Lares Research Company History 
Lares Research was founded in 1956 in San Carlos, California by Joe and Al Lares. As a machine job shop, the company specialized in micro-precision machining for the growing electronics, instrument and defense industries of the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley. The company grew steadily through the years, increasing its machining capacity and capabilities.
In the early 1970's the firm became involved in supplying specialized components for a highspeed dental handpiece (drill) manufacturer in the Pacific Northwest. Learning about this field and seeing how the company's manufacturing expertise nicely fit dental drill manufacturing requirements inspired the company to begin work on its own dental drill inventions.
Before introducing its own patented design, the company came upon the opportunity to manufacture a complete highspeed dental handpiece as the licensed manufacturer. The company supplied complete highspeed dental handpieces to a major dental industry firm, who then distributed the handpieces through its chain of retail stores under the S.S. White brand. The venture met with good early success and Lares learned more about the dental handpiece market, the dental industry and end user dentist requirements.
The success of the three way venture began to wane, so Lares completed its own patented design and introduced its first highspeed handpiece under the Lares brand in 1979 through independent manufacturer's representatives selling to dental dealers. The handpiece represented a breakthrough in dental handpiece technology due to its small head size, high cutting power and unmatched precision. It quickly established Lares as the number two manufacturer of highspeed dental handpieces in the American market.
In 1979 Craig Lares, son of Joe Lares, joined the company after completion of a BSME at U.C. Davis (mechanical engineering) and an MBA (masters in business administration) at the University of Santa Clara.
In 1982 the company changed its domestic distribution to factory direct to end user dentists. It also began to broaden its product line with the addition of a complete fiber optic lighting system to power the dental drill's fiber optic elements. Later, the company added a larger head highspeed handpiece, composite curing systems and lowspeed handpieces.
In 1985, Joe Lares and Al Lares retired and Craig Lares became President.
The company relocated its entire operation to Chico, a community in northern California of 100,000 residents, in 1989. The move allowed the company to nearly double its operations while obtaining additional land for future expansion needs.
In 1995 Lares introduced the 330E Highspeed Handpiece to the low price segment of the handpiece market.
In 1997, Lares Research acquired the dental division of Sunrise Technologies in Fremont, California, adding both air abrasion cavity preparation systems and soft tissue pulsed free running Nd:YAG dental lasers to its product line. A facility expansion of 11,000 square feet was completed June 15, 1997, to house the manufacturing operation of the Sunrise product line. The Sunrise manufacturing operations were consolidated in the expanded Lares Chico facility immediately subsequent to the close of sale July 1, 1997.
In October of 1997, Lares Research deployed a national high technology direct sales force to sell its newly acquired air abrasion cavity preparation systems and soft tissue lasers.
In 1997 Lares Research obtained ISO 9001 and CE certification for its quality systems and products.
After obtaining FDA clearance to market in April of 1999, Lares Research introduced the first dual pulse duration soft tissue laser for the treatment of periodontal disease, now named the PowerLase® ST6. In January of 2000, Lares Research began offering a complete laser clinical training program recognized for Standard Proficiency Certification by the Academy of Laser Dentistry.
In May 2005, Lares Research entered the hard tissue (tooth cutting) laser market with the introduction of the PowerLase® AT and HT lasers. The PowerLase® AT is the first dental laser combining Er:YAG for hard tissue and Nd:YAG for soft tissue in a single laser device.
In November 2006, Lares added medical spa (aesthetic) laser capability to its PowerLase® AT and HT lasers and designated the new models “Spa”. The new lasers deliver a broad range of dermatological treatments including permanent hair removal, skin rejuvenation, skin resurfacing, spider vein removal, benign lesion removal, peels, and much more.