Innovation in the denture care market has remained stagnant in the last few decades, making room for one company to shake things up.
Dr. B Dental Solutions, which manufactures oral care products for dental appliances, recently raised more than $5 million during its seed funding round. The company plans to use the funds to expand and meet product demands for the third and fourth quarters of 2023.
Founder Lorin Berland, DDS, and his son, JP Berland, president of the company, recently spoke with Becker's about their company's growth and their plans for expansion.
Editor's note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What does the funding round say about your products and the confidence in them?
Dr. Lorin Berland: The bulk of this investment came from a friend and former patient, Craig Hall. I called him for advice because he's very smart and very successful. When he saw the overwhelming love we get daily from our customers as well as the professional support, he knew this was a sound investment. We put together a vested advisory board of our best dental customers and one astute, brilliant businessman.
JP Berland: There are more than 42 million denture-wearers just in the United States. Almost 8 percent of everybody alive on the planet has dentures. But yet, there are only three brands that control this space and even less internationally. They've been complacent because they owned the whole market. There has been no innovation. That's why we are revolutionizing denture care. This very large and growing demographic has been largely neglected. They deserve better products for a better quality of life.
Until now, we have been completely self-funded. But we've already proved the concept through sales and so many rave reviews from our customers. Affordable Dentures & Implants, the world’s largest provider of dentures and implants, wanted to upgrade their quality of treatment, including home care. Now they carry our solutions. As a result, demand has spiked exponentially.
Q: Are there plans to partner with more DSOs in the future?
JB: Every DSO knows they always need to up their game. Treatment doesn’t end when the denture is delivered. For the patient, the denture experience is just beginning. It makes sense for DSOs to want to improve their patient standard of care through better education and great home care products.
LB: When I started 25 years ago, most people said dentures would become a thing of the past. They were wrong. There's too many reasons — the graying of America, medications, drugs, diet, lack of education, trauma, genetics and economic uncertainty. Social media is increasing the demand for cosmetics. Dentures were the original cosmetic dentistry. First-time denture wearers are getting younger and living longer. The digital denture arena is exploding, but denture care hasn't improved. We're definitely a product of our time.
Q: Are there any plans to expand worldwide?
LB: Absolutely. Currently we are in the US and Canada. Every day we get requests, especially from Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Singapore, India and Korea.
JB: We do have demand, but the North American market is so big we want to focus on our home territory first, and then focus on other regions. If we were to be acquired by a larger conglomerate, they would be able to help bring us internationally. Right now, with our limited resources, we're focusing on our home market in North America, which is already huge.
Q: What are your plans for the company for the rest of 2023?
JB: We're very excited about the second half of 2023 and 2024. DSO distribution will grow sales exponentially. Also, we're creating content. Increased marketing will result in sales on our website, Amazon and through more dental professionals, especially with dental appliance therapy. We will have a brand new website in two months that will further improve the customer experience.
Q: What advice do you have for other dental businesses looking to grow?
JB: Always listen to your customers and be open to advice.