NSK Acquires Fellow Family-Run Company DCI

Handpiece manufacturer and dental equipment and parts company will continue to collaborate on equipment and handpiece solutions with this strategic investment.

Dental handpiece manufacturer NSK has acquired DCI, a dental equipment and parts manufacturer started 40 years ago in Newberg, Oregon.

NSK is said to be the world’s largest manufacturer of rotary instruments for dental professionals, which includes air-driven and electric handpieces as well as specialty handpieces for endodontics, surgery, and hygiene. The company also produces electric motors and handpiece maintenance systems.

DCI and NSK are both family run businesses and have over 130 combined years of experience serving the industry.

A minority owner since October 2020, NSK looks to build on DCI’s growth momentum with investments in manufacturing and innovation, according to today’s press release, which adds the 2 companies share values, vision, and a strong commitment to improving the life of their customers.

“I started DCI 40 years ago with the core values of making our customer’s life easier, enhancing the life of our employees, and providing dental care to those in need. NSK has demonstrated these same principles and will be a good steward of these values, while investing in DCI’s continued growth. I’m excited about the future and what this means for our customers and employees,” says John Spencer, CEO of DCI, in the press release.

NSK and DCI will each retain their sales teams.

John Spencer, together with DCI President Jason Spencer and other key team members that have helped guide DCI’s success in recent years will continue in their roles, running daily operations for the company. DCI was founded by John and Janelle Spencer 40 years ago and includes additional family members today. The family actively manages DCI in both the business vision and everyday operations.

The DCI Edge line of operatory equipment includes th DCI Edge Series 5 delivery systems that integrate technology to improve operator efficiency and eliminate clutter in the workspace. The DCI Edge and NSK engineering teams from around the globe worked together to produce a best-in-class intuitive experience for clinicians when the 2 organizations collaborated 3 years ago. Streamlined and factory installed. Enhanced safety and treatment efficiency from the NSK NLZE electric motor system’s compact design and cutting-edge features is streamlined and factory installed in the delivery system.

NSK, founded in 1930 in Japan, has a similar strong family connection—Eiichi Nakanishi works closely with his brother and family within the Kanuma, Japan, company. With shared family values and work ethics, both organizations expect the acquisition to be a “win” for both companies as well as the dental community they serve, the press release adds.

NSK America Corp., with offices in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, offers a variety of air turbines for clinicians including the Ti-Max Z, the S-Max M, the Pana-Max2 and Pana-Max Plaus2, the S-Max pico, and the Ti-Max X450. The company also offers a comprehensive line of contra-angles, clinical micromotors, handpieces for dental labs and hygiene, and more.