Most customers consider dentistry boring. As expected, there have been many new businesses in the dental industry that have opened up in cities like Quip, Henry, Smile Direct Club and Tend. Henry raised $10 million last year to expand its mobile dental office fleet. Tend hopes to redefine the dentist’s role as a spa. Smile Direct Club, a Teledental Clinic, creates customized tooth kits by using 3D image scanning. Other options include
MESOSIL DEVELOPS A PARTICULATE ANTIBACTERIAL FILLER
Canadian startup Mesosil creates antimicrobial dental filler particles. The drug-silica substance of the startup releases effective drugs when harmful bacteria is present. Antibacterial compounds are added to dental adhesives to reduce secondary lesions and tissue damage around restoratives.
TETRATHERIX CAN CREATE REGENERATIVE SCAFOLDING
Tetratherix, an Australian startup, creates regenerative scaffolding to support dental, orthopedic and reconstructive surgeries. TetraMatrix, a water-based hydrogel with a chemically bound polymer and peptide combination, is called TetraMatrix. Tetratherix’s solution increases blood clot stability and tissue regeneration through the production of an elastic scaffold.
INNOVATIVE 3D Printing SOLUTIONS ENHANCE DENTAL 3D PRINTING
Innovative 3D Printing Solutions is an Indian startup that creates 3D printing systems for dental procedures. The startup creates customized implants and 3D dental models for orthopedic procedures. It uses computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), echo pictures and other methods. Innovative 3D Printing Solutions focuses also on the production and maintenance of screw-retained crowns, hybrid prostheses, and with the assistance of Dental 3D printing orthodontists could determine the best methods for teeth straightening.
PROMATON PROVIDES AI-POWERED, X-RAY ANALYTICS
Promaton, a Dutch company, has developed an AI-powered image analysis tool for panoramic, bitewing, and periodontal x-ray images. Promaton Apox, a platform developed by the company, reduces time and diagnostic errors. Promaton 3D, the company’s platform that converts x-rays into 3D representations makes it easier to plan for implant and orthodontics.
TELEDENTIX CREATES TELEDENTISTRY RESULTS
Teledentix is a US-based company that provides remote and standard dental service providers via mobile and teledentistry programs. The startup offers a variety of services, including remote meetings, visual consultations, online appointments and dental record management. Teledentistry solutions from the startup allow dentists to improve patient care, satisfaction, well-being, and remotely assist with daily mouth care. It is recommended by teeth wisdom org.
PARTH PATAL, FOUNDER OF THE DENTAL TECH FIRM – SUPERDENTIST LABS – IN PHILADELPHIA: THE SUCCESS STORY
Parth Patel (founder of SuperDentist Labs in Philadelphia), doesn’t believe dentistry has a greater appeal. It is obvious that the old industry has a simple assessment: more and more large healthcare corporations are destroying small private dental offices. The kind of place that can remember the sport of your child and the number of cavities they had last time you went.
Patel believes these types of businesses offer the best service to customers and are what most dental students want to operate but cannot because they have student loans which force them into higher-paying corporate jobs. Patel knows how crucial it is for small offices to keep going. His first year at Penn Dental was the year he got his first Philadelphia practice. He developed SuperDentist technology with former Microsoft and Google developers to combine dentists’ key business operations into one dashboard. This creates a system for the dental industry.
The theory behind SuperDentist is that it allows practices to operate as efficiently as large corporations, while keeping the important things in mind. He is currently using SuperDentist in his own practice. The software is available to dentists at any time. Patel shared his expertise, innovative dental techniques, and other interesting trends with us.
When you were a first year dental student, your first practice was opened and you began your career as a dentist. How did that happen?
I was fortunate enough to stumble upon a great opportunity. My father helped me to secure the deal. I made numerous errors. You learn quickly when it’s sink or swim. Right now, my main goal and what I am working towards is to help doctors achieve their goals. I see myself as a facilitator. I use all my experience to help doctors develop their unique practices and provide the best care possible to their patients.
WHICH WAS DENTAL INDUSTRY’S BIGGEST ISSUE?
There are generally more corporate entities involved in healthcare and more money. This distracts from the local, doctor/patient interactions aspect of healthcare. It is difficult to compete with other corporate entities and insurance providers.
Students in the dental field are often stuck. You may have student loans from college or dental school. Now you need money to pay the bills. You have two options. One, you can start your own practice to help as many patients as possible. Two, you can get a steady income so that you can join a corporate group. Many people join corporate groups to avoid taking on additional risk or incurring extra debt.
HOW DID A PRODUCT COME OUT OF AN IDEA?
I was fortunate to have worked in a larger company that had many different practices. I saw firsthand the advantages of having many clinics under one roof when it came to insurance claims and pricing. I was able to see how claims, inventories and supplies were managed and how much they were cheaper due to the increased size of the clinics and the ability to pool resources. As I opened more clinics, it became more profitable.
Additionally, I saw that student debt is a major problem today, with many dental students graduating in debts exceeding half a million dollars. These two factors are combined and you will see that healthcare consolidation organisations are getting stronger, while student debt is on the rise.
After graduating from dental school, dentists must work for larger companies. A private practice should be an option. Patients and doctors should have unique and distinctive relationships. A program could be created to make everything big companies have available to everyone, I thought.
DENTAL STARTUPS ARE NOW MORE COMMON. What do YOU think is missing from the field?
Local healthcare is often the best. That is something that I truly believe. This is not something that a multinational company would excel at. Private practices that care about their patients provide the best services and the highest quality of care. These relationships can be lost when healthcare becomes too big. My goal is to create a technology that every doctor can use to buy, sell, start, or close a practice, and treat a large number of patients. This practice could be a modern Smile Direct Club.
It can take on any style or appearance. The dentist can decide how to market and brand their practice. Our technology will allow them to do this, making it easier for them to be more insurance-driven and centralized.
THE FUTURE OF INNOVATIVE INDUSTRY: THE DENTAL INDUSTRY IN TEN YEARS. What’s your take on that?
According to my opinion, every dentist will be able to work independently . Healthcare will move away from being a corporate entity and back to serving the people. That’s the main trend that I want to facilitate.
DO YOU BELIEVE INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY WILL MAKE IT ACTUAL?
Private practices are unable to compete with large insurance companies or larger businesses. Substack helps writers to become their own publishers, which I think is very similar. They are in control of their media outlets. These instruments are more complicated in the context of the health care system because there are so many variables and parameters to consider. But that’s what I want to do.
