We will’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 develop into a dentist?
After a dental go to after I was six years outdated I informed my mother I wished to be a dentist after I grew up. I used to be fascinated by every thing within the dental workplace. As I obtained older, that want 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 finished the rest.
Dr. Kutsch as a 20-year-old
Why did you determine to start out CariFree?
After 20 years in observe, I used to be annoyed that my sufferers continued to get cavities. They have been doing every thing 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 responsible for the cavities. So I targeted my research on making an attempt to know the illness and sought assist from the perfect consultants on this planet. After I lastly understood the illness, I stored coming again to Dr. Phil Marsh’s analysis about pH within the mouth being a main issue. So I put his concept to observe and knew I wanted alkaline merchandise for my sufferers, and I found there actually weren’t any. Having began different dental manufacturing firms earlier than, I knew find out how 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 mainly understanding the science, seeing a spot in merchandise, and creating one thing new.
Merchandise which have substances 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 substances for cavity prevention?
The science was all there. I had used the prevailing gold normal method 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 attainable. pH is foundational, however including fluoride, nano-HA, and xylitol present even higher profit. And sodium hypochlorite mixed with these substances 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 straightforward to make use of merchandise, the full profit is larger 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 substances as attainable simply makes logical sense.
Who was the primary affected person that you just observed CariFree working effectively 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 unlimited variety of sufferers who simply immediately 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 a sudden I used to be really 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 desires for the corporate are fairly simple. I wish to proceed to develop merchandise that work and enhance the standard of life for as many individuals as attainable. I proceed to see gaps in our occupation with different illnesses and situations and I believe we will supply hope to individuals. Quite a lot of dental illness is preventable, some very treatable, and a few that’s manageable with the perfect merchandise and techniques. I wish to be part of that journey.