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 change into a dentist?
After a dental go to once I was six years previous I instructed my mother I needed to be a dentist once I grew up. I used to be fascinated by all the pieces within the dental workplace. As I obtained 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 just do that. I’m so grateful I grew to become a dentist and may’t think about my life as having executed anything.
Dr. Kutsch as a 20-year-old
Why did you determine to begin CariFree?
After 20 years in observe I used to be pissed off that my sufferers continued to get cavities. They had been doing all the pieces I used to be asking them to do, however they nonetheless obtained new decay. It was then I spotted that what I had been taught wasn’t working, or let’s say it was treating cavities however it wasn’t addressing what was making the cavities. So I centered my research on attempting to grasp the illness and sought assist from the very best 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 concept 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 easy methods to develop merchandise and navigate that course of. I knew my sufferers wanted them, and in the end everyone 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 had been vital components 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 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 the entire different methods mixed. Usually occasions 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 components. 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 doable simply makes logical sense.
Who was the primary affected person that you simply seen CariFree working nicely for? Or do you keep in mind a particular second the place you realized they’re life altering merchandise?
Within the early days I keep in mind an enormous variety of sufferers who simply abruptly 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. All of the sudden 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 desires 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 occupation with different illnesses and circumstances and I believe we are able to provide hope to individuals. Numerous dental illness is preventable, some very treatable, and a few that’s manageable with the very best merchandise and methods. I wish to be part of that journey.
