Dr. Mollova had the pleasure of sitting down with Rajendar Kumar, General Manager of the MENA region at Dentsply Sirona, for an insightful conversation on empowering dental excellence in the Middle East. Together, they explored how tailored solutions, continuous education, and strategic partnerships are shaping the future of dentistry across the region.
Rajendar, thank you for joining us. As General Manager at Dentsply Sirona, could you share a bit about your role and how you are driving growth and innovation in the Middle East dental market?
I have been with Dentsply Sirona for the last 13 years, gaining diverse experience throughout my career. I am originally from India, where I worked with Dentsply Sirona for four years before moving to Dubai. After that, I took on responsibilities for the Middle East and Africa. For a period, I was also in charge of the Eastern region, working closely with Kirill Levin, our Group Vice President of the Eastern Group Regional Commercial Organization. Currently, I serve as the General Manager for the Middle East and Africa region. We cover 15 countries, and we now have team members based in each country. Our goal is to support dental professionals as much as possible through clinical education, innovative solutions, and other services tailored to their needs.
The Middle East is a dynamic market with unique needs. What is Dentsply Sirona’s vision for this region, and how are you tailoring your strategies to benefit local practitioners?
We see a very bright future in the Middle East, especially in countries like Saudi Arabia. We're also seeing strong growth from Egypt and other North African countries. Over the past couple of years, we’ve witnessed significant growth in these regions.
When we talk about Saudi Arabia specifically, the Saudi Vision 2030 initiative is driving substantial investments into the country. A lot of people are moving there, and significant infrastructure is being built. This means the population will grow, which creates a higher demand for services to support the country's development—more people, more businesses, more dental offices, and consequently, more opportunities for us. We see this as a great opportunity over the next few years.
I always tell our team members that Egypt is one of the key markets, with a strong passion for digital dentistry. Another notable aspect of the region is that most of the dentists working in the Middle East and North Africa originate from Egypt. This means that digital dentistry is deeply embedded in their culture, and as they spread across the region, their passion for it continues to help the region to grow digitally.
DS World Dubai is a landmark event in the dental calendar. How does DS World Dubai advance dentistry in the Middle East and benefit local practitioners?
DS World Dubai is a significant event in the dental calendar, playing a pivotal role in advancing dentistry in the Middle East and benefiting local practitioners. Benefits to local practitioners are:
- Access to International Expertise: The event featured over 30 clinical education courses led by international experts, covering diverse topics such as digital dentistry, implantology and endodontic treatment.
- Hands-On Experience: Attendees engaged in live demonstrations, practical workshops, and case discussions, enabling them to apply new skills and knowledge directly to their practices.
- Networking Opportunities: The gathering provided a platform for dental professionals to connect, share experiences, and discuss best practices, fostering a collaborative community within the region.
In summary, DS World Dubai serves as a catalyst for dental innovation and professional development in the Middle East, equipping local practitioners with the tools and knowledge to enhance patient care.
Many dental professionals in the region operate independent or smaller clinics. How is Dentsply Sirona ensuring that these practices have access to cutting-edge technologies and resources to stay competitive?
At Dentsply Sirona, we consider ourselves a family, and each year, we strive to expand this family. Our goal is to provide the best clinical education and expose practitioners to the latest innovations we have developed as a company.
At this conference, we are showcasing a mockup of the first dental dedicated MRI (ddMRI), which has been developed in collaboration with Siemens Healthineers. This innovation complements previously established imaging modalities by providing soft tissue contrast with radiation free imaging. Currently, we are presenting a prototype during this two-day event, and we plan to launch it in the region very soon. We envision the technology to be a complementary addition to our existing imaging portfolio and to underline our innovation leadership in dental imaging technologies. Although we haven’t widely announced it yet, this cutting-edge technology will make a real difference and have an impact on the industry.
Education is a cornerstone of Dentsply Sirona’s efforts. What key training programs are you offering to dental professionals in the Middle East this year?
Today’s patients are much more educated compared to 20 years ago. They expect the latest technology, less pain, better hygiene, and reduced treatment times. Time has become a crucial factor in modern dentistry.
What I believe is that all dentists need access to the latest technology, particularly in digital dentistry, as it improves their workflow and enhances the overall customer experience. Ultimately, a happy customer means a successful practice for everyone.
As a company, we are involved in numerous activities to support this. We organize events such as DS World and offer a range of programs, including clinical education and online training. Additionally, we conduct events in each country across the region to invite doctors, give them exposure to the latest technologies, and offer solutions that can benefit their practices.
In addition, in 2023 we announced an expansion of our popular clinical education program DS Academy to include new courses and webinars on digital dentistry: the DS Academy Campus (campus.dentsplysirona.com). It focuses on offering high-quality educational content on innovative trends and topics in digital dentistry, providing learners with expert-led on-demand courses and webinars.
Patient expectations for personalized care are increasing. How is Dentsply Sirona helping practitioners in Middle East deliver better, more personalized patient care? How widely is digital dentistry adopted in the Middle East, and how is Dentsply Sirona supporting clinics in implementing digital workflows?"
In today’s fast-paced world, people don’t have time for multiple visits. Patients expect to have everything done in one appointment, and that’s something dentists need to keep in mind if they want to provide the best possible care.
Dentsply Sirona is helping practitioners meet these expectations by offering solutions that streamline workflows, enhance efficiency, and ultimately improve the patient experience. It’s about making high-quality, comprehensive dental care more accessible and convenient for both dentists and their patients.
In this modern era, social media is incredibly powerful. Patients, as well as companies like ours and our partners in different countries, are highly active on social media, which increases visibility and raises patient expectations. As a patient today, I would prefer to visit a doctor for a single-visit procedure because I don’t have time to make multiple trips for a root canal treatment.
This puts pressure on dental professionals, but it’s also an opportunity for them. By embracing the latest technology, they can upgrade their practices and keep up with evolving patient demands.
Partnerships are vital for growth and innovation. Can you highlight any significant key partnerships Dentsply Sirona has in the Middle East to enhance dental care?
As you mentioned, partnerships are key to driving growth and innovation. Recently, we’ve formed a significant collaboration with Siemens Healthineers. Additionally, on a global scale, we’ve been working closely with Google for cloud services. Each country has its own regulations, particularly around privacy and data security, which means we must carefully assess whether we can implement cloud services. The UAE stands out due to its excellent connectivity, which is beneficial for us. We’re currently awaiting the finalization of the cloud agreement in the region, and once that’s signed, we’ll be ready to launch DS Core in the country. Dentsply Sirona has worked on numerous projects with universities over the past few years in the MENA region, and in fact, DS is well-represented in the majority of these institutions, assisting students in learning about the newest advancements in the dental field. Alexandria University in Egypt, the American University of Iraq and Princess Nourah University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia are few recent examples.
How is Dentsply Sirona addressing the rising demand for specialized care like orthodontics and implantology?
This is a very relevant question for us in the MENA region. We have a mature market, particularly when it comes to consumables like Endodontics, where we have a strong market share. However, for us, implants, smile design, and scanners have become the three key focus areas over the past couple of years. We've made significant progress in these areas because we believe they represent the future of dentistry.
Finally, as General Manager, what inspires you most in your work with Dentsply Sirona, and what message would you like to share with dental professionals attending DS World Dubai?
I always tell participants three key things whenever we invite them: learning, networking, and exchange. These are the core aspects that make the event valuable. Ultimately, we’re all working for good outcomes, and it’s important to enjoy the journey. DS World Dubai offers a perfect combination of learning, networking, and enjoyment, all in an exciting setting.
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