Dentalcorp, one of North America’s largest dental support organizations, is launching its inaugural Demo Day — a live dental technology competition set for June 24 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
The event will award a US$100,000 SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) investment and a potential clinical pilot opportunity to the winning company, along with access to Dentalcorp’s network of more than 600 practices serving approximately 5.7 million patients annually.
“If you have built technology that can genuinely improve how dentistry is delivered, there is no better place to prove it,” said Nate Tchaplia, president of Dentalcorp. “This is not a competition that hands out a cheque and moves on. We are a partner with the expertise to help the right solution scale.”
Applications are open through May 15, with up to 10 finalists to be selected by May 22. Finalists will present live demonstrations before a panel of industry judges and an audience of dental executives, investors and operators.
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Focus on real-world deployment
Dentalcorp says the initiative is designed to bridge the gap between emerging dental technologies and real-world clinical deployment — a longstanding barrier to innovation in the sector.
Unlike traditional pitch competitions, participants will be required to demonstrate their technology in action and respond to live questions, with judging criteria including clinical value, workflow integration, economic impact and commercialization potential.
Eligible solutions include dental AI diagnostics, imaging, computer vision, workflow automation, predictive analytics, patient engagement and practice management tools. Companies at prototype, beta or market-ready stages are eligible to apply.
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What participants receive
The winning company will receive:
- US$100,000 SAFE investment
- A clinical pilot opportunity across Dentalcorp’s network
- Strategic mentorship from leadership and technology teams
- Exposure to investors and dental industry stakeholders
All finalists will receive a US$2,000 travel allowance and the opportunity to showcase their technology live.
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Judging panel
The competition will be evaluated by a panel including:
- Nate Tchaplia, president, Dentalcorp
- Dr. Amarjit Rihal, clinical director of operations, Dentalcorp
- Kentucky Morrow, partner, Dental Innovation Alliance
- Dr. Ryan Hungate, chief clinical and strategy officer, Henry Schein One
- Dr. Zarah Ali, director of strategy and growth, VideaHealth
Key dates
- Applications open: March 16
- Deadline: May 15 at 11:59 p.m. EST
- Finalists announced: May 22
- Demo Day: June 24, Orlando, Fla.
Applications can be submitted via the official Demo Day website. There is no application fee, and each company may submit one entry.