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Corporate Profile: GC America

Through innovative restorative product offerings and a stout connection with its customers, GC America aids dentists in achieving the best possible outcomes for their patients.

GC America's Vice President of Sales and Marketing John O'Neill has been around the dental profession for quite a while. His knowledge and exuberance is well recognized by many in the profession and he just recently celebrated his 30-year anniversary with GC. O'Neill took some time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions about GC America's beginning, what the company is currently up to and where it's headed.
How did GC get its start?
O'Neill: GC Corporation was established in Japan in 1921 and today has grown into the world's largest privately held dental manufacturing company. In 1992, GC America Inc. was formed when GC purchased COE Laboratories in Alsip, Illinois, and combined operations with GC International USA. This allowed GC to secure U.S. manufacturing while expanding American distribution operations. Today, GC has manufacturing locations in Europe, China, Japan and the United States.

What key innovations has GC brought to the dental market?
O'Neill: From the very beginning GC has specialized in dental cements. With the advent of glass ionomer cements in the 1970s, GC was able to improve this technology substantially to the point where it could be used not only as cement, but as a permanent restorative. GC launched the Fuji line of glass ionomers in 1977 and has made several key innovations since then. In the early 90s, GC introduced the very first light-cured resin modified aesthetic glass ionomer restorative with Fuji II LC. In 1995, GC Fuji IX glass ionomer restorative was launched. In 2000, GC launched FujiCEM the very first paste/paste RMGI cement that eliminated the need for dentists to hand mix powder liquid cements. During the 70s, GC was the first to solve the out-gassing problem with VPS impression materials and developed a hydrogen-scavenging system that prevented pits in stone materials. Today, GC's EXA VPS impression material holds significant market share of VPS impression materials more than 20 years after market introduction. More recent innovations include MI Paste and MI Paste PLUS, the only CPP-ACP product on the market and G-CEM, the only self-adhesive resin cement available today in both capsule and automix syringe delivery.

What was your motivation for adding direct composite resin restoratives in 2003?
O'Neill: In 2000, GC launched Gradia — a line of indirect composite restoratives. We received a lot of feedback from customers that a direct version was needed, so we launched Gradia Direct in 2003. Unlike most Bis-GMA composites on the market, Gradia Direct is a UDMA resin system that translates to excellent handling, low shrinkage stress and incredible chameleon effect.




The GCA Sales Management Team is composed of (from left) Donna Harran (Regional Manager), Marge Mineika (Sales Administration Manager), John O'Neill (VP of Sales and Marketing), William Myers (Regional Manager), Jeanne Strand (Regional Manager) and Brooke Beeson (Regional Manager).		 How do you see the composite restorative market changing in the next five years?
O'Neill: While the market has historically focused on modifying filler technologies for new products, I think the real future for composites is in improving the actual resins used in these products. For example, GC has currently licensed patented monomer technology from DuPont that allows us to make incredible changes to the actual monomers before compounding them into a composite. It's incredible to think that we can now create a totally new composite, which minimizes volumetric polymerization shrinkage and shrinkage stress with new resin technology. Both of these are key factors for extending restoration durability. Historically, this was totally a filler issue, but with the monomer expertise of DuPont, GC is able to attack composite issues from a totally new monomer perspective. At the same time, however, we understand the market has a desire for products which don't have a steep learning curve and we have built compatibility with existing bonding systems and other resins into the new product. This ensures our customers can incorporate something new into the practice without having to change their favorite liner or flowable.
Describe your process for developing new products. What steps do you take to make sure they meet customer needs?
O'Neill: GC works closely with key dentists around the world to make sure actual end-user input is considered in product development. In Japan, GC's Friendship Society (a dentist GC collaboration group) has more than 43,000 members. In the U.S. GC America Inc., sells through authorized dealers, however, direct customer communication is invaluable and we have more than 60,000 customer contacts who have spoken directly with us on various subjects. From initial concepts to final production, user feedback is critical to the success of our new products. If anyone wants to share improvement ideas they might have for our products, they can e-mail us directly at info@gcamerica.com. Additionally, GC works closely with dental material researchers to make sure products provide the quality physical characteristics needed in today's market. Quality systems are a huge component of the GC approach and our goal is to become the "Toyota" of the dental market.
What advice do you offer dentists in choosing the ideal restorative material for their practice?
O'Neill: Most dentists I talk with are interested in materials that are easy to use, versatile enough for many indications, reduce the risk of post-operative sensitivity and provide good aesthetics. Glass ionomers fill this role completely and can be used in almost every restoration. Utilizing glass ionomer liners like Fuji Lining LC can minimize the risk of post operative sensitivity in large class I or class II restorations, while also providing the perfect dentin bonding agent — glass ionomer chemically bonds to tooth structure and is inherently resistant to a wet field. No other type of material can provide the marginal integrity available with glass ionomers.
The GCA Marketing Team is composed of (from left) Dave Bogusz (Product Manager), Daisuke Usuki (Research and Development Chemist), Tad Hartlaub (Product Manager), Dr. Robert Lee (Director of Marketing), Gina Durkin (Product Manager), and Jonathan Whiteside (Product Manager). Not pictured: Dan Boskocevic (Lab Product Manager).
What new GC products are in the pipeline?
O'Neill: This fall, GC is launching G-CEM Automix, Fuji Ortho Automix cements and a new impression material designed to combine the best benefits of polyether and VPS materials in one system. The G-CEM Automix cement is particularly exciting to us as testing indicates it will provide dramatically higher bond strengths to all ceramic restorations, which is critically important in today's market.

As I mentioned before, GC is currently working on a new composite family that will utilize a class of newly patented monomers from DuPont. GC has the exclusive license from DuPont for the technology and we are really excited about what it means. The new monomer breakthrough is incredible in that it allows for actually modifying resin building blocks to support the product specifications before you even start thinking about fillers. Resin technology in dentistry has been pretty stable over the past few decades. I think we are going to be seeing some big changes in just the next few years. It's definitely exciting and we are looking forward to utilizing it in many areas. Currently, we are expecting to have the composite family ready for launch in early 2009.

How would you describe your market approach to someone learning about your company for the first time?
O'Neill: Our market approach is to develop the best possible products that will perform consistently in the hands of every dentist. While the market continues to look for easier, faster and better materials, GC understands its duty is to make sure improvements are achievable by all the varying types of dentists in practice today. We work hard to make sure our products perform equally well for the first-year dentist and the experienced specialty practice.
Developed in 1995, GC Fuji IX GP has grown into the number one selling glass ionomer restorative in the world. Recent enhancements include faster setting time, improved aesthetics and six times more fluoride release than previous versions. Utilizing CPP-ACP, MI Paste and MI Paste Plus are effective in stopping sensitivity and aiding the remineralization of enamel. An integral part of GC's philosophy of minimally invasive dentistry. GC FujiCEM chemically bonds to tooth structure, provides extremely low film thickness and solubility, and releases fluoride to help prevent secondary decay around margins. It also allows dentists to choose between hand-mixing or automix tips.
How do you support training new customers?
O'Neill: We recognize the fact that it's just not feasible for dental schools to include every new dental material available in their curriculum, so it is important that GC helps educate the dentist in ideal use of materials. We use many methods to accomplish this including continuing education programs, detailed instruction guides and marketing pieces that are weighted towards education. And, like Dentaltown, GC America understands the power of an Internet presence and the GCA Web site plays a major role in this support effort. Customers can receive free CE training programs as well as detailed product use instructions at www.gcamerica.com and we even solicit patient interaction at www.mi-paste.com.

How would one of your customers describe your company?
O'Neill: I think most of our customers would describe GC as a company they can trust relative to product quality and consistency. Our goal is provide the best product and service possible. To help accomplish this task, we typically hire new customer service staff from dental offices to make sure they speak and understand the dentist's language. We also have several dentists on staff available for additional customer support as needed.

How has the CAD/CAM business affected your products?
O'Neill: Milled restorations, like any other new restorative material, require that we evaluate bond strengths and revise instructional information on our cements accordingly so our customers know they are using the right material for each indication. While many of these new materials are similar to other all-ceramic types that have been in the market for a while, the digital imaging systems that are used with these materials have presented other challenges. For example, using the imaging powders without recommended fixative liquids can result in residual powders on the preparation, which can interfere with cementing if not cleaned away properly. Evolving with the blurring lines of dental laboratory and operatory, GC has recently launched the Initial IQ line, which includes a revolutionary new product: GC IQ Lustre Paste. This material allows a dentist or technician to characterize, glaze and create an incredibly natural looking restoration from a monochromatic milling block. It is an incredibly simple paint by numbers set up that only requires one firing while providing a multi-layered appearance.

How do you see dentistry changing in the future?
O'Neill: GC America is leading the paradigm shift in dentistry care today. A shift away from the traditional restorative (or drill and fill) dentistry to minimal intervention (or preventive) dentistry. It's all about oral wellness. In the future, I see more products that will be designed to identify and prevent caries, allowing dentists to treat the cause. I have seen GC develop many great new products over the past 30 years and I am really excited about GC's role in the future of dentistry.

To learn more about GC America, please visit www.gcamerica.com.
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