ADA Forsyth’s fourth annual oral health innovation summit, dentech 2024 took place Oct 24-25 and drew the largest crowd to date, with more than 120 executives from industry, academia, government and venture capital.
The meeting convened experts and decision makers to continue conversations from previous meetings, and to discuss how to drive innovation and promote oral health globally. As in previous years, the event provided the opportunity for representatives and stakeholders across the oral health ecosystem to network and connect. We are excited for the many new partnerships, collaborations and friendships that continue to develop from this conference.
ADA Executive Director Dr. Raymond Cohlmia delivers the opening speech at dentech 2024.ADA Forsyth CEO Dr. Wenyuan Shi delivers his opening remarks at dentech 2024, updating attendees on the progress made by the ADA and ADA Forsyth one year into their partnership.
Bigger and better than ever
An outstanding list of speakers and panelists attracted tremendous interest in dentech 2024, with the event selling out months in advance.
The conference launched with a keynote from Dr. Edward Zuckerburg, who brought the importance of the oral-systemic connection to the forefront of the discussion. This keynote was followed by a joint ADA/AFI panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Ben Wu, AFI’s CSO and COO, where leaders from both organizations discussed many new initiatives developing as a result of the ADA/AFI integration.
Dr. Edward Zuckerburg gives his keynote speech, in which he demonstrates the way he applies innovative technology in his own dental clinic.ADA Forsyth COO and CSO Dr. Ben Wu introduces dentech 2024’s first panel discussion.
The second panel featured experts from government, public policy, and industry leadership to brainstorm how to develop a national oral health initiative.
Panel 2, “Developing a National Oral Health Initiative,” invited to the stage panelists, from left, Dr. Natalia Chalmers, Dr. Brett Kessler, Allison Cohen Neale, Patricia Ma, Dr. Jack Ferracane, Dr. Maria Ryan, Stephen Thorne IV, Dr. Leslie Winston, Dr. Gina Thornton-Evans, Dr. Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque, and Andrew Smith.Dr. Maria Ryan, EVP and Chief Clinical Officer at Colgate-Palmolive, shares her thoughts on a national oral health initiative during the second panel discussion at dentech 2024.
Thursday’s final panel discussion focused on the FDA regulatory process, a session that was requested by 2023’s attendees.
Panel 3 speakers discuss the FDA process. From left, NIDCR Small Business Program Lead Dr. Orlando Lopez (virtual panelist), former FDA officer Dr. Isaac Rodriguez-Chavez, and FDA dental products panel member Dr. Joel Berg.ADA Forsyth Director of Clinical and Translational Research Hatice Hasturk moderates Panel 3, “Innovation and the FDA.”Dr. Isaac Rodriguez-Chavez discusses how organizations can work proactively with the FDA to pursue regulatory frameworks that result in efficient approvals.
And the winners are…
Innovative technologies, including AI, diagnostics, dental practice resources, and materials took center stage during the conference’s signature pitch competition, now called the Technology Showcase and Innovation Expo.
We are pleased to announce that the winners of the dentech 2024 Innovation Expo were Grin and SprintRay.
SprintRay Chief Growth Officer John Cox, second from left, poses AFI and ADA leadership after SprintRay was named as a Technology Showcase and Innovation Expo winner at dentech 2024.Grin Head of Marketing Gillian Cabanski, second from left, poses AFI and ADA leadership after SprintRay was named as a Technology Showcase and Innovation Expo winner at dentech 2024.
We also invited the winners of the past 3 dentech conferences to talk about their successes following their dentech debuts. Flightpath Biosciences, Perceptive Technologies, and Uptime Health gave exciting updates and demonstrated how the visibility they gained at dentech contributed to new partnerships and investors. It was exciting to see the growth and opportunities they have each had since they first presented at dentech!
Perceptive Technologies CEO Chris Ciriello presents his company as part of dentech “Success Stories.”dentech attendees watch Flightpath Biosciences CEO and Co-Founder Matt Tindall present during the “Success Stories” segment of dentech 2024.Uptime Health Co-Founder and CEO Jinesh Patel presents virtually during the “Success Stories” segment of dentech 2024.Perceptive Technologies CEO Chris Ciriello presents during the “Success Stories” segment at dentech 2024.Flightpath Biosciences CEO and Co-Founder Matt Tindall presents during the “Success Stories” segment at dentech 2024.
Later that day, the competitors and other guest companies participated in a poster session to showcase their technology to investors.
Global innovation and reach
Panelists invited to speak in the final panel discussion of dentech 2024, “Global Innovation and Investment,” included experts from across the world, including representatives from four international universities, a high-ranking official, and four investors.
Panel 4 speakers included, from left, Kathleen Swan, Dr. Wooin Lee, Roger Kitterman, Dr. Mingming Xu, Dan Burke, Dr. Larry Cohen, Dr. Ali Saleh AlJhani, Bindusaran APA, Dr. Thomas Flemmig, and Dr. Manal Al Halabi.Roger Kitterman, Managing Partner of Mass General Brigham Ventures, speaks during Panel 4, “Global Innovation and Investment.”Seoul National University Deputy VP of Research Affairs Dr. Wooin Lee speaks about global investment in oral healthcare.Health2047 CEO Dr. Larry Cohen speaks about his venture studio organization’s approach to investing with deep involvement from medical professionals in operations decisions.
Looking Ahead to 2025!
AFI is excited to host an even more impactful dentech conference in 2025. Gain early access to dentech 2025 information and provide feedback to ensure an even better dentech by signing up here.
Of course, dentech 2024 would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Thank you especially to our Platinum Sponsor, OraBio.
dentech 2024 attendees enjoyed Wednesday’s Pre-Event Reception, which included networking opportunities at the ADA Forsyth Institute ahead of the event’s opening.
