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Corporate Profile: AMD LASERS Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine

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Alan Miller & AMD LASERS Go Global in Their Next Move to Ensure a Laser in Every Operatory

by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine

Alan Miller, AMD LASERS' founder and president, and his team have been hard at work since the company was acquired by DENTSPLY International earlier this year. Miller's whirlwind, round-the-world tour to DENTSPLY's worldwide locations will lead to the Picasso laser line introduction in many new geographic markets, greatly expanding the number of dentists around the globe who will offer improved patient care with this innovative laser technology.

Before Miller left on his trip, Dentaltown Magazine sat down with him to discuss the future of AMD LASERS and laser dentistry.

Background
I think back to the time we first met. I believe it was in 2005. Your company back then was National Laser Technology which serviced and refurbished lasers. How did that experience influence the formation of AMD LASERS? Miller: It was a great experience from several standpoints. First, I got a good understanding of what dentists were looking for; they wanted laser technology – but they wanted it at an affordable price. The second thing it did was allow me to look at all the different laser platforms, both hard and soft tissue, and really figure out what dentists wanted most. They wanted reliable lasers. They wanted easy-to-use lasers. It was apparent that there was a real need for an affordable soft-tissue laser.

When you told your family that your plan was to start selling lasers in a market that already had a number of players, did they meet your dream with skepticism?
Miller: I think most people thought I was crazy. It was a great motivator for me. I'm one of those guys who if you tell me I can't do it, I'm going to try 10 times harder to prove you wrong. No one around the world had taken this approach toward laser technology, which I knew would work. One of the strategies we implemented was a model the automotive industry has used for years: a single platform, then buying the internal components in high volume and assembling with as few touches as possible. This allowed AMD LASERS to drive down the price.

Would it be fair to call you a serial entrepreneur?
Miller: Yes. I have always enjoyed helping companies with projects, introducing technology. I grew up a nerd. I think I'm still one of those nerdy guys. I love technology. Through my dental career I have helped a number of companies take ideas or products that were in the beginning stages and ask: How do we get these products into mainstream dentistry? How do we package it? How do we make it affordable? How do we make it a desirable product? I really enjoy that.

Did you set out to grow a company that would be the target of an acquisition?
Miller: Yes, that was always my strategy. When you start a company the odds are stacked against you. You are better off going to Las Vegas and betting everything on red or black, frankly. In the business world, to get a company to $10 million is a small miracle. That was my goal. I bootstrapped the whole thing. To do it out of pocket and reinvest the earnings of the company to grow it is extremely difficult. But I knew at some point AMD LASERS would be bigger than I could personally manage. To really realize the dream of putting a laser in every operatory, I knew at some point we would need some help. We were going to need to scale it up.

Do you have any business heroes?
Miller: I admire Steve Jobs. I really like Apple. From the packaging standpoint, we try to treat our products much like Apple looks at packaging its products. The out-of-box-experience is unparalleled with Apple products. When our customers open up a Picasso laser, I want them to feel like they are opening up this little jewel. The product itself is unlike any other laser in the world. When I was developing it, I wanted the packaging to be an experience, too. It's not just about the product for me.

You made an expensive product affordable while maintaining features and quality that rivaled your competitors. Are you a hero and a villain?
Miller: I am basically a businessman who listened to dentists and provided a product that met their needs as they cared for their patients.

We were talking about Apple and Steve Jobs. You are one of the first companies I've seen that has integrated the iPad into your products. What was the reaction from your customers?
Miller: They said, "Thank you!" and, "It makes total sense." Education in general has gone through a huge transformation over the last 20 years. Before, we would take educational material which would usually be on a VCR tape or a DVD or even online. We built a very intuitive iPad app for laser dentistry and put it at their fingertips; it was something no one has ever done. I saw it as a long-term solution to an age-old problem – how do you educate dentists on technology and have it there ready at their fingertips when they need it?

Looking around the world and getting this worldwide adoption of lasers, what do you think are the biggest obstacles?
Miller: I've been asked that question a lot. It is a very good question. The biggest obstacle of laser dentistry is not education. Dentists have been educated on laser dentistry for the last 15 years. As consumers, we are surrounded by lasers every single day. Dentistry has been exposed to lasers for a long time. The laser companies that have been out there have done a great job with educating dentists on why they need laser technology. The biggest obstacle has been price. Lasers like the Picasso should be viewed by the dental public as an affordable necessity. They should be accessible. I think that's better for dentistry as a whole. Make laser technology affordable, make it attractive and make it available to dentists so they can help their patients.



You have had notable success in a number of foreign markets. Two examples would be India and Turkey. How did you make it happen?
Miller: I can truly say that the global success of AMD LASERS is thanks to our network of opinion leaders and passionate customers. We are surrounded by some of the best and brightest dentists from around the world. They really believe in what we are doing with laser technology. They travel and lecture around the world to introduce AMD to the local dental community. I'm excited to be working with DENTSPLY, which has a solid international reputation for quality and service. DENTSPLY understands our goal to make lasers affordable around the world. They're going to make it reality.

DENTSPLY International acquired AMD LASERS on June 1 this year and my first thought was, "Will AMD LASERS lose its identity as an innovator when it is part of such a large company?" What are your thoughts?
Miller: From the top down, DENTSPLY is a fantastic company with strong leadership and a commitment to innovation. At the end of the day, DENTSPLY focuses on providing solutions for better dentistry. While acquisitions serve as a growth strategy, the company looks for successful businesses with profitable operating models. Its businesses are enabled and empowered to build on their prior success by enjoying all the benefits a global corporation can offer. To illustrate that point, I am still president of AMD LASERS and we still have the same vision of putting a laser in every operatory. DENTSPLY has already started working with us to make that vision a reality.

During the process leading up to the acquisition, did you have any hesitation? What scared you the most about making this step?
Miller: I was never scared. It really came down to whom did we want to be in line with? It has been my job to figure out the best course of action for AMD. That is why I wanted to work with DENTSPLY. For me, the company has always been the gold standard. If you want to sell a company, as an entrepreneur you can't get much better than DENTSPLY. With the vision of putting a laser in every operatory, DENTSPLY was the best solution.

For the AMD customers who are already owners, are there any changes with this acquisition?
Miller: Nothing is changing. We still offer that outstanding AMD LASERS experience. You are still going to get great customer service. We are still open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST five days a week. It's how I wanted to build a company. I love the fact that our customers love treating with the product and they refer other people to come to us. With the DENTSPLY acquisition, if anything, our current clients will say, "Wow! This is fantastic!" To illustrate that point, we've already received a lot of great feedback from customers. There is a certain sense of security when a leading company partners with you. You know you're going to be around for a while.

It's a vote of confidence in the business and that's a good thing. Discus Dental purchased Zap Lasers a few years ago and quickly dropped the name. Was that a good move? What is the plan for the AMD name and Picasso brand?
Miller: I'm not sure it was a good move for them. I think it's always good to stay true to yourself. That's what AMD is doing. We built a strong brand with Picasso and with AMD, there is really no reason to change something that's not broken.

Can we expect to see dentists doing a lot more with lasers in the future? I hear about cutting frenums and soft tissue and doing laser troughing but, beyond those things, I don't hear a lot of other treatments being mainstream.
Miller: I've been asked that before – why don't you talk about the other 50 uses of lasers? I keep coming back to my job and my responsibility which is to introduce laser technology and get dentists walking with lasers before we get them running. I think that is why we're successful. We talk about basic uses. I want dentists and hygienists in their offices to put down the scalpel, to put down the electric cautery, to stop referring patients out for simple things they can do comfortably in their own offices. That's where a soft-tissue laser really excels – the fact that it does replace a basic technology.

Once laser dentistry gets to a comfort level, that's when we will really start exploring what you can do with lasers. Whether it's perio treatment or endodontic treatment, surgery or low level laser therapy, which is very strong in the European market yet not here in the United States. We'll get to those things. We've got to walk before we run.

Your analogy of teaching dentists to walk before they run is a good one. Are there new products in development? Is a hard-tissue laser in the cards?
Miller: We have been working on a number of different laser wavelengths. We have been working on a hard-tissue laser for some time. With DENTSPLY and AMD LASERS together, we're going to have some fantastic products coming out in the future.



Millennium has done a good job of promoting very specific use of the laser in conjunction with periodontal treatment. When are we going to see a deeper penetration of laser use in periodontal treatment? What is it going to take?
Miller: I think it's a combination of things. We have a number of university clinical studies either underway or in planning stages. I really like Millennium. I applaud what they've done to date; they are a good company. The laser industry is a small one, and I like to see all of us do well. I'm really looking forward to getting lasers mainstream for periodontal treatment. It's got to be a combination of scientific research and affordable technology. No matter how well the clinical evidence shows that lasers have a place in periodontal treatment, it's never going to mainstream if the technology is not affordable.

What does the future hold for Al Miller? Have you thought about starting another company?
Miller: No. I want to see my vision and my dream come to fruition. I plan to be with AMD and DENTSPLY for many years to come. We're working to make the Picasso line globally accessible. I enjoy it though. It's a dream come true of mine. I love dentistry.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit with our community. To view this interview in its entirety, please visit: http://www.dentaltown.com/profileamd.

For more information about AMD LASERS, visit www.amdlasers.com
Dentaltown Magazine
September 2025
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