Story - Curaden

About us

Curaden AG, headquartered in Kriens near Lucerne, is an innovative Swiss family-owned company specializing in oral health care. We stand for a comprehensive approach and a philosophy of system-based oral health. ”Better health for you” – this is our promise.

Through our iTOP training programme, we have educated more than 120,000 dental professionals worldwide in preventive thinking and practice, helping them integrate prevention into their daily work and improve oral health for millions of people.

We develop, market and distribute oral health care products and solutions worldwide. At the same time, we stand for values that place prevention at the heart of everything we do and focus on improving people’s overall health. This clear commitment has earned Curaden a unique position in the global oral health market.

Our most important partners are dental professionals, who have placed their trust in us for many years. Together, we are committed to improving oral health – and, in doing so, contributing to better overall health.

Our story

1934 to 1954

HOW IT BEGINSBorn 1918, Hans Breitschmid starts at the age of 16 an apprenticeship as a dental technician. He early shows both a strong interest and enthusiasm for this profession. In 1954, Hans Breitschmid founds his own company «Hans Breitschmid, Dental-Vertrieb», based in Lucerne, Switzerland.

1972

ACTIVATION OF CONSUMER BRANDThe brand name derives from Latin, where ‘Cura’ means ‘cure’ and ‘prox’ stands for ‘close’. The name says it all, highlighting the company’s focus on preventive oral care.

1981

NEW HEADQUARTERSNew and larger company headquarters in Amlehnstrasse 22 in Kriens marks another milestone as the enterprise continues to grow. A year earlier, Hans Breitschmid’s sole proprietorship was transformed into a family-owned stock corporation, Breitschmid AG.

1984

CHANGE OF LEADERSHIPOn the 30th anniversary of the Breitschmid company, Hans Breitschmid takes the occasion and hands over the operational management of the company to his son Ueli.

1995

MASTERING THE ART OF BRUSHINGDr. Jiří Sedelmayer, founder of the iTOP-concept, starts to work with Curaden in the field of prophylaxis for the first time. His belief: only a brushing technique that matches the brush optimizes the result. This collaboration marks the beginning of a true success story. “One of the biggest mistakes is trying to brush several teeth at once.” Prof. Dr. Jiří Sedelmayer 1946–2019

1997

INTERDENTAL BRUSHES AS A KEY PRODUCTCuraden has been producing interdental brushes since 1979. In 1997, the revolutionary Prime series was created together with Dr. Jiří Sedelmayer: so gentle and fine that interdental brushes were, for the first time, recommended for daily cleaning even in a healthy mouth. This makes comprehensive oral care possible at home too.

2004

ICONIC TOOTHBRUSHToothbrushes should be practical and easy to use. Like the iconic «CS 5460» with over 300 million units sold. Its secret? A simple design, joyful colours, and high-quality materials. Instead of normal bristles, it uses special rounded filaments made of ultra-fine Curen®, which provide a soft sensation and neither hurt nor causes damage. Conventional toothbrushes have approximately 500 bristles, whereas the head of our classic brush comes with 5.460 filaments, arranged in 39 tufts and creating both a gentle and dense cleaning surface.

2006

Launch of iTOPCuraprox launches iTOP (individually trained oral prophylaxis) in 2006. The program provides dental professionals with knowledge and techniques to effectively support their patients in their daily oral care and prevent diseases. Today, iTOP is taught worldwide and has already reached around 100,000 professionals (as of 2025).

2015

OWN PRODUCTIONFor the first time, Curaprox produces toothbrushes of its own. Thanks to investments of around 15 million Swiss francs and modern machinery, the company is now able to produce 20 million of gentle, colourful, and distinctive toothbrushes each year in a production facility in Eastern Switzerland. In 2025, more that 27 million toothbrushes are planned to be produced.

2020

DUAL MANAGEMENTChristine Breitschmid, one of Ueli’s daughters, takes up the position of Managing Director and leads the company in tandem with Ueli Breitschmid as co-CEO.

2024

CHEMICAL INNOVATIONCuraden continues to develop its chemical range, focusing on gentle, microbiome-friendly active ingredients. Curaprox is also setting new standards here with innovations such as the Perio plus zero mouthwash.

2025

NEW PERSPECTIVES, SAME HEARTFollowing the death of Ueli Breitschmid, his daughter Christine takes over sole management. She stands for continuity and a fresh focus – and leads Curaden into the future with heart, attitude and a clear vision.

By mid-2025, the Curaden Group employs around 300 people in Switzerland and an additional 800 worldwide.

Our mission

Since 1954, our mission has been to empower dental professionals with specialised training, innovative solutions, and quality products for customer-oriented practice management.

We focus on developing skills often overlooked in traditional dental education, such as patient communication, coaching, and marketing.

Our main goal is to ensure lifelong dental health for everyone, achieved through the professional growth and motivation of dental care providers. In everything we do, our belief in prevention and the preservation of oral health is at the forefront. We know that the mouth is the gateway to overall health. Health and happiness are mutually dependent.

“Better health for you” – it’s more than just a promise. We keep our word.

Global presence

Find your local distributor

Curaplast

Curaplast AG, founded in 2015, is part of the globally active Curaden AG with headquarters in Kriens. It develops and produces Curaprox dental brand products in Flawil (canton of St. Gallen) and employs a total of 25 people.

The investment in its own production facility was a response to the ever-increasing demand. Using state-of-the-art technology, over 40 million toothbrushes and over 20 million interdental brushes can currently be produced each year in three shifts. Appropriate land reserves are available for expansion.

The “Made in Switzerland” designation of origin is particularly significant for the sales success of dental products on the global market. The founding of the production facility is a milestone in the eventful 70-year history of the Swiss company, which now upholds the highest quality standards as a manufacturer and produces in Switzerland out of conviction.

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We are building a happier and healthier society by revolutionizing oral self-care