DentCare to seek private equity for expansion

DentCare, the dental product company based out of Muvattupuzha, which marked Kerala on the world dental product map through sheer quality is preparing to raise funds through private equity (PE).

John Kuriakose, the founder of DentCare, said he intends to dilute 10 percent of his holdings, currently valued at Rs 1500 crore, to fuel its expansion.

“It’s an experiment that I will undertake in April 2025,” he told around 400 entrepreneurs who had gathered at the Dhanam Business Media’s MSME summit in Kozhikode on Tuesday.

Starting with just two products, DentCare now manufactures over a hundred dental products, catering to dentists and patients in more than six countries.

The company, which has a presence in key markets such as the USA, UK, Australia, and Canada, aims to leverage fresh capital to scale operations.

 “We are the No.1 in India, and we want to become No.1 in the world by 2030,” the Founder and Managing Director said, adding that DentCare clocked 26 percent growth in the last fiscal.

Building from scratch

DentCare’s journey is a saga of the founder’s hardships, perseverance, and ability to dream big.

Born into a poverty-ridden family struggling with illnesses, Kuriakose’s education was cut short, and he took up manual labour, including rubber tapping, to support his family.

A Class 10 pass out, he finally landed a job as an unskilled worker in a local dental clinic at a meagre monthly salary of Rs 250.

Spurred on by a burning desire to start manufacturing of dental products, Kuriakose took multiple loans and started DentCare in 1988, focusing on producing dental prostheses.

However, despite the odds, Kuriakose nurtured a dream of building a business, driven by his passion for innovation and faith.

His keen eye for quality saw the company growing exponentially, integrating innovative technologies, and employing over 4,000 people.

DentCare, born in a 290 square feet makeshift unit with six employees now operates from a sprawling 3 lakh-square-foot manufacturing facility, sourcing high-quality raw materials from countries like Germany and the USA.

Global reach and industry leadership

The precision and quality of its products pushed DentCare to take pole position in dental prosthetics.

The company is trusted by over 40,000 dentists and has served over 50 million patients worldwide.

“I will never produce anything that harms your health,” said Kuriakose, whose company now produces 456 products that are considered the best in class, worldwide.

“They are priced 25 percent more than competitive products, but there will never be any compromise on quality,” he said.

Its extensive product portfolio includes innovative dental solutions such as zirconia crowns, aligners, and custom-made prostheses.

“DentCare was the first Indian company to introduce laser welding technology and to adopt 3D printing for dental applications,” Kuriakose said.

Recently, the company launched India’s first clear aligner brand, DentCare Aligners, which has seen growing demand in both domestic and international markets.

A phoenix rising from the ashes

Reflecting on his personal journey, Kuriakose said he drew inspiration from the metaphor of a phoenix rising from the ashes.

Kuriakose also sought to dispel the notion that Kerala is not a friendly place to start a business. “No place like Kerala for starting an industry,” he said.