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Dietzenbach, March 2011.

“Customer satisfaction and experienced quality are once again developing into differentiating elements”

Tired but happy is the impression made by Jürgen-Richard Fleer (General Manager J. Morita Europe GmbH) at the end of the strenuous IDS in Cologne. Morita had celebrated a premiere in the cathedral city with its new treatment unit Soaric at the largest dental trade fair worldwide, as well as presenting a wide range of new products as well. For the first time, the traditional Japanese company had also drawn attention to itself at the trade fair with several activities such as a dealer presentation, a dentist event and a trade press conference.

Question: Mr Fleer, how did the IDS go for Morita?

Jürgen-Richard Fleer: The IDS was a great success for Morita. We confirmed our innovative force in nearly all product categories with our impressive range from the new TriAuto mini endomotor and the new Torx SS/SSR micro motor – with the new TorqTech family of handpieces and contra-angles, through the fascinating Ultra M and Ultra E ultra-mini turbines and the Veraview iX intraoral x-ray system, to the Soaric premium treatment unit. The fact that our competitors got together at our stand is probably the best compliment that we could get.

Question: What created the best impression among stand visitors? Which products did you get most enquiries about?

Jürgen-Richard Fleer: Without question, that was the new Soaric treatment unit. This is where you will find a combination of a lot of the aforementioned innovations. Soaric was developed as a premium treatment unit with focus on quality-oriented odontology and offers valuable support, not just with regard to ergonomics and hygiene. Particularly in the case of complex treatment processes, such as endodontics, the treatment unit represents a real reduction in workloads with its extension possibilities and interfaces for operation microscopes from the company Carl Zeiss or Leica. The integrated apex locator also offers numerous safety functions and provides visual support with its “Relaxed View Interface”. With this, the dentist has all instrument parameters easily in view. In addition, with our EndoWave Hybrid concept we have created files that don’t just make treatment procedures safer, but also faster because the practitioner only needs three files for root canal treatment. Strong points of both the TorqTech handpieces and contra-angles, as well as the TwinPower turbines, are their particularly small heads allowing optimum visibility as well as more room for movement. As polymerisation lamp for integration into the Soaric, the PenCure 2000 is modular and can be used for classical curing processes; together with a replacement head it is also ideal for individual tooth bleaching.

Question: After the IDS is before the IDS. What are your plans for the next International Dental Show? Do you already have any ideas about what you could make even better in the next two years?

Jürgen-Richard Fleer: Currently, we are both euphoric and tired at the same time so that it is difficult for us to think about the next two years. Nevertheless, you are right. Debriefing is a significant element of our corporate management. Where is there room for improvement? This is appreciated by anyone who knows Morita products. The corporate culture and our depth of production are reflected in a high level of reliability and the excellent availability of our products for day-to-day use. Previously, these went without saying. Today, however, with economic considerations and spending constraints leading to production stages being outsourced for cost reasons, and work process and organisations being “streamlined” as part of lean production and lean management, customer satisfaction and experienced quality are once again developing into differentiating elements.

This is the reason why we saw a lot of practitioners at our exhibition stand; after all, nothing is more convincing than the experience and the recommendations of a colleague.

This is why we will no doubt be involving more dentists on our stand at IDS 2013 and carry out even more product demonstrations. Once the dentists have tried the new Morita mini-turbines or the new endomotor for themselves, there is no longer any need for additional explanations as they can experience and convince themselves of the added-value in a direct manner.

Question: In your opinion, what topics will dominate odontology in two years’ time? What will Morita be doing to ensure that it is still a major player in this respect?

Jürgen-Richard Fleer: We are aware of several trends in the market, which include the increasingly important role being played by science, as well as the frequently quoted quality-oriented odontology. In addition, we will have to prepare ourselves for more specialization and greater hygiene demands. Added to this, patients are becoming increasingly better informed and develop own ideas which they would like to see implemented. As an inevitable result of these outline conditions, economic considerations are playing an increasingly important role in odontology. Cost-benefit reviews, discussions on return on investment and specific practice strategies will increase. Personnel costs at around 25 percent of total costs dominate in an average individual practice. For the owner, this means that either personnel have to be involved more intensively in the value-added process or costs have to be reduced by suitable investments. A treatment unit costs around € 3.50 per hour – at an investment of € 45,000 to € 50,000, 15 years’ useful life, including repair costs and installation costs and 7.5 percent calculated interest; an assistant with an annual income of around € 30,000 costs around € 18 per hour. The equipment that we manufacture therefore has to support the personnel and increase their efficiency. Soaric, as an example, provides optimum assistance with necessary hygiene processes as flanking processes are minimized, and cleaning and disinfection take place automatically as far as possible. We will do everything we can to improve our products further so that dentists can optimize their workflow even more.