What if patients could catch oral health problems before they escalated, getting accurate answers in minutes instead of waiting weeks for an appointment?
For Shivakumar Chandrasekaran, Co-Founder and CTO of Dentulu, the solution lies in AI-powered diagnostics, tele-health platforms, and preventive tools that empower both patients and providers. In this episode of The TechDental Podcast, host Dr. Randeep Singh Gill sits down with Shivakumar Chandrasekaran, Co-Founder and CTO of Dentulu, to explore how AI-powered diagnostics, tele-health platforms, and preventive tools like MouthCAM are transforming dentistry.
Shivakumar Chandrasekaran shares how Dentulu is using AI-powered diagnostics, salivary testing, and innovations like MouthCAM to help practices detect issues earlier, educate patients more effectively, and streamline workflows, and why the practices that embrace preventive technology today will lead the future of dentistry.
From Access Gaps to AI-Powered Early Detection
Access to dental care has long been a challenge, with patients often waiting weeks for appointments. Shivakumar Chandrasekaran explains how Dentulu began by supporting photo consultations, patients sending pictures for providers to review, and evolved into a platform where AI now provides preliminary insights before a dentist even steps in.
These tools don’t replace dentists; they enhance their work. AI acts as a co-pilot, strengthening differential diagnosis and highlighting potential issues. It doesn’t deliver the final word but gives providers a head start, ensuring nothing is missed while preserving clinical oversight.
“AI is not actually reducing the skill… it is there to actually help their work. It is actually up-skilling everyone.”
X-ray Analysis and Continuity of Care
One of Dentulu’s most impactful applications is AI-driven X-ray review. While dentists already bring experience and expertise, AI can scan for 15–18 possible conditions, surfacing insights that may otherwise be overlooked.
This isn’t about overwhelming patients with every detail on day one. Instead, it enables providers to build continuity of care, identifying conditions to monitor over time, planning interventions earlier, and personalising care pathways that strengthen long-term outcomes.
MouthCAM: A Toothbrush for the Digital Age
Perhaps the most tangible example of preventive innovation is MouthCAM, a $50–100 intraoral camera that patients can use at home. Patients capture images, share them securely via HIPAA-compliant channels, and receive professional guidance without unnecessary trips to the clinic.
Integrated with AI, MouthCAM empowers patients to take control of their oral health. It’s not just a gadget; it’s a habit-changer, much like how the Apple Watch shifted consumer behaviour toward health tracking.
“MouthCAM is one of the phenomenal tools we have done, and now we have integrated that with AI.”
Clinics using MouthCAM have reported stronger follow-ups and improved recall rates, a persistent challenge in preventive dentistry. By making oral health monitoring as routine as brushing, MouthCAM strengthens education, efficiency, and patient engagement.
Salivary Testing and the Oral-Systemic Connection
Shivakumar Chandrasekaran emphasises that the future of dentistry extends beyond the mouth. Salivary testing, now being integrated through labs like OralDNA, is becoming a standard part of preventive care. By identifying harmful bacteria, dentists can detect risks linked to systemic conditions, even those affecting the brain.
“Salivary testing is one of the important things which everybody should become so inclusive about.”
This shift reframes dentistry’s role, positioning providers as central players in broader health outcomes, not just oral interventions.
Overcoming Barriers to Adoption
While the benefits of AI and tele-health are clear, many practices resist adoption out of fear of disruption. Providers worry about retraining staff, losing time, or complicating workflows. Shivakumar Chandrasekaran acknowledges the challenge but stresses Dentulu’s plug-and-play approach:
80% automation built into onboarding
Seamless integration with existing practice management systems
Mobile apps for both providers and patients to stay connected
“Nobody wants to waste time. Nobody wants to spend their time training their staff… they just want it to work out of the box.”
By reducing complexity and offering ongoing support, Dentulu ensures that preventive technology adds value without slowing practices down.
The AI Wave: A Shift in Habits
Shivakumar Chandrasekaran draws parallels between today’s AI wave and the dot-com boom of 20 years ago. Just as websites replaced business cards, AI is becoming the new baseline for access to information. Patients will soon expect accurate answers instantly, reshaping their habits around oral health.
“AI is the new dot-com wave in dentistry.”
As with the arrival of wearable tech, these shifts won’t just change tools; they’ll change behaviour. Preventive dentistry is moving from a model of reactive treatment to one where technology builds new, healthier habits.
Mindset First: Patient Care Above All
While Dentulu is innovating at the cutting edge, Shivakumar Chandrasekaran makes it clear that technology is not the ultimate goal, patient outcomes are.
“It’s not about making money always; it’s about patient care. Patient care is the first, it’s the primary thing.”
For practices, this means technology should be seen as a means to improve patient care and reduce burdens, not as a shiny add-on or a replacement for human expertise.
🎧 Listen to the Full Episode
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FAQs
Is AI replacing dentists?
No. Shivakumar emphasises that AI acts as a support tool, enhancing accuracy and efficiency while keeping final decisions in the hands of providers.
How does MouthCAM help patients?
MouthCAM allows patients to capture and share images from home, improving follow-ups, postoperative checks, and overall recall rates while reducing unnecessary office visits.
Why is salivary testing important?
Because the mouth is directly connected to systemic health. Detecting bacteria early can help prevent broader conditions that extend beyond oral health.
Will adopting AI disrupt my practice?
Dentulu integrates with existing systems, offering automation and support to make adoption seamless with minimal disruption.
If you’re a Founder, clinical director, or dental entrepreneur wondering how to move from reactive treatment to proactive care, this episode is your wake-up call.
AI-powered diagnostics, tele-health tools, and preventive solutions like MouthCAM and salivary testing aren’t distant ideas; they’re here, reshaping how practices detect issues, educate patients, and streamline workflows today. These innovations aren’t about replacing dentists, they’re about reducing burdens, empowering patients, and giving providers the tools to focus on care, not complexity.
Start small. Test preventive tools. Educate patients with simple technologies. Integrate one AI-driven workflow. Watch how quickly the right habits transform both practice efficiency and patient outcomes.
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