General Info

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. 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, 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 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 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!" 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 Instrument blade forging this gives a denser molecular structure increasing blade strength and wear.