Glidewell Dental Celebrates 50 Years

Dentistry Today

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Glidewell Dental celebrated its fiftieth year of operations with an employee celebration on its campus in Irvine, California. 

“I’m not normally a man to celebrate milestones,” said president and CEO Jim Glidewell, CDT. “I’ve always feared that being too proud of one’s achievements can lead to complacency, impeding continued growth.”

Glidewell founded the company on January 6, 1970, in Orange County, California. Later that year, the company released BruxZir Solid Zirconia as durable alternative to cast gold or metal occlusal PFM restorations. Clinicians Report has called it “the most successful tooth-colored restoration in the history of dentistry.” 

According to the company, the CAD/CAM processes used to manufacture BruxZir restorations have spurred a digital transformation across the dental lab industry, resulting in faster turnaround times and better-fitting crowns and bridges.

Glidewell Dental now occupies 1 million square feet of office and production space in Irvine and in Newport Beach, California, employing a team of certified technicians, engineers, scientists, clinicians, and support personnel. 

“I thank you for taking my dream and making it your own, for building an enterprise more meaningful, more impactful, than I ever imagined,” Glidewell told the crowd during the celebration.

“Whatever 50 years may mean in terms of wear and tear on a single man, it is more meaningfully a strong, stable foundation from which to continue our mission of helping to restore smiles and improve lives,” said Glidewell.

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