Who is PRU-DENT?
PRU-DENT Manufacturing Inc. is a family business that has been manufacturing dental instruments for almost 70 years. Founded by Rudolph M. Steidle in 1932.
Our Founder
In 1926, our founder Rudolph Steidle moved to the United States from his home in Spaichingen Germany.
He had been studying dental instrument manufacturing in the master schools of Tutlingen, Germany since
the age of fourteen. Recognizing his remarkable talent, the Hugo Friedman Specialty Company recruited
him as an instrument maker.
Around 1928, Dr. Clayton Gracey came to Friedman Specialty with a design for an area specific curette for
the removal of calculus deposits. Hugo Friedman turned to Rudy Steidle to make the first Gracey curettes.
In 1932 a loss of sales during the great depression forced the Hugo Friedman Specialty Company to close it's doors, laying off their employees. Shortly thereafter Rudy opened the R.M. Steidle Manufacturing company (later to become PRU-DENT Mfg. Co.) which continued to supply the Hugo Friedman Specialty Company (Hu-Friedy) with quality Dental instruments for forty-seven years.
On August 29, 1939 Rudolph Martin Steidle is granted U.S. Citizenship, sponsored by Hugo Friedman. When Mr. Friedman was asked why he is sponsoring Mr. Steidle, he replied "Because he's the best damn instrument maker in the world!"
Second Generation
In 1973 John H. Prusaitis (Rudy's son-in-law) takes over as president and head instrument maker of the R.M. Steidle / John H. Prusaitis Mfg. Co. John used his Associate degree in Arts, five years experience in aircraft avionics with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, and sixteen years experience as a dental instrument maker under Rudolph Steidle to make several new developments in the field of dental instruments including:
- He introduced Swiss screw machines to accurately turn the instrument points.
- He introduced Instrument blade forging this gives a denser molecular structure increasing blade strength and wear.
- In 1986 he created the first miniature head gracey curet. It was mounted on an extra long straight shank and called the PRU-DENT 1/2.
- In 1990 he invented the Gracey Flexible (Flex) series instruments to increase tactile sensitivity.
- Several advancements in instrument sharpening technology including the most accurate angle measurement, edge conditioning, and blade testing.
- He is the originator and the co-inventor of the PRU-DENT Sharpening system.
Third Generation
Today
Tim Prusaitis, the grandson of Rudolph Steidle and the son of John Prusaitis, is the Vice-President and head of Research and Development for PRU-DENT Mfg. Tim has an associate degree in automotive mechanics, and a bachelors degree in advanced technical studies, covering Mechanical, Electrical, and Hydrodynamic engineering. Tim's contributions to the advancement of PRU-DENT dental instruments include:
- He created automated hydraulic and pneumatic forming fixtures for a more accurate instrument shape.
- Special shaping fixtures to form angles around a radius instead of a sharp angle. This reduces stress and increases instrument strength and durability.
- He is the co-inventor of the PRU-DENT Sharpening system and he is currently developing a program for universities to teach instrument sharpening with a success rate of 100%.