Disrupting Dentistry: How This Dental Practice Has Prioritized Patients Through Personalization

Most Americans dread going to the dentist. Uncomfortable poking, prickly devices and painful memories of procedures have led to around 15% of people all together avoiding the dentist’s office. However, Tend is reinventing what it means to go to the dentist by creating a customizable and streamlined experience for its members.

Launched by co-founders Doug Hudson, Andy Grover, and Michael Stenclik last October, Tend was created with the goal to address the dentistry experience through the consumer lens. Sitting down with co-founder Andy Grover, he explains, “A lot of healthcare experiences are not built around the consumer; they’re typically built around the clinician, hospital or insurance. We wanted to use design to make a holistic experience of enjoyment for patients.”

Through interviews and reviews with patients, clinicians and others in the dentistry industry, Tend established the foundation for their business. Tend launched a pilot practice prior to launch, treating over 1,500 patients in over 10 months. Through this pilot launch the team was able to carefully evaluate consumer feedback, learning that patients highly valued the emotional and sensory experience of going to the dentist.

The team created synergy between having a top-notch clinical experience to help patients achieve oral health goals and also establishing a visit to the dentist as a consumer experience. This synergy was effective with Tend scoring an 85 on the Net Promoter Score of the dental industry: the industry-wide average is a 1.

Grover reflects, “Going to the dentist in 2020 is a lot like going in 2010, 2000 and maybe even 1990. We wanted to address how we could use technology to customize the experience and design space that allows people to be entertained!”

A typical visit to a Tend location is nothing like the typical visit to the dentist. Tend visits feature unique toothpastes and ceiling televisions, giving patients an enjoyable and unique experience. When booking appointments, patients can select a Netflix show or movie to watch during their appointment, creating a comfortable and soothing environment. Additionally, patients avoid the many sour-tasting products associated with dentist visits with Tend dentists taking digital molds and using unique flavors like cupcake or vanilla.

Grover notes, “I like to watch The Great British Bake Off and choose mint toothpaste during my appointments!”

Tend’s mission has been lauded by investors. Within its first year of launching, Tend has raised $73 million in funding, including $36 million in seed and series A. By October 2020, Tend raised an additional $37 million in series B fundraising led by VC firm GV with additional funding from groups like Good Friends, the VC firm launched by the founders of Warby Parker, Harry's, and Allbirds. Existing investors Juxtapose and Redpoint also participated.

Tend has also been celebrated by consumers, with revenue ​recovering​ by over 150% since the start of the pandemic. Additionally, Tend will continue its expansion across New York City and in new markets including Boston and Washington D.C. 

Tend recently launched its CPG product line with the Soothsonic electric toothbrush to bring its in-studio experience home to customers across the country. Tend also recently launched Breezy Braces, an innovative, invisible teeth straightening treatment that sits behind your smile - making it truly invisible when compared to “clear” plastic aligners or traditional braces. 

“It goes back to the idea of keeping the patient at the center,” Grover elaborates. “We want to allow patients to have the best in class oral healthcare at home and people are so excited they want to take us home with them!” 

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