BlueLight Launches CheckMARC
July 30th, 2013
BlueLight Analytics, whose technology ensures dentists apply the right amount of energy when curing resin-based fillings, has launched its new checkMARC product, which it hopes will serve as an entry into dental offices around the world.
The Halifax company has also restructured its royalty agreement with Dalhousie University, where its technology was developed, so the university is now a shareholder. And it has expanded its board of scientific advisers.
Though it has clients in 12 countries, BlueLight has so far focused on raising awareness in the dental community of the problems associated with curing resin in fillings, and how BlueLight can solve the problems. Dentists use a vast array of blue lights to cure the resin, and each emits different levels of energy. That’s a problem because too much or too little energy in the curing procedure can lead to faulty fillings or other problems.
BlueLight products have been used “in 40 studies from 17 universities in 10 countries,” said CEO Colin Deacon in an interview last week, adding the company is featured in the most recent issue of Professional Product Review, the magazine of the American Dental Association.
“It’s all this research that has got people talking about us. Now all these other pieces are falling into place as well.”
Founded in 2009, BlueLight has produced the MARC — which stands for Managing Accurate Resin Curing — line of products that help dentists ensure they are using the precise amount of light to harden the filling.
CheckMARC is a tool that distributors and resellers of all dental products can use with dentists to measure the energy produced by any blue light in any dentist’s office. Once a dentist knows how much energy the light is emitting and how it is delivered, he or she knows how long to use the light and how to position it.
Deacon said that dentists don’t want to buy new devices, but they do need this information, so suppliers of dental equipment can use checkMARC to assess the blue light in dental offices and make sure that dentists have the information needed to use the lights effectively.
It’s a massive opportunity, given that about 70 per cent of the 175 million dental fillings performed each year use resins, and the “dental restoration” market is worth $36 billion annually in the United States, alone.
“We’re the only group in this market in the world,” said Deacon.
The company had originally licensed its intellectually property from Dalhousie and agreed to pay the university a royalty. It has now restructured the agreement so Dal becomes one of its shareholders.
“They originally commercialized an important educational tool from Dalhousie and have now developed products and services that will help dentists to improve clinical outcomes globally,” Stephen Hartlen, assistant vice-president of industry relations at Dalhousie, said in a statement.
“In addition, BlueLight’s efforts brought new research funding to Dalhousie.”
BlueLight also announced that Dr. Jack Ferracane of Oregon Health & Science University has joined the company’s board of scientific advisers.