Meet the top innovators poised to accelerate
medical-dental integration and spark innovation alongside industry
and investor partners
CareQuest Innovation Partners, a company focused on validating
and scaling transformative solutions to improve overall health
through oral health for all, in partnership with MATTER, the
premier health care incubator and innovation hub, today announced
their selection of emerging startups to participate in the third
year of the SMILE Health program.
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The oral health care crisis in the US is exacerbated by a
historic lack of investment in the industry. Oral diseases lead to
$710 billion in treatment costs and productivity losses worldwide
each year. Yet, in the US, dental startups poised to address these
challenges raised less than $200 million in funding in 2023,
compared to the nearly $17 billion raised by US health care
startups in the same year according to a Crunchbase analysis.
Through SMILE Health, CareQuest Innovation Partners is activating a
growing ecosystem of partners to accelerate investment and
innovation, advance health equity, and propel solutions that
integrate dental and medical health care.
Six startups were selected from an impressive group of
applicants from 11 countries and 27 US states, with more than 50
percent of founders representing ethnic or racial minority groups.
Spanning a range of technologies that address the program’s key
focus areas, selected startup solutions deepen connections between
oral health and the broader health care system – from novel,
preventive therapies to telehealth and integrated health services
meeting consumers where they are, including at home, in clinics,
and online. Selected companies are DentKits, DifferentKind,
Oraliva, ThriveLink, Umayana, and Yumlish.
“We are thrilled with the high caliber of startups participating
in this year’s SMILE Health program, furthering the momentum
towards integrated health,” said Katie D’Amico, vice president of
growth & innovation at CareQuest Innovation Partners. “As our
largest and most diverse cohort in the history of SMILE Health,
this year’s innovative startups, together with our industry-leading
partners, are redefining how we care for the whole person,
inclusive of their oral health, and igniting the health innovation
ecosystem to drive better health outcomes for all.”
Throughout the 12-week program, startups will be matched with
mission-aligned industry partners, including Cigna Healthcare;
Colgate-Palmolive Company; DentaQuest, part of SunLife U.S.; and
Henry Schein, among others, to validate their solutions in line
with specific program tracks, as previously announced. The selected
startups receive a stipend, access to multi-disciplinary experts
across health care, dedicated mentors, curated curriculum, and key
business insights. No equity is required from the startups.
The program culminates on October 22, 2024 with a demo day at
the HLTH conference in Las Vegas. SMILE Health startups will pitch
their solutions on the Startup Stage to an assortment of health
care leaders, including potential investors, partners, and clients.
Following the program’s completion, startups from the cohort will
have access to resources from both MATTER and CareQuest Innovation
Partners, including the opportunity to apply for CareQuest
Innovation Partners’ ACCELERATE program, which provides incremental
funding to further collaboration with partners on
industry-advancing projects.
“SMILE Health creates unique opportunities for startups to
accelerate their development and for large, institutional players
to explore and test emerging solutions,” said Steven Collens, CEO
of MATTER. “We appreciate the opportunity to work with CareQuest
Innovation Partners and this cohort of outstanding entrepreneurs to
help shape a brighter, more connected health care future.”
Learn more about the 2024 cohort:
DentKits | Las Vegas, NV DentKits provides at-home
dentures utilizing digital denture and teledental technologies.
DentKits is improving access to dental care for underserved and
vulnerable populations by offering dentist-prescribed dentures that
are both convenient and affordable.
DifferentKind | Buena Vista, CO DifferentKind is an
experience management leader in oral health, producing data and
insights from patients and teams that drive improved outcomes for
patients, practices, and payers.
Oraliva | Durham, NC Oraliva provides non-invasive,
clinically validated, AI-assisted diagnostics for screening oral
lesions. This innovative solution delivers highly accurate
diagnostic information to dental and medical providers.
ThriveLink | St. Louis, MO ThriveLink deploys AI
telephonic enrollment agents to help families verbally enroll in
social and health programs including health insurance, food stamps,
utility assistance, and more. The solution does not require the
internet, a smartphone, or the ability to read.
Umayana | Istanbul, Turkey Umayana is a biotech company
with a range of products, Murnia, which prevent and treat severe
cancer and acute wounds with its patented molecular compound and
formulations. Umayana helps cancer patients suffering from wounds
like oral mucositis.
Yumlish | Dallas, TX Yumlish provides tech-enabled,
culturally affirming health education programs for Medicaid
enrollees, starting in Spanish-speaking populations. Through
YumVivo!, Yumlish will provide access to reliable oral health
education in these communities.
About CareQuest Innovation Partners CareQuest Innovation
Partners® validates and scales transformative solutions to improve
overall health through oral health. Together, with our ecosystem of
leading industry partners, startups, and investors we make health
care more accessible, equitable, and integrated. Joined by the
shared mission to improve the oral health of all, CareQuest
Innovation Partners is the for-profit subsidiary of CareQuest
Institute. To learn more, visit carequestinnovation.com and follow
us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About MATTER MATTER, the premier healthcare incubator and
innovation hub, includes more than 1,000 current and alumni
startups from around the world, working together with dozens of
hospitals and health systems, universities and industry-leading
companies to build the future of healthcare. Together, the MATTER
community is accelerating innovation, advancing care and improving
lives. For more information, visit matter.health and follow
@MATTERhealth.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240621863717/en/
Media: Sara Ward sward@carequest.org