Glidewell Dental , on the cusp of its 50th anniversary , has transformed its business model to become a technology company that acts as a virtual extension of the dental practices it serves

J ust how did Glidewell Dental become the largest privately owned dental laboratory in the world ? In 1970 , spurred by a desire to make rehabilitative dentistry accessible to all , Jim Glidewell , CDT , applied a unique blend of technical knowledge , business principles and marketing philosophies to expand his one-man kitchen table operation into a multifaceted technology company among those at the forefront of the oral health industry today . His focus from day one has been on developing new equipment and techniques with the objective of keeping dentistry affordable for both clinician and patient . He has consistently reinvested the profits of the business into its industry-leading R & D department ( in which Glidewell himself remains heavily engaged ) which has given dental practices access to many award-winning products , such as BruxZir Solid Zirconia restorations . There can ’ t be that many founders and CEOs still leading their company half a century on , yet preparations are underway for a yearlong 50th anniversary celebration in 2020 .