We are able to’t consider it, however this month we’re celebrating 20 years of CariFree. In honor of this celebratory month, we’ve interviewed CariFree founder and CEO, Dr. Kim Kutsch, to get his ideas on why he developed these merchandise and the place he hopes to go from right here. Get pleasure from!
What impressed you to develop into a dentist?
After a dental go to once I was six years previous I advised my mother I needed to be a dentist once I grew up. I used to be fascinated by every little thing within the dental workplace. As I bought older, that need by no means modified and serving to individuals turned a driving motivation in my life and dentistry has allowed me to just do that. I’m so grateful I turned a dentist and might’t think about my life as having carried out the rest.
Dr. Kutsch as a 20-year-old
Why did you determine to begin CariFree?
After 20 years in apply I used to be annoyed that my sufferers continued to get cavities. They have been doing every little thing I used to be asking them to do, however they nonetheless bought new decay. It was then I spotted that what I had been taught wasn’t working, or let’s say it was treating cavities but it surely wasn’t addressing what should be blamed for the cavities. So I targeted my research on making an attempt to know the illness and sought assist from the most effective exerts on the earth. Once I lastly understood the illness, I stored coming again to Dr. Phil Marsh’s analysis about pH within the mouth being a major issue. So I put his principle to apply and knew I would like alkaline merchandise for my sufferers, and I found there actually weren’t any. Having began different dental manufacturing corporations earlier than, I knew how you can develop merchandise and navigate that course of. I knew my sufferers wanted them, and in the end all people would profit from them. It was principally understanding the science, seeing a niche in merchandise, and creating one thing new.
Merchandise which have components like nano hydroxyapatite, sodium hypochlorite and elevated pH weren’t on anybody’s radar 20 years in the past within the US. What made you notice that these have been crucial components for cavity prevention?
The science was all there. I had used the prevailing gold commonplace strategy and didn’t get the outcomes I used to be on the lookout for. So understanding the science, I labored on combining methods to create merchandise that present as a lot vary of profit as doable. pH is foundational, however including fluoride and nano-HA and xylitol present even higher profit. And sodium hypochlorite mixed with these components provided nice antimicrobial remedy together with the advantages of all the different methods mixed. Usually instances by combining a number of methods in a single straightforward to make use of merchandise, the whole profit is bigger than the sum of the components. Why use fluoride alone, after we know that fluoride plus xylitol is even higher. The identical with nano-HA, including fluoride will increase the profit. So combining as many science supported components as doable simply makes logical sense.
Who was the primary affected person that you simply seen CariFree working effectively for? Or do you bear in mind a particular second the place you realized they’re life altering merchandise?
Within the early days I bear in mind an enormous variety of sufferers who simply instantly stopped getting cavities after utilizing the merchandise for six months or so. And after being wholesome and decay free then for 2 years or longer, I actually started to understand how life altering it was for individuals. And it was immeasurably life altering or me. Instantly I used to be actually in a position to assist individuals get decay free and wholesome for the primary time in my profession. It was one success story after one other, and it deepened my dedication to make a distinction and assist individuals.
The place do you hope to see CariFree 20 years from now?
My goals for the corporate are fairly easy. I wish to proceed to develop merchandise that work and enhance the standard of life for as many individuals as doable. I proceed to see gaps in our career with different illnesses and situations and I feel we will provide hope to individuals. Quite a lot of dental illness is preventable, some very treatable, and a few that’s manageable with the most effective merchandise and techniques. I wish to be part of that journey.
