Revolutionary app ushers in new era of digital dentistry
Toothpick gives industry stakeholders something to smile about
A ground-breaking mobile application which uses the latest technology to provide dental practitioners, dental product suppliers and other industry stakeholders with an easy-to-navigate, streamlined ecosystem was launched in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Lebanon, Egypt and Qatar.
The brainchild of four young Lebanese entrepreneurs, Toothpick is set to revolutionize the marketplace by bringing together various facets of the dental industry under one digital user-friendly umbrella. Three of its creators are dentists, while the fourth is an IT expert. All of them have expertise in their field, gained either across the region or in Silicon Valley.
By accessing the tech platform, industry players will be able to browse, compare prices and purchase their supplies and equipment conveniently and efficiently via a one-stop e-shop. This must-have industry tool also offers practitioners access to a wide range of industry information, such as events and courses, news updates and partnership opportunities.
Aside from dovetailing with the rapid expansion of e-services, Toothpick is also ideal for businesses that are providing an essential service in a COVID-19 environment, since supplies are ordered directly and remotely, minimizing the need for face-to-face contact. Supplies are also thoroughly sanitized, with hygiene measures adhered to at every stage of the process, from packaging to delivery.
The app’s creators first had the idea for Toothpick back in 2018, when they were discussing the everyday challenges that routinely crop up in their line of work, from disjointed supply chains to confusing price comparisons.
CEO Dr. Wael Bizri explained that he and his co-founders, Dr. Mohamed Hammoud, Dr. Mohammad Saad and Mr. Malek Hijazi, set to work on the concept of Toothpick in a bid to come up with a tech-led, all-encompassing solution for the industry, devised for dental professionals by dental professionals. Research on the app began in 2019 and, with a minimum viable product secured, the team were able to schedule a launch date.
Speaking at the launch of a campaign for the app titled “100 Days, Let’s Get Digital”, Dr. Bizri said: “As dentists, we felt that we best understood the challenges that the industry faced, since we were experiencing them first-hand on a daily basis. Toothpick is the result of extensive research undertaken following those earlier discussions and carried out in consultation with fellow professionals across the industry. We are confident that it will quickly secure its niche as the go-to online platform for stakeholders, whatever their role in the field of dentistry.”
As the largest online dental hub in the MENA region, Toothpick offers practitioners a multitude of benefits which include the opportunity to enhance their operations, increase productivity and reduce costs by making better use of comprehensively compiled data and industry-related intelligence.
“Each year, a typical dental practice spends up to 9% of its revenue on supplies,” Dr. Bizri noted. “Estimates suggest that if these are ordered online, dentists can save up to 20% of their supply costs.”
In addition, the app benefits suppliers who are increasingly moving their operations online 24/7, outsourcing their operational costs and expanding their reach across each and every dental practice.
Overseen by a team of experts, Toothpick is quickly becoming a popular tool among users across the region, with a presence in the UAE, Lebanon, Egypt and Qatar, and further expansion in the pipeline. The app has also partnered with and is supported by Dental Associations, Orders and Syndicates in the countries where it is found. Its presence at Area 2071, the dedicated space in Dubai for tech companies and other innovative start-ups, and Dubai Future Foundation, is further confirmation that Toothpick has sealed its place in the industry ecosystem of the future.