by Kyle Patton, Editorial Assistant, Dentaltown Magazine
Each year the University of Michigan School of Dentistry holds a research day. The exhibition hall is a combination of students presenting their research, and vendors vying for the student’s attention. When co-founders of Dentyzion Kevin Kuo and Mikhail Garibov approached a SurgiTel marketing specialist, the meeting turned into a match made in eyewear heaven. Now with SurgiTel’s support, Dentyzion is quickly advancing its Google Glass loupes idea. We sat down with Kuo to get the scoop on Dentyzion. Take a close-up look.
What is your background in dentistry?
Kuo: We are all dental students at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. Mikhail, Daniel, and I are fourth-year, while Shalini is in her third year. Mikhail and I will ultimately continue our dental education in periodontics and endodontics, respectively. Daniel will work in private practice and teach adjunctly at the dental school.
Tell us about Dentyzion, and what you hope to provide.
Kuo: Dentyzion is a dental technology and digital marketing consulting company. In short, we are a team of innovative and creative thinkers. We hope to provide clients with unique technological solutions to dental problems. Dentistry is quickly changing. The profession needs to adapt to continue to provide optimal care for patients. We feel technology can be the solution to many of those problems. We also specialize in helping our clients promote their practices and products.
You are in an elevator. A man asks what your company does. You have 15 seconds before the door opens. What do you say?
Kuo: We won’t invent the light bulb. We won’t even fix a broken one. But, we are the ones to make light in places nobody has before. That’s how we approach technology.
What is the philosophy at Dentyzion?
Kuo: We feel that collaboration is incredibly important in what we do. Our main objective is to help better dentistry for providers, patients and students—which is not easy. The projects we are currently attacking and the ones we anticipate working on will likely require a multi-disciplinary approach. At the basis, our expert team members will work with you on any particular project at a personalized level according to your specific needs. Additionally, for more involved projects, Dentyzion will help initiate communication with other parties to help solve a given problem for the benefit of all involved.
Tell us about your vision for Google Glass in dental education?
Kuo: Our primary efforts right now center around improving dental education. We believe Google Glass can assist students in learning technical skills in both pre-clinical and clinical settings. Dentyzion is currently working with the University of Michigan School of Dentistry to integrate Glass in the Simulation Lab and in the Oral Surgery Department. We are also collaborating with SurgiTel to integrate loupes in Glass. Our vision for Glass in dental education allows students to visualize live video demonstration while working themselves or assisting faculty surgeries.
What kind of service can clients expect when they pick up the phone and call you?
Kuo: When a client first calls Dentyzion, we gather as much information as we can on not only the problem indicated but also details about the clients (i.e., dentists, dental schools, manufacturers, software developers). We want to personalize our solutions to who we are working with. Once the information gathering is completed, we present our strategic plan to the clients. They, at the time of presentation, will have an opportunity to evaluate our recommended plan of action. When the plan is agreed upon, Dentyzion will assist the clients in the plan’s implementation as well. In other words, we help clients from start to finish—from the initial idea to the final product.
How and when can clients begin working with you?
Kuo: Details about our company, including contact information, can be found on our website, Dentyzion.com. Because of our various post-grad plans, we will have representatives in Ann Arbor, Seattle and Philadelphia.