Note 6 - Investment in and Transactions With Equity Investees	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Notes to Financial Statements
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures Disclosure [Text Block]	NOTE 6 — INVESTMENT IN AND TRANSACTIONS WITH EQUITY INVESTEES Milestone China Ltd. Ownership In June 2014, Milestone Scientific invested $1 million in Milestone China Ltd. (“Milestone China”), by contributing dental instruments to Milestone China for a 40% ownership interest. Milestone China owns approximately 75% of Milestone Beijing Medical Equipment Company, Ltd (“Milestone Beijing”). Milestone Beijing has primary responsibility for the sales, marketing, and distribution of the Company’s dental products in China. Milestone Scientific recorded its investment in Milestone China under the equity method of accounting. In the first quarter of 2020, Milestone China and certain marketing affiliates entered into a plan to merge (the Transaction) into an affiliated manufacturing company, Anhui Maishida Medical Technology, Co. Ltd. (Anhui), with Anhui to be the surviving entity after the merger and to have complete responsibility for sales, marketing, and distribution for the Company’s dental products in China. However, as of the filing date of this Quarterly Report, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the regulatory documentation for the planned merger has been placed in suspense because applicable government offices are still closed in China and Hong Kong. According to documentation provided to Milestone Scientific with respect to the Transaction, Milestone Scientific is expected to have an approximate 28.4% direct ownership interest in Anhui. However, this transaction has not been completed, and the participation of Milestone Scientific and the final terms may change. Milestone Scientific, in previous years, reduced its investment in Milestone China to zero and had accumulated losses over its investment of approximately $5.9 million at December 31, 2020. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, Milestone Scientific shipped instruments and handpieces to Milestone China and its agents and recognized revenue approximately of $360,000 and $1.4 million, respectively. The Company did not recognize any revenue related to Milestone China for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020. As of September 30, 2021, the Company has approximately $253,000 of deposits from Milestone China for future shipment of goods included in accrued expenses, related party on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance. Due to the current geo-economic situation and US-China relations, Milestone Scientific recorded an allowance against accounts receivable, related party and sales allowance of $269,973 for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. This reserve will be reviewed quarterly and adjusted based on updated facts and circumstances. Related Party Transactions Milestone China Distribution Agreement Milestone China is Milestone Scientific’s exclusive distributor in China. During 2017 and prior to the payment default during 2018, Milestone Scientific agreed to sell inventory to Milestone China and its agent. During 2018, Milestone Scientific entered into a payment arrangement with Milestone China to satisfy past due receivables from Milestone China and its agents which amounted to $2.8 million at the time of the payment arrangement. Milestone Scientific collected $950,000 under this arrangement, until Milestone China defaulted on the payment arrangements. United Systems, Inc. Agreement In April of 2020, the Company entered into an agreement with United Systems, Inc., a related party (see Note 13), regarding certain handpieces supplied to Milestone China in 2018, that were billed and shipped to Milestone China by United Systems, as well as STA instruments billed to United Systems and delivered to Milestone China, and not paid by Milestone China. United Systems sold its entire accounts receivable due from Milestone China for the above- described handpieces and STA instruments for $370,260 to Milestone Scientific. Milestone Scientific paid United Systems as follows; $100,000 in cash paid in April 2020, $170,260 in shares of the Company’s Common Stock (priced as of the close of business on April 23, 2020, $1.59 ) issued in June 2020, and $100,000 in cash paid in July 2020. The Company is entitled to the cash collections, if and when received, on the accounts receivable due to United Systems prior to this agreement up to approximately $1.4 million. Advanced Cosmetics Systems Agreement In May 2020, Milestone Scientific finalized an agreement for the purchase of Milestone China’s 50% interest in Advanced Cosmetic Systems Inc., for the forgiveness of $900,000 in accounts receivable owed by Milestone China to Milestone Scientific (and previously fully reserved for), resulting in a noncash transaction. As a result of the purchase, Milestone Scientific now owns 100% of Advanced Cosmetic Systems Inc. Milestone China had the option to repurchase the 50% interest in Advanced Cosmetic Systems within one year from the sale date for $900,000 in cash. On May 18, 2021, Milestone China’s repurchase option expired. Milestone Advanced Cosmetic Systems Inc. has been dissolved. Gross Profit Deferral Due to timing differences of when the inventory sold to Milestone China is recognized and when Milestone China sells the acquired inventory to third parties, an elimination of the recorded profit is required as of the balance sheet date. In accordance with ASC 323 Equity Method and Joint Ventures, Milestone Scientific has deferred its ownership percentage of the gross profit associated with recognized revenue from sales to Milestone China until that product is sold to third parties. At September 30 ,2021 and December 31, 2020, the deferred profit was approximately and $407,000 and $243,000, respectively, which is included in deferred profit, related party in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. For three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, Milestone Scientific recorded loss on equity investment of approximately $70,000 and $164,000 respectively in relation to gross profit on product sold to Milestone China. For three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, Milestone Scientific did not recorded any loss on equity investment in relation to gross profit on product sold to Milestone China.

Note 6 - Investment in and Transactions With Equity Investees

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures Disclosure [Text Block]

NOTE 6 — INVESTMENT IN AND TRANSACTIONS WITH EQUITY INVESTEES

Milestone China Ltd.

Ownership

In June 2014, Milestone Scientific invested $1 million in Milestone China Ltd. (“Milestone China”), by contributing dental instruments to Milestone China for a 40% ownership interest. Milestone China owns approximately 75% of Milestone Beijing Medical Equipment Company, Ltd (“Milestone Beijing”). Milestone Beijing has primary responsibility for the sales, marketing, and distribution of the Company’s dental products in China. Milestone Scientific recorded its investment in Milestone China under the equity method of accounting.

In the first quarter of 2020, Milestone China and certain marketing affiliates entered into a plan to merge (the Transaction) into an affiliated manufacturing company, Anhui Maishida Medical Technology, Co. Ltd. (Anhui), with Anhui to be the surviving entity after the merger and to have complete responsibility for sales, marketing, and distribution for the Company’s dental products in China.

However, as of the filing date of this Quarterly Report, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the regulatory documentation for the planned merger has been placed in suspense because applicable government offices are still closed in China and Hong Kong. According to documentation provided to Milestone Scientific with respect to the Transaction, Milestone Scientific is expected to have an approximate 28.4% direct ownership interest in Anhui. However, this transaction has not been completed, and the participation of Milestone Scientific and the final terms may change.

Milestone Scientific, in previous years, reduced its investment in Milestone China to zero and had accumulated losses over its investment of approximately $5.9 million at December 31, 2020.

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, Milestone Scientific shipped instruments and handpieces to Milestone China and its agents and recognized revenue approximately of $360,000 and $1.4 million, respectively. The Company did not recognize any revenue related to Milestone China for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020. As of September 30, 2021, the Company has approximately $253,000 of deposits from Milestone China for future shipment of goods included in accrued expenses, related party on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance. Due to the current geo-economic situation and US-China relations, Milestone Scientific recorded an allowance against accounts receivable, related party and sales allowance of $269,973 for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. This reserve will be reviewed quarterly and adjusted based on updated facts and circumstances.

Related Party Transactions

Milestone China Distribution Agreement

Milestone China is Milestone Scientific’s exclusive distributor in China. During 2017 and prior to the payment default during 2018, Milestone Scientific agreed to sell inventory to Milestone China and its agent. During 2018, Milestone Scientific entered into a payment arrangement with Milestone China to satisfy past due receivables from Milestone China and its agents which amounted to $2.8 million at the time of the payment arrangement. Milestone Scientific collected $950,000 under this arrangement, until Milestone China defaulted on the payment arrangements.

United Systems, Inc. Agreement

In April of 2020, the Company entered into an agreement with United Systems, Inc., a related party (see Note 13), regarding certain handpieces supplied to Milestone China in 2018, that were billed and shipped to Milestone China by United Systems, as well as STA instruments billed to United Systems and delivered to Milestone China, and not paid by Milestone China. United Systems sold its entire accounts receivable due from Milestone China for the above- described handpieces and STA instruments for $370,260 to Milestone Scientific. Milestone Scientific paid United Systems as follows; $100,000 in cash paid in April 2020, $170,260 in shares of the Company’s Common Stock (priced as of the close of business on April 23, 2020, $1.59 ) issued in June 2020, and $100,000 in cash paid in July 2020. The Company is entitled to the cash collections, if and when received, on the accounts receivable due to United Systems prior to this agreement up to approximately $1.4 million.

Advanced Cosmetics Systems Agreement

In May 2020, Milestone Scientific finalized an agreement for the purchase of Milestone China’s 50% interest in Advanced Cosmetic Systems Inc., for the forgiveness of $900,000 in accounts receivable owed by Milestone China to Milestone Scientific (and previously fully reserved for), resulting in a noncash transaction. As a result of the purchase, Milestone Scientific now owns 100% of Advanced Cosmetic Systems Inc. Milestone China had the option to repurchase the 50% interest in Advanced Cosmetic Systems within one year from the sale date for $900,000 in cash. On May 18, 2021, Milestone China’s repurchase option expired. Milestone Advanced Cosmetic Systems Inc. has been dissolved.

Gross Profit Deferral

Due to timing differences of when the inventory sold to Milestone China is recognized and when Milestone China sells the acquired inventory to third parties, an elimination of the recorded profit is required as of the balance sheet date. In accordance with ASC 323 Equity Method and Joint Ventures, Milestone Scientific has deferred its ownership percentage of the gross profit associated with recognized revenue from sales to Milestone China until that product is sold to third parties.

At September 30 ,2021 and December 31, 2020, the deferred profit was approximately and $407,000 and $243,000, respectively, which is included in deferred profit, related party in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. For three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, Milestone Scientific recorded loss on equity investment of approximately $70,000 and $164,000 respectively in relation to gross profit on product sold to Milestone China. For three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, Milestone Scientific did not recorded any loss on equity investment in relation to gross profit on product sold to Milestone China.