Brant Herman is an accomplished entrepreneur and leader known for his ability to think creatively, develop new opportunities, manage growth and enhance profitability. Experienced in general business management, brand marketing, operations, and business development in domestic and international markets, Brant. is the founder and CEO of MouthWatch, a market leading teledentistry and intraoral imaging hardware company. Excerpts from an interview:

Conception of MouthWatch

The MouthWatch Intraoral Camera provides dental professionals with an affordable, high-quality, easy-to-use intraoral camera that helps put case presentation and patient education into every operatory in a dental practice. According to Brant, there was a significant gap between the importance of oral health and the ease of patients connecting to care. “MouthWatch wanted to make the connection to dental care more convenient and telehealth, tailored to the unique needs of dentistry, became the means to accomplish that.”

TeleDent, MouthWatch’s teledentistry platform allows for dental patients and care providers in any location to conduct and securely share live or asynchronous visual examinations with a dental health professional in a remote location. “Through our groundbreaking, turnkey teledentistry platform, a wide range of practices, patients and settings now have access to improved oral care, education, screening and treatment.”

Healthcare industry- challenges galore

The pandemic not only accelerated the growth of the industry, but it significantly changed patient behaviour and willingness to adopt those technologies that can enhance their connection to care. Providers can address the pain points patients face in accessing care, care coordination, and the overall patient experience with healthcare by offering technologies that support patient journeys designed around the patient, rather than the care system they access. “Our approach to teledentistry helps support that, in making the connection to care easier for all participants and bringing patients the convenience they crave while supporting improved outcomes and efficiencies.”

Improving oral health

“We believe that educated and connected patients are happier, healthier and more engaged patients who participate more completely in their oral health. As the evidence connecting oral health to systemic health is no longer up for debate, MouthWatch looks to engage patients through other healthcare touchpoints as well, being the technology that bridges medical and dental care while also supporting patients throughout” observes Brant.

TeleDent vs in-person dental treatment

Teledentistry is not a replacement for in-person treatment, but there are numerous services and aspects of care that can effectively shift to virtual for the improvement of care for the patient and the efficiency and connectivity of the practice, says this professional. “Evaluations and consultations are the starting point, be they for new patients or to triage an emergency or concern. Practices are also increasingly shifting their post-operative appointments in many cases to a virtual follow up.”

Leadership traits

A driven, collaborative visionary, Brant’s idea of an excellent leader is slightly different. “I have found that my leadership traits which have supported the growth of MouthWatch are fundamentally tied to communication and mission. We are driven by a common goal that is understood and embraced at every layer of our organization.”

“And while it may be cliché, failure is a sure-fire way to learn and improve. As a business owner and entrepreneur, you have to bounce back and overcome any setback – again in a new way, with lessons learned” he adds.

Transforming healthcare

“Healthcare has so many facets that are ripe for improvement and transformation. I think that its crucial new ventures understand the real problem they are solving rather than creating a solution for a problem they believe exists. And while it’s easy in healthcare and complex systems to try to be all things to all clients, it’s better to hone in on the areas where your business can make a significant difference to the client you are targeting.”

The future – What lies ahead

“We are bringing more teledentistry solutions to the market shortly. Look for us to go beyond TeleDent and begin the growth of a teledentistry ecosystem that can connect patients, providers, practices and healthcare systems together for an enhanced care journey for everyone.”