3M ESPE Named "Most Innovative" for Ninth Consecutive Year

63 innovations in 2013 push company to the top

ST. PAUL‚ Minn. – (Feb. 6‚ 2014) – For the ninth consecutive year, The Anaheim Group, distributor of Dental Fax Weekly, has named 3M ESPE as the most innovative company in the worldwide dental industry. The recognition, published in the 2013 Dental Industry Review, is based on new product approvals and international patents—which numbered 63 for 3M ESPE in 2013.

Among the 63 innovations that pushed 3M ESPE to the top were two FDA 510(k) new product clearances for the US market, 36 U.S. patents, and 25 patents from the European Patent Office and the World Intellectual Property Organization. Competition was especially tight this year, with two other companies close behind 3M ESPE, with 60 innovations and 59 innovations, respectively. In addition to new product clearances and patents, the report noted several product introductions by 3M ESPE in 2013, including 3M™ ESPE™ Sof-Lex™ Spiral Finishing and Polishing Wheels, 3M™ ESPE™ Imprint™ 4 VPS Impression Material, and a software upgrade for the 3M™ True Definition Scanner.

“The fact that the results were so close this year means that the real winners are dental professionals,” said Jim Ingebrand, division vice president, 3M ESPE. “This volume of new products and services from outstanding companies will add up to better results in the operatory.”

The Innovation Index has been published by the Anaheim Group since 2002, with 3M ESPE beginning its winning streak in 2005. The Anaheim Group calls its report “a snapshot of which firms obtained the most worldwide dental patents and US FDA marketing clearances,” stating that the group “believes that this Index is a fairly accurate evaluation of both the technical and marketing powers in the worldwide dental industry.”

“3M ESPE’s commitment to research and development is clearly reflected in our long-running number one position in the Innovation Index,” said Dr. Al Viehbeck, global technical director, 3M ESPE. “Our dental R&D facilities in Germany and the U.S. have easy access to 3M’s many technology platforms and corporate scientists, that plus our culture of collaboration are big factors keeping us at the top.”

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3M ESPE is a dental product manufacturer that markets more than 2,000 dental products and services. 3M ESPE dental products are designed to help dental professionals improve their patients' oral health care. 3M Health Care, one of 3M’s five Business Groups, provides world-class innovative products and services to help health care professionals improve the practice and delivery of patient care in medical, oral care, drug delivery and health information markets. For more information on the complete 3M ESPE line of dental products, visit the 3M ESPE website at 3MESPE.com or call the 3M ESPE Technical Hotline at 1-800-634-2249. Products are available for purchase through authorized 3M ESPE distributors.

About 3M3M captures the spark of new ideas and transforms them into thousands of ingenious products. Our culture of creative collaboration inspires a never-ending stream of powerful technologies that make life better. 3M is the innovation company that never stops inventing. With $31 billion in sales, 3M employs 89,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 70 countries. For more information, visit www.3M.com or follow @3MNews on Twitter.