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Tooth time: Jerry Niznick, 'the godfather of the American dental implant industry,' sold his former company but is still active in the sector.

Article Excerpt
ONCE dubbed the "godfather of American implant dentistry" by Barron's magazine, Dr. Jerry Niznick enjoys a bit of a bad-boy reputation. Not only does the 64-year-old Los Angeles resident enjoy riding Harley Davidson Fatboy hogs, but he is a licensed commercial-rated pilot who flies a Gulfstream jet around the globe for businesses and vacations at his second home in Hawaii. These days, though, he is making waves shaking up the dental implant industry with his latest Calabasas business venture. His Implant Direct LLC which launched last year, has gained attention in the medical device industry with its Internet-based marketing approach spreading the devices internationally. Dental implants--tiny titanium screws that are embedded into the jawbone to support a prosthetic crown or bridge--are increasingly popular among baby boomers seeking a more natural-looking and functional alternative to a traditional denture or bridge. But Niznick believes implant products, often costing upwards of $550 per tooth, are unnecessarily expensive and that limits their market. The outspoken Canadian native believes he can offer an equal or superior product for as little as one-third the price. That might be empty talk from some, but consider his track record: Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Niznick trained thousands of dentists worldwide on the placement and restoration of his Core-Vent dental implants manufactured by his first company, Paragaon Dental Implant Co. Six years ago, Niznick sold Paragon for $102 million to Sulzer Medica. At the time he sold Paragon, Niznick held 23 U.S. dental implant patents. He has since obtained two new ones and has seven pending. The serial entrepreneur has business interests outside medical devices, including a City of Industry aircraft components company he is...

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