CareCapital Strategically Invests in North American Orthodontic Innovator uLab Systems to Advance Digital Solutions for Orthodontists

On March 4, 2022, CareCapital announced a strategic investment in uLab Systems, the developer of uDesign, a North American chairside treatment planning software, and uSmile, its clear aligner system. CareCapital will support this innovative platform in advancing R&D innovation and channel expansion, thereby increasing accessibility for orthodontists, improving diagnostic and treatment efficacy and efficiency, and ultimately benefiting a broad patient population.

Founded in 2015, uLab is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, with a manufacturing base in Memphis, Tennessee. The company’s leadership team brings over 20 years of R&D and manufacturing experience in the field of orthodontics, along with extensive expertise in medical innovation. Their proprietary orthodontic innovation platform features uDesign, a chairside treatment planning system, and uSmile, a professional clear aligner product line. Leveraging artificial intelligence, the platform enables rapid chairside treatment plan design. It addresses the clinical needs of North American orthodontists through combined treatment protocols integrating fixed brackets with clear aligners, timely aligner delivery, customized clinic packaging, and differentiated pricing models. To date, uLab has assisted orthodontists in North America in designing over 400,000 clear aligner and retainer cases.

Mr. Huang Kun, Partner at CareCapital, stated, “CareCapital excels in identifying and supporting highly innovative dental companies. We are committed to the multidisciplinary integration of dentistry with other fields and to technological R&D. With our focused and sustained investment in innovation, we anticipate greater breakthroughs in the full digital transformation of clinical workflows, clinic management, and marketing promotion. The uLab Clinical Assistance System has impressed us with its outstanding performance across these dimensions. Together with the uLab team, we will remain dedicated to addressing the key pain points in orthodontists’ clinical practice through continuous innovation and iteration, leveraging technology and innovation to drive the ongoing upgrading of the dental industry.”

Charlie Wen, Co-founder, President, and Chief Technology Officer of uLab, further expressed his warm welcome to CareCapital’s investment: “CareCapital is renowned for its focused commitment to the dental and oral care industry and its sustained efforts in sector development. We are deeply grateful that CareCapital has recognized uLab’s proprietary technology, business model, and talent team. Moreover, as a global expert in driving the innovative application of digital technologies in oral healthcare, we look forward to our collaboration advancing the progress and development of dental treatment and care.”

uLab Systems is led by a seasoned team of medical innovators, helping orthodontists realize their treatment concepts and deliver optimal outcomes for patients. The company’s mission is to advance the orthodontic industry through innovative technologies, dedicating itself to empowering orthodontists with digitally assisted treatment design software and aligner products to better implement treatment plans. uLab maintains operations in Silicon Valley, California, and Memphis, Tennessee.

CareCapital Group, established in 2015, is committed to becoming a builder of the dentistry discipline and industry. It provides a long-term, stable development platform for dental professionals and enterprises, understands the vision of dental practitioners, and addresses pain points across the entire upstream, midstream, and downstream industrial chain. With a particular focus on technological R&D, medical education, and information technology, its portfolio of controlled and strategically invested dental enterprises now covers key regions including Asia, North America, and Europe.

In the field of technological R&D, CareCapital boasts industry-leading management teams and R&D capabilities in clear aligner orthodontics, dental implants, bone regeneration, medical imaging, intraoral scanning, and prosthodontics. Its portfolio includes controlling stakes in Angelalign, Purgo Biologics, and Neoss Implant System, as well as equity investments in Carestream Dental, Upcera, Putian Medical, Pintec Technology, DeepCare, and Lianyao Medical. Strategic partners include BEGO from Germany and Medit from South Korea.

In the field of medical education, CareCapital holds controlling and minority stakes in large dental healthcare institutions and chain clinics, introduces global educational resources, establishes well-equipped dental training and education centers, and delivers high-quality dental care services to patients through its network of dental institutions across China and Europe.

In the field of information technology, CareCapital has established its own in-house IT team to empower dental distributors and healthcare service providers across China, thereby enhancing its service capabilities for both dentists and manufacturers. Through investments in Songbai Dental and Xinhua Guang Dental, CareCapital is driving the digital transformation and industrial upgrading of the midstream dental sector.