• New facility located in Costa Rica Green Valley in Grecia, is the first DDS Lab location in Latin America and the third globally.
• The company will reach 100 employees this year, with a vision to bring up to 1,000 jobs to the region in the next five years.

Grecia, June 18, 2024. DDS Lab (DDS), one of the largest full-service dental laboratories in the United States and the first medical industry companies to initiate operations outside the Greater Metropolitan Area (GMA) in Costa Rica, inaugurated its production plant in Grecia Free Zone, Costa Rica Green Valley.

This marks DDS Lab’s first facility in Latin America and the third globally (following Tampa, United States and Shenzhen, China). The presence of DDS Lab, a global organization, will bring added skilled labor opportunities to the region for this highly technical and specialized trade. The new facility spans 10,000 square meters, and with it, the company aims to double its production capacity.

“The opening of our new laboratory is a significant milestone in DDS Lab’s history. With this inauguration, we acknowledge not only the enhancement of our manufacturing capacity and all the resulting customer benefits of our operation but also the intangible benefit of access to the region’s technologically advanced life science hub and its highly skilled labor workforce. Our DDS Lab team in Costa Rica has impressed us over the past few months, and their efforts have already made a positive impact on our clients and their patients,” said Chuck DiNardo, CEO of DDS Lab.

Alexander Segura Altamira, Plant Manager of DDS Lab in Costa Rica, said, “We are committed to excellence, continuous improvement, and supporting our staff and neighboring communities so that DDS Lab becomes a source of direct and indirect benefits to Grecia”.

DDS Lab currently employs around 70 people, with 61% being women and 90% of the workforce comes from the Western region, specifically the cantons of Grecia, San Ramón, Naranjo, Palmares, Sarchí, and Atenas. The company will reach 100 employees this year with a vision to bring up to 1,000 jobs to the region in the next five years.

“We are proud to see how Costa Rica continues to gain ground in the life sciences sector, which brings so much prestige and opportunity to our country. The inauguration of DDS Lab’s manufacturing plant in Grecia marks a milestone as the first medical sector company to begin commercial production outside the GAM, already employing over 80 collaborators with significant growth projections. Thank you for trusting in our talent; today, we are demonstrating that highly qualified talent can indeed be found outside the GAM,” commented Manuel Tovar, Minister of Foreign Trade.

“Costa Rica stands out for its potential and the quality of its talent”, said Laura López, CEO of The Trade and Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER). The new DDS Lab facility will set a precedent, positioning the country as an ideal destination for new investors and high-tech companies. This development will strengthen our economy, create quality jobs, and enhance the well-being of various communities. Moreover, it challenges us to continue developing talent both inside and outside the Greater Metropolitan Area to meet the needs of companies investing in Costa Rica”, added.

DDS Lab uses state of the art technology along with highly automated processes and system across its fully owned and operated laboratories to deliver high quality product to its customers and the patients they serve. Its product portfolio includes crowns and bridges, dentures and dental implants, nightguards and orthodontic appliances.

“We are pleased to celebrate the official start of operations at DDS Lab, which represents the continued investment of multinational companies in the development of our country. We are firmly convinced that the Western region possesses the talent and potential required to continue advancing in its growth and development, combined with the work-life balance offered by Costa Rica Green Valley”, said Alfredo Volio, Executive Director of Portafolio Inmobiliario, the company developing the project.

DDS Lab is part of the over 90 medical device companies operating in the country, generating more than 55,000 jobs, with exports exceeding $2.5 billion between January and April of this year, according to PROCOMER data. Additionally, Costa Rica is the leading exporter of medical devices in Latin America, according to TradeMap 2024.

By the end of this year, DDS Lab plans to hire 30 additional positions in accounting, occupational safety and environment, administrative roles, maintenance, design, production operators, engineering, and technical quality roles. Interested candidates can apply through: https://talento.portafoliodetalento.com/registro.

About DDS Lab

Established in 2005, DDS Lab is a full-service, National Board-Certified dental laboratory. The DDS model leverages its fully owned and operated labs, strategically positioned globally, to guarantee a highly efficient customer experience. Its best-in-quality laboratory solutions can be customized to fit each office’s unique requirements – while offering complete continuity of supply. DDS Lab believes its success is driven by its customers’ success, which relies on real-time collaboration between lab and office. DDS Lab is scaled to help the modern dental practice meet the evolving needs of the dental patients they serve.