AI-Robotic Dentistry, Largest AI Funding Round, Smiling Bharat by IOS

Fully-automatic AI-robot dentist performs world's first human dental procedure

Perceptive Technologies has announced the completion of the first fully automated dental procedure on a human using its AI-driven robotic system. This innovative system combines three cutting-edge technologies— AI, 3D imaging, and a robotic arm to perform precise dental procedures. This advancement represents a significant leap in dental technology, aiming to enhance the efficiency and quality of dental care.

Congratulations to Dr. Chris Ciriello Founder & CEO, of Perceptive Technologies—a Boston-based medical equipment manufacturing company developing ultra-precise dental imaging, AI, and robots to help dentists help more patients.

The dental robotics system by Perceptive integrates AI-driven 3D imaging software with a robotic arm designed to perform dental procedures, starting with restorative dentistry, with unparalleled speed and precision. The proprietary system aims to complete tasks such as crown placements in just 15 minutes, a major reduction from the current method that requires two office visits of at least one hour each.

For more information, you can read their official press release.

Tech firm raises largest funding round in the dental AI sector to date.

Pearl , a tech firm based in West Hollywood, has secured a record $58 million investment, marking the largest funding round in the dental AI sector to date.

Its innovative platform, Second Opinion—was the first product of its kind to be cleared by the FDA in 2022. Second Opinion provides real-time chairside radiologic detections of dental conditions, like caries, infections, and numerous other conditions––enhancing dentists' diagnostic accuracy by as much as 37% and presenting x-ray findings to patients with visual clarity and objective credibility.

With this latest investment led by Left Lane Capital and participation from other venture firms, Pearl's total funding has reached $69 million, valuing the company at $400 million.

Ophir Tanz , CEO of Pearl, expressed that while the company has not yet reached unicorn status— hopefully, they are on their way to achieving it.

Smiling Bharat—a great initiative by the Indian Orthodontic Society

The Indian Orthodontic Society (IOS) through its "Smiling Bharat" campaign has reached out to the Indian Society of Paediatrics to include “orthodontic checkup with an orthodontist” at the age of 7 years — for every child as a recommendation in their growth and immunization chart that they provide to the parents at the time of childbirth.

Read more about the Smiling Bharat Campaign here

The president of IOS, Dr. Jayesh Rahalkar says they want the government to identify malocclusion as an oral health disease and include it in the health registry.

Read more about IOS here

What I am doing this week

My upcoming course with Clinical Smile Design & Periodontics is scheduled for 10 - 11 Aug 2024 in Mumbai. This will be the 44th batch, and I am trying to add more hands-on exercises for Clinical Smile Design (CSD) to make it more interactive. There is nothing more to be added to the perio hands-on exercises on jaw models.

I am also watching this classic video Two Must-Know Factors of Occlusion by Dr. Peter Dawson —a renowned clinician and the author of the book Functional Occlusion: From TMJ to Smile Design.

Let me know if you liked the second edition and your kind suggestions for improvement.