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 turn into a dentist?
After a dental go to after I was six years outdated I advised my mother I needed to be a dentist after I grew up. I used to be fascinated by all the pieces within the dental workplace. As I bought older, that need by no means modified and serving to individuals 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 might’t think about my life as having carried out the rest.
Dr. Kutsch as a 20-year-old
Why did you resolve to start out CariFree?
After 20 years in observe I used to be pissed off that my sufferers continued to get cavities. They have been doing all the pieces 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 nevertheless it wasn’t addressing what was responsible for the cavities. So I targeted my research on making an attempt to grasp the illness and sought assist from the most effective exerts on this planet. 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 idea to observe 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 the best way to 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 mainly understanding the science, seeing a niche in merchandise, and creating one thing new.
Merchandise which have elements 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 elements for cavity prevention?
The science was all there. I had used the prevailing gold commonplace method and didn’t get the outcomes I used to be in search of. 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 elements provided nice antimicrobial therapy together with the advantages of all the different methods mixed. Usually instances by combining a number of methods in a single simple to make use of merchandise, the full 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 elements as doable simply makes logical sense.
Who was the primary affected person that you just observed CariFree working nicely for? Or do you bear in mind a selected second the place you realized they’re life altering merchandise?
Within the early days I bear in mind an unlimited variety of sufferers who simply all of the sudden 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. Immediately I used to be really capable of 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 simple. I need 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 ailments and circumstances and I feel we are able to supply hope to individuals. Lots of dental illness is preventable, some very treatable, and a few that’s manageable with the most effective merchandise and methods. I need to be part of that journey.