Pictured from left to right: Jim Wilson, Director of the Chico Center for International Trade Development; Congressman Wally Herger CA-02; Neil Bower, International Sales Administrator, LARES Research; and George Tastard, Director Sacramento U.S. Export Assistance Center.


Established in 1956, Lares Research designs and manufactures highspeed dental handpiece drills. In addition, Lares supplies quality lowspeed handpieces and precision dental lasers. Lares completed its own patented design and introduced its first highspeed handpiece under the Lares brand in 1979, and since 1982, Lares Research domestic distribution has been factory direct to end-user dentists. The Lares handpiece represents a breakthrough in the dental industry due to its small head size, high cutting power and unmatchable precision. It quickly established Lares Research as the number two manufacturer of highspeed dental handpieces in the American market.

George Tastard, Director of the Sacramento U.S. Export Assistance Center, outreached to Lares Research to attend the U.S. Commercial Service’s India Business Development Mission in November and December, 2006. This event, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s largest ever business development mission, consisted of an India Business Summit in Mumbai, and six spin-off missions to Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and New Delhi. During the mission, Under Secretary for International Trade Franklin L. Lavin lead a delegation of U.S. individuals and companies to the summit in Mumbai, where they had access to India’s high-level business, industry, and government representatives. The six spin-off missions also included market briefings, networking receptions, and one-on-one appointments with prescreened agents, distributors, professional association representatives, joint venture partners, and government contacts in each of the designated cities.

During the Summit, Lares Research participated in an industry session on healthcare that was organized by the Commercial Service India. This provided the company an opportunity to learn about the Indian dental industry and interact with the companies. Also as part of the mission, Lares Research Vice President Stan Perkins participated in matchmaker meetings in Mumbai and a spin-off mission to Kolkata. One of the companies Perkins met in Mumbai was Unicorn Medident, a nationwide distributor of a wide range of cost effective dental equipment. In 2007, Lares Research reported two export sales to Unicorn Medident with an approximate value of $15,000 USD. As of October 2008, sales to date from Lares Research to Unicorn Medident are approximately $130,000 USD, and Lares now exports to over 40 countries worldwide. 

During the Northeastern California International Business Forum in Chico, California in October 2008, Lares Research was honored for its excellence in exporting, and presented with the U.S. Department of Commerce Export Achievement Certificate by Congressman Wally Herger.