(By Dr. Joseph D. Lim and Dr. Kenneth Lester Lim, BS-MMG, DDM, MSc-OI)
IT WAS JUST after Christmas and a few days shy of New Year when, in a winter afternoon, the dastardly crime occurred.
Based on the store manager’s description, the alleged perpetrators were a male and female in their 30s with brown skin, both with dark hair, with the male wearing a navy winter jacket, jeans and glasses and the female wearing all black clothing.
They entered the store at about 4:20 p.m. and carted away 665 (Canadian dollars) worth of electric toothbrushes and teeth whitening strips. And nothing else, based on the police report.
That’s a lot of oral health products. Could it be that’s how the alleged thieves valued their teeth and gums?
The police are investigating the incident, according to guelphtoday.com, a news platform in Guelph, Ontario, about 100 kilometers east of downtown Toronto, Canada.
If 665 (Canadian dollars) worth of dental products seem small time, think again.
It’s part of a bigger, hugely bigger, picture.
According to Global Market Insights, the dental equipment and consumables market was valued at US$20 billion in 2019 and is expected to US$35 billion by 2026.
Dental Instruments are tools that dental professionals use to provide dental treatment. They include tools to examine, manipulate, treat, restore and remove teeth and surrounding oral structures.
Dental consumables are products which are used on patients in order to treat dental impairments, for tooth restoration and in the treatment of associated gum tissues.
The increasing number of oral health issues, the increasing demand for cosmetic dentistry and the growing elderly population are driving the market for dental equipment and consumables, according to Global Market Insights.
Other drivers are the increasing healthcare expenditure and presence of sophisticated healthcare infrastructure that are contributing to market growth across developed regions, including North America and Europe.
Advancements in CAD/CAM (computer-aided design and computer aided manufacturing) technology and its associated advantages encourage customer preference, again driving dental equipment and consumables industry growth.
High adoption of dental equipment and consumables in treatment of tooth restoration, dental impairments, and problems related to gingival tissues will further boost market growth.
“Growing occurrence of dental disorders upsurges the business progression,” Global Market Insights predicts.
“Growing oral health problems on an account of unhealthy eating habits, food that contains a high amount of starch and sugar, coupled with an increasing number of dental disorders will primarily drive the dental equipment and consumables market growth.”
Increasing dental disorder creates the need for dental treatment and drives the adoption rate of the industry.
Growing oral health problems and rising awareness of oral health care will further fuel industry market growth.
However, the “excessive cost” of treatment for dental procedures, among others, will hamper market growth.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim is the former Associate Dean of the College of Dentistry, University of the East; former Dean, College of Dentistry, National University; Past President and Honorary Fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy; Honorary Fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists; and Honorary Life Member of the Thai Association of Dental Implantology. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515.
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Dr. Kenneth Lester Lim, BS-MMG, DDM, MSc-OI, graduated Doctor of Dental Medicine, University of the Philippines College of Dentistry, Manila, 2011; Bachelor of Science in Marketing Management, De la Salle University, Manila, 2002; and Master of Science (MSc.) in Oral Implantology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, 2019. He is an Associate professor; Fellow, International Congress of Oral Implantologists; Member, American Academy of Implant Dentistry and Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail limdentalcenter@gmail.com/PN
