Haifa, Israel – Admetec, a leader in design and manufacturing of custom-fitted magnification loupes and LED headlights for dentists, hygienists, surgeons, and veterinarians, together with Andau Medical, their North American distributor, has experienced impressive market penetration in the dental market, including a strong showing in its first full year servicing the United States.
The inroads, from a product standpoint, were overwhelmingly driven by the company’s well-received Ergo series – the first truly ergonomic, custom-designed loupes that work with the body’s biomechanical design. The vision enlargement solution has been recognized as a highly valuable tool for clinicians, enabling them to work more effectively while reducing the risk of occupational chronic pain and long-term injury caused by cumulative trauma.
Canada was a particular sweet spot. Within three months, Andau Medical had attained 15% market share with Admetec’s loupe and light portfolio; by the end of Q2 2022, that figure had nearly doubled, to 24%. In collaboration with Andau, across North America – including its entrance into the United States market – Admetec’s product sales rose approximately 336% in Q3 2022 over the same period last year. Here, too, product growth was steered by the Ergo series, with a sizable assist from other high-performing solutions such as the company’s Butterfly series of wireless LED headlights.
The main reason for Admetec and Andau’s encouraging sales is simple: there was a longstanding market need for a solution that prevents or alleviates pain for dentists, who often spend long hours in awkward positions examining fine details. Such strain frequently leads to musculoskeletal disorders affecting muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joint cartilage, or spinal discs. According to the American Dental Association 2021 well-being survey, 84% of dentists reported pain or discomfort while working. Of these, 14% indicated that pain interfered with their work. In fact, many dentists retire prematurely due to physical ailments.
The relief provided by Admetec’s Ergo series of loupes was evident in the lion’s share of the feedback. Scores of dentists have shared their experiences about the loupes’ effectiveness in eliminating pain despite lengthy days and multi-hour procedures.
“In perusing the ample feedback we’ve received from dentists throughout the U.S. and Canada, it’s clear that informed, instructive customer service has been an invaluable factor to our early successes,” said Danny Katz, Chief Operating Officer for Admetec. “Our research and development efforts are people-driven, so we innovate based on customer experiences to make their work easier. It’s one thing to have quality products, it’s another to be able to help dentists fully realize their skill and potential by providing them with a customized product that supports their individual needs.”
“We believe that excellent customer service is key to our success” says Sandi Wright, Andau’s CEO and Founder. “Our team consists of reps with a background in the dental industry which means that they have insight into the needs of their customers that comes from personal experience and knowledge. Their job is that of a trusted consultant, making sure every customer feels that we’ve got their back, guiding them to the best product choice for their individual needs, and ongoing support, long after the sale.”
In the next quarter, Admetec together with Andau will focus on further expanding awareness of the importance of truly ergonomic solutions for protecting the health, well-being, and career longevity of dental practitioners. As recognition grows that pain and discomfort are no longer necessary by-products of dental practice, it is expected market share will grow in parallel.
The Ergo series are lightweight through-the-lens (TTL) deflection loupes enabling a real declination angle of up to 70 degrees. Ergo provides a more natural way to work, eliminating the need for head inclination thus reducing the load on the cervical spine and stress on the musculoskeletal system. The benefits are also progressive: using Ergo loupes intuitively and subconsciously train clinicians to maintain correct head positioning and posture, protecting the health and wellbeing of practitioners over time. The loupes are available in six levels of magnification: 3x, 4x, 5x, 6x, 7.5x and 10x.