Dental Hygienist Turned Startup Founder, Andrew Lee, Unites Oral and Mental Health, Getting His Product Sold in 4,000 Walgreens Nationwide
🦷 The dental industry begs change
It is no secret that the $159.7 billion dollar dental industry–like many other sectors of the medical field–profits off of patients’ illnesses. Not only by telling healthy people they’re sick but also by limiting access to the variety of cost-effective options in available treatments. Such was the case with Bruxism–the involuntary habit where stress causes us to clench and grind our teeth, mainly while sleeping.
As a registered dental hygienist for over 13 years, Andrew Lee has treated thousands of patients, and the main recurring oral health issue that he noticed was the wear and tear on their teeth, gums, and jaw joints due to Bruxism. As any good dental hygienist would do, he recommended a nightguard that helps protect teeth from the painful and damaging effects of bedtime Bruxism.
The problem with the existing custom nightguard process was the time-consuming office visits and $500 to $1,000 mark-up costs by dentists, with very little-to-no coverage on most dental insurances. The one-size-fits-all, over-the-counter alternatives were challenging to wear throughout the night. Moreover, the poor quality plastic material wore down very quickly, resulting in Bruxers purchasing several throughout the year. In both cases, patients wasted time and money on something that didn’t work. Hence, the dental industry only exacerbated the patient’s condition by adding more stress to the nightguard experience.
⚡️ Innovation undermines corporate sector insufficiency
The fact that Andrew single-handedly came up with a solution to all the pain points patients were experiencing with existing nightguard options speaks volumes to how the current status quo of dental care lacks innovation. Undoubtedly, the dental industry has the resources to research and development to make preventative dental care treatments more efficient and cost-effective. Yet, patients are still left struggling. Thankfully, that’s where startups and small businesses can come into play.
“I felt such a disservice to my patients, as I recognized the symptoms and couldn’t do anything to remedy the excessive cost. Something had to change, and that’s when my journey with Otis began.”
The dental industry has remained stagnant for decades regarding improving access to preventative dental care products, such as the custom nightguard. Meanwhile, direct-to-consumer startups are creative in solving customers’ problems and ultimately become the best option on the market. Such was the case with Otis Dental. Before Otis, nightguards–over the counter and custom–were only a “band-aid” that protected teeth, without any way of genuinely treating the condition in a way that alleviated the painful and damaging symptoms.
Otis Dental has not only brought innovation to nightguard accessibility and affordability, but it has also changed the narrative of Bruxism by taking a preventative approach. Therefore, one of the biggest entrepreneurial lessons to be learned from the story of Otis Dental is to seek out the underlying root issues to undermine the current norm.
🤝 Focusing on customer experience
With their direct-to-consumer model, customers can skip dental office visits and avoid excessive markups by using the easy-to-follow instructional guide in the Otis Teeth Impression Kit to make their own teeth impressions in the comfort and privacy of their homes. Once Otis receives the teeth impressions, the custom nightguard is fabricated within hours and shipped out that same day. Best of all, teeth impressions are scanned and stored on file for faster service. So, once the current custom nightguard has eventually worn down, customers can skip the impression-taking process and order a new and clean custom nightguard that arrives in just a couple of days.
Even more impressive is how Andrew Lee invented a patented Bruxism sensor technology that will be able to turn the Otis custom nightguard into essentially a “Fitbit for your mouth.” It works by recording your bedtime teeth grinding each night and then wirelessly transferring the data to interface with their app on any smart device. Once the app is finished analyzing your unique Bruxism patterns, you’re provided stress-reducing information to help you lower stress, which, in turn, helps to alleviate your bedtime Bruxism symptoms.
And it all comes full circle, as the sensor technology will also include clinical applications to help dentists provide a better quality of care to their patients. Once fully developed, the app will provide detailed oral health information for full transparency into patients’ treatment plans. Andrew has secured the patent on the sensor technology and will begin R&D soon to bring this technology to the Otis nightguards. Reduced stress, reduced Bruxism pain and damage, and a better night’s rest — all in one small device!
Frustrated customers are looking for a solution like Otis Dental, and the proof of concept lies in the traction and customer dollars spent. That is why upon officially launching the product on their website in 2020, Otis Dental was approached by Walgreens and offered the opportunity to be placed on shelves amongst several over-the-counter brands as the only custom alternative.
📣 A ground-breaking product speaks for itself
“Having the chance to even speak with someone from a large retail chain was hard enough. But, getting them to sell your product, let alone get them to sell your product directly in-store and on one of their shelves, takes years… and that’s if they feel the product is even relevant to their customer’s demands.”
Otis Dental was–in a way–a unicorn, and here’s why:
Andrew had started a Kickstarter campaign in 2017 to determine the best price-point for the custom nightguard product. It just so happened that the assistant to the category manager for oral care at Walgreens had donated to the campaign. As such, he was rewarded with one custom nightguard. He was so impressed with the Impression Kit’s ease of use and quality of the finished custom nightguard product that he shared his experience with the category manager and recommended that she consider the product a custom alternative to the several over-the-counter brands being offered.
The next thing Andrew knew, he was flying to Chicago for an in-person meeting. After 30 minutes of discussion, Otis Dental was offered a retail partnership with Walgreens–with an immediate on-shelf presence in over 1,000 stores nationwide. Otis Dental officially launched in the Spring of 2020, which was frightening for Andrew because it was precisely when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, and he thought they were done for.
It turned out to be quite the opposite, due to the pandemic putting the population in lockdown and forcing dentists to close their doors. It also brought on more stress, which exacerbated people’s Bruxism at night. The result? Walgreens expanded the Otis Dental store presence to 1,600+ stores in 2021, and now in 2022, they are in over 4,000 stores nationwide.
📝 Andrew’s 3 tips for founders who want to get their product into retail stores:
- 💻 Research ways to become a vendor with a large retailer. For example, you can look up the company on LinkedIn and then search for employees who are aligned to your product’s category. Invite the person(s) to connect and ask how to get a meeting (e.g., events, broker, online platform [RangeMe], etc.). If they are open to giving direct contact info, fantastic… but that is unlikely, so do not ask and do not annoy them with tons of messages.
- 🤝 If you’re a POC- or women-founded company, check the retailer’s website and see if they provide ways to get in as a diverse supplier. Retailers are always looking for ways to fortify their brand through vendor inclusivity. Being a member of both the AAPI and LGBTQ+ communities helped Andrew get Otis Dental into Target. Otis was also featured and represented both communities in a nationwide television commercial for Target, which was also posted on billboards at the Oculus NY Trade Center.
- 💼 Consider a broker. Retail store brokers work to get suppliers and distributors for the retail store. They act as the connection to distributors in the supply chain. However, while going through a broker gets the job done, it comes at a hefty price. Andrew looked into brokers but didn’t go this route. He used tips #1 and #2 instead.
⛓ Supply chain as a CPG business owner
Despite his extraordinary success with retail partnerships, Andrew still had a lot to learn as a CPG business owner. For instance, with his supply chain. Andrew had the product down, but he needed packaging to sell it. He had started randomly searching online and went with the first packaging supplier that appeared in his search results. He called and was immediately assured that the quality and pricing of their custom packaging supplies couldn’t be beaten. Without any due diligence, sample requests, or shopping around for better prices, Andrew said, “Great, let’s get started!”
Big mistake.
This resulted in thousands of dollars spent on marginal quality packaging and finding out later that he spent almost three times what he would have paid if he had gone with several other companies who also offered free samples to ensure the quality of their work.
It was a pricey lesson to learn, but failure is only that if you do not learn and grow from it. Since then, Andrew has taken that lesson and learned to take his time to vet anyone who offers anything properly. Now, he takes several days to research the company and compares it against others for quality and pricing. He also asks for references and samples, gets lead and shipping times guaranteed in writing, and most importantly, makes sure that the point of contact is someone who fully understands and knows how to communicate.
💥 Technological Innovation + Timeliness = Success
The forward-thinking features of the Otis custom nightguard creation process and soon-to-come patented sensor, are all the result of Andrew’s overarching goal with Otis Dental: to unite mental health and dental health. This is a key reason why Andrew’s product stands out. Embracing the current and rising trend of mental health in the healthcare and wellness space makes Otis Dental even more relevant and appealing to a broader range of customers. Andrew leads by example, showing healthcare entrepreneurs that encompassing the whole lifestyle of the patient into the solution is critical.
Otis Dental recognizes and educates patients on how their stress level directly affects the amount of clenching in their jaw. The force is so great that it can even chip off pieces of the white enamel at the base of your teeth, exposing the second, amber-colored dentin layer. This results in tooth sensitivity and a higher risk of tooth decay, leading to fillings, crowns, bridges, and finally, dentures. And this is all caused by stress. By aiming to create a holistic solution to Bruxism, Otis Dental solves the teeth grinding itself and the excessive stress that causes it.
“Dedicate, at least, one hour each day to quietly recalibrate your body and mind. Growing a company is hard, and it will only continue growing if the founder is at her/his/their best.”
Finally, Otis Dental is consistent with the most notable, current ongoing event–the COVID-19 pandemic. With the unprecedented levels of stress brought on by the pandemic, it’s caused an increase in Bruxism and more noticeable symptoms that encourage the need for an Otis custom nightguard. The dental industry now refers to it as “Pandemic Bruxism,” and it’s why Otis Dental is just as focused on helping the population find effective and affordable relief.
👏 Solving the root problem pays off
From the beginning, Andrew has made it his mission to put the “care” back in oral care–with an easy, accessible and effective solution that holistically treats the condition in a more significant way than the existing options have. It pays off in the end, as customers see for themselves the difference in the quality of their experience and would much rather spend their dollars on Otis.
💡 There is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs in the healthcare and wellness space, given the main takeaway from Andrew’s journey: the status quo is underdeveloped and dormant in solving patients’ problems, and you can swoop in and take advantage of that! When you can innovate to create an effective solution that significantly improves the patient experience, your product will speak for itself.
The story of Otis Dental shows why startups and small businesses are the pioneers of the future–even with eliminating Bruxism, Andrew does not foresee going out of business anytime soon. As Andrew looks at Otis Dental years down the line, he sees his company as the “go-to” brand for effective and affordable preventative oral health care–offering products and oral health education and accepting patients at their dental spa locations globally.
➡️ Right now Otis Dental has a 10% discount promo code for customers: HELLO10. Learn more and purchase at hellootis.com
Otis Dental is among the 20 companies selected to be part of the inaugural Friends & Family Winter 2022 cohort. Andrew Lee joins a nationwide community of motivated and innovative founders who are receiving business mentorship and guidance from Slauson and Co. and Grid110.
About Grid110
Grid110 is an economic and community development nonprofit dedicated to creating clearer pathways to success for early-stage entrepreneurs in Los Angeles. Their mission is to foster the most thriving, inviting & inclusive community for entrepreneurs by making the entrepreneurial path more equitable, inclusive, and accessible. Through their no-cost, no-equity accelerator programs, Grid110 provides founders with a growing community of fellow entrepreneurs, expert mentorship, and crucial resources. It has supported 215 companies that have raised more than $60 million since its creation in 2015. Ninety-four percent of companies supported by Grid110 are led by women and entrepreneurs of color.
About Slauson & Co
Slauson & Co. is a $75 million Los Angeles-based early-stage venture capital firm rooted in economic inclusion. The firm established Off Slauson as its non-profit arm to support entrepreneurs beyond the investments made by the fund.
