Jurgen-Richard Fleer: Innovation is our tradition

Text: Olga Dmitrieva

J. Morita Europe’s GM Jurgen-Richard Fleer

Founded by Junichi Morita in Kyoto, Japan, in 1916, dental specialists Morita will be celebrating its 100th company anniversary this year. Back then, as now, the traditional business saw itself bound to meet the obligation of supplying products and solutions to re-establish, retain or improve a patient’s quality of life. Jürgen-Richard Fleer, General Manager of J. Morita Europe GmbH, explains the innovations with which this objective can be achieved now and in the future.

Mr. Fleer, Morita is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2016. To what extent is such a remarkable anniversary a reason for increasing awareness of the company’s history and related values?

— These topics are not only present in a jubilee year in a company rich in tradition such as Morita. In fact, the history of Morita is closely linked to clear values and demands that have a permanent influence on everything we do. Particularly in this day and age, which is influenced by major economic and technological upheavals, these values play a significant role by providing orientation for partners and customers.

 After all, what had already been formulated by the company founder Junichi Morita 100 years ago still applies today: Our mission is to create the highest standard of precision, product quality and real added value for practitioners and their patients. We have been focusing firmly on this quality concept ever since and will continue to do so in the future because this – together with our drive for innovation – is an elementary part of our tradition.

— These values have resulted in products and solutions that have already proven a success, in some cases for decades, in dental practices all over the world. What are you particularly proud of?

— There were a number of revolutionary milestones in the course of our 100 year company history. Of particular importance for us are those innovations which today still occupy a permanent place in day-to-day dental routines or at least have paved the way for present-day products. The Spaceline range of treatment units a good example of this. With their ergonomic design, they provide the dentist with an untiring and comfortable working position – a bonus point from which dental practices all over the world are benefitting to this day. The experience that we have been able to gather in the meantime with this product line over the last fifty years is also reflected in our Soaric premium treatment unit. In this respect, the high level of comfort, practice-oriented flexibility and the well thought-out hygiene concept of these units are the result of not only long-standing tradition but also consistent innovation.

— Morita’s portfolio goes far beyond just treatment units. What other areas also benefit from your tradition and innovation?

— Well, as an example, there is the area of diagnostics – or more specifically imaging. In the 60’s of the last century, Morita was able to introduce a real pioneer in this respect with the PANEX-E panorama X-ray unit. Not only did it provide images of the whole jaw, it also reduced the radiation exposure level significantly in comparison to existing systems known at the time. Current device generations have only been possible with the help of the know-how gathered in this sector to date. For example, the Veraviewepocs 3D R100 combination system for panorama, cephalometry and 3D scans has an innovative field of vision in the form of a Reuleaux triangle which orients itself to the natural jaw and therefore operates at a particularly low level of radiation and as patient-friendly as possible.

Morita dental treatment unit, 1927

We also combine tradition with innovation in the sector of endodontics: In 1991, the “Root ZX” apex locator set a major milestone in the history of endodontics. This is the first device worldwide with impedance measurement which is not influenced by fluids. Morita has registered a patent for this innovation.

The Root ZX has had a significant influence on the endodontics sector and has resulted in easier and safer handling for the user. This was followed in 2002 by the “DentaPort ZX” which not only measures the root canal but also has an integrated motor to enable preparation, and later on by our DentaPort ZX Set OTR with its optimum torque reverse function which combines the advantages of rotating and reciprocal cyclic technology. This function offers the practitioner the greatest possible safety and enables precision and easy application.

— On this occasion of the company anniversary, join us in taking a look into the future: Where do you see Morita in the next 100 years?

— We already place a great deal of value today in supporting the changes in dentistry with future-oriented products. We are very proud that we have made it possible for a large number of practices to be able to afford Morita as a result of the consistent optimization of our development and manufacturing processes. Whilst we were only partners to high-ranking universities and prominent practices during the first few decades, these days we are “in everybody’s mouth”.

Not only do we supply real added value, we also supply a standard of quality that in many cases is unfortunately no longer possible in our finance market-driven world. With our claim to innovation, we have always introduced solutions over the past hundred years that have set new standards in dentistry and provided a lasting improvement in the quality of life for patients – and we will continue to pursue precisely this objective in the future. As an example, we could take our highly versatile Er:YAG-Laser AdvErL Evo which offers a wide range of therapy options for periodontal, implantological and oral surgery procedures and, at the same time, successfully counteracts the increase in periodontal diseases and treatment of peri-implantitis.

And last but not least, we aim to provide the dental profession with high quality solutions for effective and sustained performance which is focused primarily on a successful therapy and patient satisfaction. Only in this way can we create a trustworthy basis for a successful cooperation. Or to put it into other words: In accordance with our motto “Thinking ahead. Focused on life” we have already got our sights today on those innovations which will improve the quality of life of practitioners and patients tomorrow.

The Morita Group is one of the leading manufacturers of technical medical products. The traditional Japanese company has sales companies in Europe, USA, Brazil, Australia and Africa and offers a wide range of products. As a leader in xray diagnostics and endodontics, the company’s product portfolio offers highperformance imaging systems up to cone beam CTs, handling units, laser, turbines, straight hand and contra-angle pieces, instruments and endodontic measurement and preparation systems.

With outstanding quality standards and continuing research, Morita’s worldwide staff of 2,400 employees is oriented towards the needs of users and doctors. In this way, the spirit lives of Junichi Morita who founded the company in 1916. Morita has now been in family hands for three generations and is currently under the management of Haruo Morita.

Dental simulation workstations, 1983

Dentistry center of Dr. D. R. Beach, the founder of the eponymous method, in Japan

Morita factory building in Kyoto, 1943

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