their productivity and capitalize on the shifting mix of dental work. The SDLS's ability to digitally design flexible partials, a more aesthetic restoration being embraced by dentists and patients because it is nearly invisible and more comfortable, drove a number of key sales. SensAble's announcement of new impression scanning capability in Q2 also propelled sales, since it saves time by allowing labs to begin digitally designing immediately. Dental labs continue to be drawn to SensAble's valued system integration and X-treme customer support - services that make their transition to digital much easier.
The company's recent investments from HLM Venture Partners and North Bridge Venture Partners have also allowed SensAble to expand its sales network, devote more funding to R&D and increase its marketing presence. SensAble added more direct sales reps for its dental business, hired a director of sales for the EMEA region, signed a new reseller in Germany and readied a new modular product tailored to Europe's typically smaller dental labs for debut in summer 2010. The company is actively recruiting additional dental partners and production centers worldwide.
Beyond its dental business, SensAble also posted strong sales for its FreeForm® 3D modeling solution, used to digitally design complex, organically shaped products, and its PHANTOM® haptic (force feedback) devices used in medical simulation, training and other computing applications where a sense of touch provides a highly realistic user experience - especially important when teaching high-risk, blind surgical procedures. As the world leader in haptic devices and true 3D modeling solutions, SensAble has helped thousands of companies in virtually every industry design millions of parts over the past fifteen years - ranging from fast-food toy giveaways that make children happy to life-restoring medical implants.
"With the SensAble Dental Lab System, we're designing restorations at least 70 percent faster; and, the precision of the parts is incredible," said Henry Babichenko, owner of Babichenko Dental Laboratory in Meridian, Idaho. "It provides consistent fit across all of our restorations, because working on a virtual model eliminates the sources of imperfections that you might find in a manual wax-up. The system is reducing design and finishing time for us and chair time for our doctors. It is by far the most productive system in our lab, and has been a great investment."
"What's more, SensAble far and away provides the best service of any manufacturer I've ever worked with."
"The speed at which labs are going digital to remain competitive is accelerating faster than any other market I've seen," said Bob Steingart, SensAble's president of dental products. "With all of the changes facing labs, it's important for them to select not just another CAD/CAM scanner, but a partner that is committed to helping them be successful and ensuring that their investment pays off in their transition to digital dentistry. We think this is one of the main things that differentiates SensAble. Yes, we have great products, and on top of that, we offer complete system integration that allows consistently fitting parts, and a level of customer support that is unparalleled in the dental lab industry. That really makes the difference to our labs."
Source SensAble Technologies
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