We are able to’t imagine 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. Take pleasure in!
What impressed you to change into a dentist?
After a dental go to once I was six years outdated I instructed my mother I wished to be a dentist once I grew up. I used to be fascinated by every thing within the dental workplace. As I acquired older, that need by no means modified and serving to folks grew to become a driving motivation in my life and dentistry has allowed me to do exactly that. I’m so grateful I grew to become a dentist and may’t think about my life as having performed the rest.
Dr. Kutsch as a 20-year-old
Why did you resolve to begin CariFree?
After 20 years in apply, I used to be pissed off that my sufferers continued to get cavities. They have been doing every thing I used to be asking them to do, however they nonetheless acquired new decay. It was then I noticed that what I had been taught wasn’t working, or let’s say it was treating cavities but it surely wasn’t addressing what was responsible for the cavities. So I centered my research on making an attempt to grasp the illness and sought assist from the very best specialists on the planet. After I lastly understood the illness, I saved coming again to Dr. Phil Marsh’s analysis about pH within the mouth being a main issue. So I put his principle to apply and knew I wanted alkaline merchandise for my sufferers, and I found there actually weren’t any. Having began different dental manufacturing corporations earlier than, I knew the way to develop merchandise and navigate that course of. I knew my sufferers wanted them, and finally everyone would profit from them. It was principally understanding the science, seeing a spot 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 understand that these have been vital components for cavity prevention?
The science was all there. I had used the present gold customary strategy and didn’t get the outcomes I used to be searching for. So understanding the science, I labored on combining methods to create merchandise that present as a lot vary of profit as potential. pH is foundational, however including fluoride, nano-HA, and xylitol present even higher profit. And sodium hypochlorite mixed with these components supplied nice antimicrobial remedy together with the advantages of the entire different methods mixed. Usually instances by combining a number of methods in a single simple to make use of merchandise, the whole profit is bigger than the sum of the elements. Why use fluoride alone once 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 potential simply makes logical sense.
Who was the primary affected person that you simply observed 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 out of the blue 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 folks. And it was immeasurably life altering or me. Out of the blue I used to be actually in a position to assist folks 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 folks.
The place do you hope to see CariFree 20 years from now?
My goals for the corporate are fairly easy. I need to proceed to develop merchandise that work and enhance the standard of life for as many individuals as potential. I proceed to see gaps in our occupation with different ailments and situations and I believe we are able to supply hope to folks. A whole lot of dental illness is preventable, some very treatable, and a few that’s manageable with the very best merchandise and techniques. I need to be part of that journey.