Steri-Oss Has Sights Set on Chinese Teeth

Wide open--or open wide?

Either way, China looks promising to Steri-Oss Inc.

The Yorba Linda maker of dental implants has started selling its wares in China and hopes to post sales of $400,000 there this year. Though the Chinese government won’t pay for dental implants any more than U.S. health maintenance organizations will, Steri-Oss President Martin Dymek says such items are becoming popular among wealthier Chinese, who can pay for them out-of-pocket.

Local Chinese manufacturers now dominate the market, he says, but there’s opportunity for foreign manufacturers to sell higher-priced, better-quality devices. He says Steri-Oss charges about $250 per implant--more than eight times the local price.

Steri-Oss is trying to boost the cache of its foreign-made implants by training half a dozen dentists from dental schools in Beijing on use of its products.

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Barbara Marsh covers health care for The Times. She can be reached at (714) 966-7762 and at barbara.marsh@latimes.com