Ultradent Looks to Accelerate Innovation Following Acquisition

For nearly half a century, Ultradent Products has provided clinicians with progressive, trustworthy solutions grounded in science and innovation. Joining Mitsui Chemicals represents an opportunity to carry that mission forward on an even greater global scale by continuing to identify unmet clinical needs and develop innovative solutions that improve dentistry.

The acquisition, completed in recent weeks, will give Ultradent new opportunities to expand its reach while staying true to its mission, said Ultradent CEO Dirk Jeffs.

“Being acquired by Mitsui Chemicals opens new doors for Ultradent and our customers, while allowing us to stay true to who we are and our mission to improve oral health globally,” Jeffs told Dental Product Shopper. “For 48 years, Ultradent has created innovative dental solutions through science and creativity. These pursuits align with Mitsui Chemicals, and they will help us continue our efforts while giving us access to world-class knowledge, processes, and materials. These new abilities will help us offer better solutions to more communities across the world.”

With Ultradent under its umbrella, Tokyo-based Mitsui Chemicals plans to strengthen and grow its oral care business in the United States, elevating its position in the global dental materials market by generating synergies that leverage the mutual strengths of its existing businesses and the newly acquired Ultradent.

Mitsui Chemicals will transfer business division functionality for its oral care business—serving as the business’s global headquarters—to the U.S. and transition to an integrated management structure in which Ultradent’s CEO concurrently serves as CEO of the Germany-based Kulzer Group, while the current CEO of Kulzer assumes the role of Chief Strategy and Integration Officer of MC Dental Holdings America, Inc.

Under this setup, Mitsui Chemicals will advance an integrated growth strategy, business plan, KPIs, and synergy roadmap for Ultradent and Kulzer, helping to promote further growth and enhanced profitability.

Mitsui Chemicals will also drive innovation by combining its chemical technologies with the dental materials technologies of Ultradent and Kulzer. In sales, the group will promote cross-selling through each company’s sales networks, complementing and expanding its sales regions and product portfolio. Overall, Mitsui Chemicals aims to achieve sales growth and improved profitability, generating an annual impact of more than $40 million in synergies by fiscal 2030.

Ono Shingo, General Manager of the Oral Care Business Division of Mitsui Chemicals, said the business foundation has already been strengthened through the restructuring of Kulzer’s business, establishing a structure that enables sustainable growth. He welcomed Ultradent as the group seeks to leverage the strengths of each company and provide better products and services to patients and dental healthcare professionals.

“Going forward, the Mitsui Chemicals Group’s dental materials business will bring new innovation to the dental materials market by combining Mitsui Chemicals’ chemical technologies with the outstanding design, development, and manufacturing technologies that Ultradent, Kulzer, Japanese subsidiary Sun Medical, and other group companies have cultivated over many years,” Shingo said.

Jeffs said he looks forward to exploring the possibilities of working with dental businesses such as Kulzer and Sun Medical that have complementary strengths.

“Combining some of the best chemical technologies in the world with Ultradent’s proven manufacturing, R&D, and design capabilities will speed up innovation,” Jeffs said. “With Mitsui Chemicals, we will be able to get the most innovative solutions into the hands of clinicians faster.”

Asked about the impact on the broader dental industry over the next several years, Jeffs said one clear path to impact is reach.

“Ultradent currently sells in more than 125 countries. As a company based in America, we have grown to serve dentists in places like Europe and the larger EMEA footprint, where Kulzer, headquartered in Germany, is the strongest. This creates immediate infrastructure for clinical solutions to travel quicker across those geographic lines. The product portfolios of Ultradent, Kulzer, and the greater Mitsui Chemicals umbrella are also very complementary, supporting our abilities to offer connected solutions for dental professionals.”

Customers, he noted, can rest assured that the Ultradent team will continue with the dedication to clinicians and quality for which it is known.