There are reasons to be optimistic as to the Brazilian
market of dental equipments and materials, as well as of items for oral
hygiene. The sector as whole is increasing, presenting good results and placing
Brazil among the first markets in the world as to some segments. Besides, the
Brazilian dental market has potential to grow and improve even more as
producer, exporter and consumer both as to equipments, materials and oral
hygiene.
This is the scenery shown by data, analysis and experiences provided by
entities that represent the sector: the Brazilian Association of Industries of
the Medical, Dental, Hospital and Laboratory Articles and Equipments
(Abimo), Brazilian Association of Personal
Hygiene, Perfumes and Cosmetics (Abihpec) and the Brazilian Association of
Business of Dental Products (ABCPO).
Accounting for 22% of the whole production of the medical-hospital and dental
industry, the sector of dental equipments and articles – formed by 93 Brazilian
companies, 29 more than 10 years ago – has been recorded good results. The
major responsible by such invoicing is the Brazilian market. The domestic sales
generated R$ 916 million in 2008, and 88.3% of such amount come from the
private sector, 10.5% from the public sector, and 1.2% from the remaining, a result
attained from exclusive supplying contracts, leasing, and others. Although the
participation into the external market still has a lower representation, the
industry has been turning its attention to it as well, and the exported amounts
increased from US$ 71.7 million in 2006 to US$ 82.5 million in 2008. As to
exportation, the products that can be mentioned are furniture for offices,
acrylic prosthesis, articles and devices for dental prosthesis, burr-drills,
and other instruments and devices.
As to products for oral hygiene, Brazil also accumulates good results. The
majority of companies manufacturers of such items in the country is
transnational, but it keeps an expressive local production, even for
exportation. Added to this, the Brazilian trade and consumption also helps
towards the development of such market
worldwide, and according to Abihpec, presently it amounts US$ 31 billion.
Brazil is the second in that market, responsible by 9.2%, behind USA (16.2%)
and ahead of China (7.4%), and such position is increasing each year.
The good economical results Brazil is presenting as to the oral hygiene follows
the present performance of the general personal hygiene sector, where it is the
third consumer market in the World, according to data supplied by Abihpec. “ The
country’s growth in such market may be attributed to the stability of the
Brazilian Economy and to the higher insertion of women into the labor market
and in the College education, as women are focused and more conscious on their
hygiene, beauty and prevention”, asserts João Carlos Basílio, president of the
Brazilian Association of the Personal Hygiene and Cosmetics Industry.
The forecast for the Dental market in Brazil continues increasing, and an
indication of this is when it is compared to the whole medical – hospital and
dental industry of equipments and materials: while it had an average growth of
8% in 2009, the dental sector had a 16% growth. “The evolution trend of sales
indicates so. Such growth has being stimulated by the technological innovation
of the products and by the results attained in previous years.
Another indication of an even higher growth potential in the production and
invoicing in the Brazilian dental industry is that import expenditures in that
sector has also grown, showing that it still have room for the national
industry to grow into the domestic market, which is consuming more in the last few
years.
Source: www.abo.org.br
Analysis per sector
For seven years in a row, the dental segment keeps a positive result in the trade balance. A partial report ordered by ABIMO indicates that the sector closed 2009 with US$ 70.4 million in exportations and US$ 45.,8 million in importations. Such performance is associated to the technology employed in products developed by the sector and by the manufacturing capacity installed in the country. From the 800 thousand dental implants and 2.4 million accessories and prosthetic compounds consumed per year in the country, 90% are supplied by the national industry.
With a surplus, the dental sector exports mainly to Germany, United States and South American. Together, Venezuela, Bolivia, Argentina, Peru, and Chile correspond to 28.4% of sales for the foreign market. Taking into account the most traded products, it can be mentioned devices and equipments for dental offices followed by dentist chairs.
The research indicates the sector ended 2009 with US$ 70.4 million in exportations, and US$ 45.8 million in importations. Such performance is associated to the technology employed in products developed by the sector and due to the manufacturing capacity installed in the country. From 800 thousand implants and 2.4 million dental accessories and prosthetic compounds consumed in the country per year, 90% are supplied by local industries.
Conquering new markets
In March, 2011, the Brazilian dental industry has recorded one of its best participations in international events, with is presence at the Internacional Dental Conference & Arab Dental Exhibition (AEEDC) held in Dubai, Arab Emirates where it attained a 10 times higher sales volume than in the previous edition in terms of business with the external market.
The summit of the sector counted on the presence of 19 Brazilian manufacturers, who still prospected more than US$ 3 million business for the following 12 months.
For four years, Brazil marks its presence at AEEDC, attaining increasingly good results. Such performance marks the advancement of national brands that invest and make a bet on some areas that have incorporated the majority of new technologies, and with a regulatory system to entry in any region of the globe.
During the summit, part of the Brazilian delegation knew the Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), first free medical zone in the world. The complex shelters hospitals, clinics, spa resorts, laboratories and health educational institutions, offering a wide variety of treatments to national and international patients. In one of the visits, the Boston University (a branch of the North American college) showed interest in presenting the Brazilian technology to its academics.
Advancements of national companies in the sector
Running to keep updated with the evolutions and changing in Odontology, in the market and in the whole society. That is what Brazilian companies or those actuating in Brazil in the sector of dental equipments and materials are doing to remain competitive, updated and to answer to the consumers’ demands. According to Dr. Francisco Carlos Rehder Neto, Marketing Intelligence Supervisor of the 100% Brazilian company Gnatus Equipamentos Médico-odontológicos, the company has been constantly investing in researches to promote Biosafety, a Sustainable Development and Technology. “Such innovations are easily perceived in our products, as we know how important is to listen to our market. In such context, it was created a Marketing Intelligence Department headed by a dental surgeon, whose purpose is to act like a bridge between the Innovation and Marketing Departments meaning that our ears are open for the needs and desires from dental surgeons, and based on researches, we get the conditions to approach more and more to the answers of the questions posed by the market: its needs, what it wants, its expectations”, exposes the professional.
By its turn, Dentscler Indústria de Aparelhos Odontológicos is presently investing on qualified coworkers by offering training to them. Besides such professional qualification, a great part of investments the company does is dedicated to the accomplishment of thorough quality tests and to the acquisition of ultimate raw material, thus propitiating higher safety in handling.
“We believe that by achieving quality and safety, we are able to become more competitive and consequently conquering more room into the market”, says Mr. João Albino Camillo, Director.
Dabi Atlante, Brazilian manufacturer of dental equipments and dental implants is also with their eyes open to the ultimate changes in several aspects, in order to fit them to its production. According to José Miranda da Cruz Neto, Superintendent Director of that company, some trends observed in the last decade were: ageing of the population, increasing in the female participation in the profession, more comfort to the patient to remain in the dental chair, prevention and biosafety. “Thus, we work on such trends before defining our research and development program.”
Source: Associação Brasileira de Odontologia (ABO) – ABO Nacional – Revista On Line - www.abo.org.br
Profile of the Brazilian dentist
Brazil shelters 19% of the total dentists in the world. Such data is supplied in the book “Present Profile and Trend of the Brazilian Surgeon-Dentist”, first launched at the 28th Ciosp – International Congress of Odontology in São Paulo). The country has the higher amount of dental professionals in the world in terms of absolute numbers: it is 219,575 professionals registered. The Global Atlas of Odontology published in 2009 by the International Dental Federation estimates an amount as high as one million dentists in the world. From all the countries included in that Atlas, Brazil is the one with higher amount of professionals.
The field of work for a dentist both in preventive Odontology and in other specialties is quite wide. The predominant profile of that professional is the one working in private offices (38.8%) or working by percentage (25.5%) and 26.5% attend in dental insurance plans or in cooperative systems, and 12.2% work for the public network.
A great part of the Brazilian dentists attended or is attending post-graduation courses. One of the major difficulties faced by surgeon-dentists is the high competitiveness in the work market.