GreenMark Biomedical Inc., a company pioneering oral health solutions, has received a second Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) this year, totaling $300,000.
The funding, awarded through the NIH’s NIDCR dental division, will support the company’s development of regenerative technology for noninvasive mineralization of early-stage dental caries in collaboration with the University of Michigan (U-M).
Dental caries, or tooth decay, is the most common human disease, affecting nearly everyone in the U.S. and worldwide. If untreated, early enamel damage can progress into painful cavities requiring invasive dental procedures. Existing treatments like fluoride can slow decay but cannot fully restore enamel beneath the tooth surface.
“GreenMark is developing first-of-its-kind treatments designed to halt early tooth decay by restoring enamel from the inside out,” said Dr. Nathan Jones, VP of Technology and Co-Principal Investigator on the award. “This strategy could stop decay at its earliest stages and prevent cavities from forming.”
The company has already launched its first product, the CrystLCare? Biorestorative dental strip, in January 2024, receiving positive customer feedback.
“This additional NIH SBIR funding in 2025 highlights the potential of our technology to transform management of the world’s most common chronic disease,” said Dr. Steven Bloembergen, GreenMark’s Chairman and CEO.
Earlier this year, GreenMark received SBIR support for an AI-enabled LumiVision? intraoral camera, complementing its LumiCare? Caries Detection Rinse.
Additional TRC funding supports foundational research on targeted remineralization using mineral-loaded starch nanoparticles. Together, these programs reflect GreenMark’s integrated approach to detect, prevent, and treat dental caries before irreversible damage occurs.
“The goal is to create affordable dental products that can detect and treat early decay, reducing the need for drilling and fillings,” said Dr. Brian Clarkson, Professor of Cariology at U-M and Co-PI on the award. “If successful, this approach could significantly improve oral health worldwide.”