Can core dental equipment be "fun" while also being highly reliable and simple? One manufacturer, Forest Dental, set out to prove that it can, and their success over the last several years captured the attention—and imagination—of DENTALEZ Integrated Solutions, a growing company. Now DENTALEZ has acquired Forest Dental, adding a complementary product offering to its portfolio while extending its industry reach.
Through the acquisition, Forest Dental will go to market as Forest Dental Equipment, and its current customers will have more access and exposure to DENTALEZ’s brands. The two entities will be using a single sales team, Professional Sales Associates. Additionally, the current Forest Dental leadership team will remain in place in Hillsboro, OR, including President Hank Barton, who was motivated by his vision for what an operatory could look like.
"I spent 23 years selling dental equipment for the largest dental manufacturer in the United States," Barton wrote on the company website. "Through my career, I noticed that the industry was producing similar equipment with little or no wow factor. Chairs went up and down, dental units delivered handpieces, air, water, and vacuum. They all worked well, or they soon went out of business. Fourteen years ago when I bought 26-year-old Forest, I decided it was time for a new approach."
As you may have guessed, that new approach was "fun." In fact, Forest Dental believes that’s the most important "why" in life, and the company embraces it, whether it’s a colored stitching on black upholstery or choosing the colors of your favorite sports team. The prospect of "fun," and what it could mean for their customers, seems to have excited the DENTALEZ team.
"We’re in a time when practices recognize the importance of elevating and enhancing the patient experience," said Heather Trombley, president and COO of DENTALEZ. "Forest Dental uses beautifully crafted design to create a fun factor for both the patient and the staff. But the brilliance of their design extends well beyond the esthetic. Their products embody the design idea of simplicity, no more or less than exactly what the customer needs."
Forest Dental’s products also include chairs, stools, carts, lights, delivery units, control heads, and cuspidors. Meanwhile, DENTALEZ established a diverse and broad assortment of products through the acquisition of various companies and products over time. The company’s portfolio currently includes DENTALEZ Equipment, StarDental, RAMVAC, NevinLabs, and Columbia Dentoform.
Barton added, "The real beauty of this is that DENTALEZ recognizes and respects what we have accomplished in the marketplace and with their backing, Forest can go further, faster than we ever could have alone. Everyone at Forest is excited about this next stage in our long history."