Homemade Quality: The Art of Manufacturing at Glidewell

At Glidewell, the success of our in-house manufacturing challenges traditional dental technology by painting a new picture of customer care centered around simplifying treatment, lowering costs and streamlining the restorative process. With an emphasis on vertical integration, our dedication to owning the entire manufacturing process behind our dental products and services optimizes results, ensures quality and minimizes cost markups. By developing and manufacturing our very own products — from the advanced monolithic zirconia we use in the dental lab to the components we fabricate for implant surgery and restorations — we are solely responsible for the work we produce and can control its quality, speed and cost for the benefit of the customer. At the same time, our use of innovative technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, injection moulding and 3D printing enables our manufacturing teams to maximize their engineering prowess and create new advancements that help elevate patient care in the dental practice.

High Quality Results

The most vital feature of Glidewell’s in-house manufacturing capabilities is the quality that it produces. When low-quality products from multiple manufacturers make their way to the dental chair, it can damage the relationship between the dentist and patient and even compromise a dentist’s reputation. In order to provide our customers with high-quality products and materials that they can consistently rely on, Glidewell skips the middleman, minimizing manufacturing errors and unnecessary expenses. Because we retain the power to oversee our manufacturing processes, our restorative materials, implant restorative components, preventive appliances, and chairside restoration design and milling solutions are created to better serve our customer’s direct needs. This includes revolutionary products like BruxZir^® Zirconia, Obsidian^® Fused to Metal and the glidewell.io™ In-Office Solution.

Quick Turnaround Times

With a high-quality vertical integration system in place, Glidewell manufacturing practices are accelerated, enabling products to be delivered to customers in a timely manner. We understand the importance of meeting the fast-paced needs of the dental industry: Patients expect to receive dental care and products when anticipated and suffer no small inconvenience when their case is delayed. Our CGMP-regulated and ISO-certified facilities are capable of manufacturing high-quality, reliable products quickly to avoid vendor setbacks. From raw powder to a finished restoration, products like BruxZir Zirconia are rapidly sent out to dentists for delivery to patients, who can greatly benefit from the speed and precision resulting from our vertically integrated manufacturing process.

Cost Efficiency and Predictability

The predictability and reliability of Glidewell’s products is highlighted by the company’s minimization of manufacturing markups. The primary goal of founder and President, Jim Glidewell, CDT, has always been to make high-quality dental care affordable to those who need it. Patients sometimes end up paying exorbitant, unexpected sums of money on dental procedures and products, limiting their satisfaction with the care they receive. The in-house manufacturing at Glidewell, however, enables clinicians to predict upfront what the cost will be for their patient, eliminating surprises when the lab bill comes due. These cumulative benefits of in-house manufacturing make Glidewell stand out as an industry leader. While other dental laboratories may be going back to the drawing board, Glidewell can confidently push forward with the art of manufacturing — for the sake of smiles.