Beginnings

In 1973 Dr. Richard Barnes reached a pivotal point in his career. He felt compelled to challenge long held assumptions upon which dentistry had always operated in hopes of creating something better. The first manifestation of that desire appeared in the June 1973 issue of Time Magazine. The full page ad, one that even he admits he couldn’t afford at the time, made the bold statement “I want my patients to keep their permanent teeth”. That statement may not seem revolutionary by today’s standards, but at the time the standard of care was to treat dental problems with the assumption that at some point, usually later in life, the patient would be fitted with dentures. Dr. Barnes’ ardent belief that his patients deserved comprehensive rather than reactive dentistry became the founding principle of a new type of dental practice – aesthetic dentistry.

It quickly became evident that the dental labs in his area were not capable of producing restorations at the level of quality he demanded for his patients. The need for a high quality aesthetic dental laboratory became the impetus behind the formation of Arrowhead Dental Laboratory. For over 35 years the Arrowhead name has been synonymous with the highest standards of quality and beauty. Dentists all over the world have gravitated to Arrowhead for one simple reason – we put the doctor and the patient first. Everything we do is to ensure an outcome for the patient that can’t be found in other dental practice. Since its inception Arrowhead has become more than a dental lab, it is the living embodiment of Dr. Barnes’ original desire to challenge the status quo, and that is why we are constantly pushing the boundaries of what dentistry is, in search of what it can become.