LASERS IN DENTAL TREATMENT WITHOUT NEEDLES AND DRILLS
Dr Omar Zuaiter
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Dentroid
Alaa Habeb
Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, Dentroid
Professor Laurence Walsh
Chief Dental Officer, Dentroid &
Emeritus Professor, School of Dentistry, University of Queensland &
Adjunct Professor, Griffith University, Queensland
Professor Heiko Spallek
Member Scientific Advisory Committee, Dentroid &
Head of School and Dean of The University of Sydney School of Dentistry
BENCH SIDE STORY CASE STUDY
Filmed in Brisbane, Canberra & Sydney | December 2024
In 2017, Dr. Omar Zuaiter and Alaa Habeb launched Dentroid, a dental technology startup with a mission to make dentistry a kinder and friendlier experience for patients and dentists using photonics (using laser technology) and robotics, as alternatives to needles, drills and sprays. The vision for the startup is to have dentistry adopt laser technology, addressing the root causes of dental pain & anxiety, and create a pain-free dental experience.
Dentroid is pioneering the adoption of femtosecond lasers in dentistry which will be their first surgical application outside eye surgery. Unlike conventional dental lasers or rotary instruments, femtosecond lasers have a very unique ability to precisely cut through the most resistant materials without requiring cooling or causing thermal damage. This “cold cutting” creates convenience for the patient, clearer vision for the practitioner and a cleaner environment in the office without microbes laden droplets.
A key distinctive feature of femtosecond laser in “cold cutting” is that it leaves the underlying tissues unharmed with the aim of supporting faster healing with less postoperative complications.
Dentroid envisages femtosecond lasers, combined with their patented miniaturised robotic technology will change the way dental tissues and restorative materials are prepared, processed and bonded not only in clinics but also in dental labs.
To support this mission, Dentroid has assembled a multidisciplinary team of world-renowned experts in dentistry and medicine, engineering, robotics, physics, medical sciences and AI informatics together with commercialisation and growth minds who helped scale startups grow to much larger organisations.
In this Bench Side Story Case Study release, we spoke with some of the key people involved in Dentroid mission and commercialisation journey.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This case study may contain projections and forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding the potential benefits and success of the drug or therapeutic. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements due to various factors, including but not limited to the risks and uncertainties associated with drug or device development and regulatory approval processes.
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Raising awareness, engagement and inclusion of Allied Health
Anita Hobson-Powell holds the position of Chief Allied Health Officer for the Australian Government within the Department of Health and Aged Care. With a background as an exercise physiologist and extensive experience leading allied health professional associations*, she has been entrusted with three main priorities. First, she aims to raise awareness about the significance of allied health professionals and their role in the healthcare system. This involves ensuring that decision makers and individuals engaging with health services understand the contributions of allied health professionals.
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Health equity
For 30 years the Humpty Dumpty Foundation has worked to help bridge the gap that often exists between available resources and actual needs through the donation of paediatric medical equipment. Humpty, like many other charitable initiatives, began with a humble goal. Its Founder and Executive Chairman, Paul Francis OAM, together with Patron Ray Martin AM, set out to raise some money to paint the walls of the Children’s Ward at Royal North Shore Hospital.
To date more than 440 hospitals and health services have shared in over $85 million of essential and lifesaving medical equipment for sick and injured paediatric patients.
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Unleashing the potential of Paramedic skills and knowledge
According to a prominent paramedicine academic and researcher, paramedics have the potential to provide much-needed care in the community, changing the traditional healthcare model. Research points to paramedics having a wider healthcare workforce impact based on their ability to identify and fix problems 24/7.
Dr. Brendan Shannon is Head of Postgraduate Programs in the Department of Paramedicine at Monash University and a member of The Australasian College of Paramedicine. His interests including refining healthcare models, to ensure underserved communities receive requisite care. These alternative care pathways, like outreach programs, can work out of hospitals to provide care in underserved communities with social and complex chronic conditions.
