Two dental startups secured over $24 million in new funding this week, with investors betting on innovative technologies that could reshape patient care and industry management.
California-based ZERObrush closed $10.8 million in Series A funding to advance what it calls the world’s first fully automated, customizable teeth-cleaning device, designed to replace traditional toothbrushes.
Founded by cosmetic dentist Dr. Nidhi Pai, the health tech company claims its patented device delivers a “dentist-grade clean” in just 30 seconds.
Clinical studies have shown that the ZERObrush removes nearly twice as much plaque as a manual toothbrush in half the time and is up to five times more effective at cleaning hard-to-reach areas like the backs of teeth and along the gum line. Early users have also reported reduced gum inflammation and bleeding.
“Despite diligent brushing, millions of people continue to struggle with gum disease and cavities because traditional toothbrushes fail to reach all critical surfaces,” Dr. Pai said in the company announcement.
“By combining advanced technology with personalized care, we’re redefining what it means to clean teeth—making it easy, efficient, and effective.”
The Series A funding round included participation from CPG Strategic, Social Capital, several angel investors, and a senior Meta executive. ZERObrush aims to bring its product to market by 2026.
Meanwhile, Boston-based LightSpun (formerly 32Health) raised $13 million in Series A funding led by Brewer Lane, with participation from Virtue, Cambrian, and Industry Ventures. This brings the company’s total raised to $18 million.
LightSpun’s AI-powered dental insurance administration platform addresses long-standing inefficiencies in the industry.
Nearly 300 million Americans rely on dental insurance, yet claims processing times can take 15 to 60 days, and one in seven still submit claims by paper or fax. Approximately 18% of every premium dollar goes toward administrative costs.
LightSpun claims that by automating claims adjudication, benefits administration, and provider onboarding, it can cut administrative costs in half, automatically process over 90% of claims, and reduce provider credentialing time from up to two months to less than a week.
“Dental insurance relies on infrastructure that most industries abandoned decades ago,” said Rohan Malhotra, general partner at Brewer Lane.
This makes it ripe for automation, and AI can transform the economics of the industry while improving the experience for both providers and patients.”
The company is also partnering with the American Dental Association to launch AI-powered credentialing nationwide, aiming to streamline dental office workflows and simplify access to care for patients.