[MoneyS Interview] "Minimize my dental phobia... I aim to have my teeth last a lifetime"

Jung Ho Kang, CEO of Minish Technology Why Minish Dentistry started a tech company

Treatment without harm, treatment without excess, treatment without pain. This is the philosophy of Dr. Jung Ho Kang, the founder of the oral specialty company Minish Technology. After practicing dentistry for nearly 20 years, Dr. Kang decided to become an entrepreneur when he founded Minish Technology in 2021.

"The real cure is what I can do for my family"

Founded on February 21, 2021, Minish Technology has developed Minish Solution, the flagship product of Minish Dentistry. Minish Solution is a ceramic treatment that restores the aesthetic function of damaged teeth and gums by filling the damaged tooth area with a material that closely resembles the tooth.

"Based on my experience as a dentist, I have been researching and trying to find ways to preserve natural teeth without damaging them," said Kang. "I founded Minish Technology to develop a solution that can last a lifetime without damaging or removing my teeth."

The Minish Solution is the culmination of Dr. Kang's life's work as a dentist. The many "how to" questions that filled his head led to the creation of the current Minish treatment.

"When you go to the dentist, the first thing that comes to mind is fear, so you start thinking about how do I make it painless, how do I make it more comfortable for the patient, how do I make it so that they don't have to deal with it, how do I make it last, and I think that's how you develop as a clinician, is to keep overcoming the things that the patient wants, and the Minish technology wasn't created, it was a process of practicing these philosophies, and Minish is the end result of that."

'Material and ultra-precision machining technology' at the heart of Minish's development

One of the keys to Minish is the material. The Minish Qigong Institute, which produces Minish, has world-class technology that is certified by the 100-year-old German company VITA Zahnfabrik (VITA), the only one in Korea.

VITA is the world's largest dental materials company that develops and manufactures the highest quality dental materials. Minish Technology acquired Bioden, a dental material and device company, to develop 'the most similar material to natural teeth' and is accelerating the commercialization of domestic materials from research and development.

"We developed our own material, Minishblock, which is recognized by the 100-year-old German company VITA, and it has the most similar properties to natural teeth, including strength, wear, and light transmission, so it can be restored to the original state of natural teeth," Kang said.

The second is ultra-precision machining. In order to repair a damaged tooth, a perfect marginal seal is important. Ultra-precision machining technology is required to not only process difficult materials thinly without breaking them, but also to reproduce the shape of the original tooth and achieve a tight fit. In consultation with semiconductor companies, we are also developing machines that can utilize ultra-precision machining technology.

"Minish blocks of feldspar-based ceramics are very difficult to handle, and if you try to make them thin, they break," said Mr. Kang. "Minish Technology has advanced ultra-precision processing technology and is able to produce thin and precise feldspar blocks that are difficult to handle."

Expanding certified hospitals in Korea... and expanding overseas

In addition to developing solutions, Minish Technology is also training dentists through the Minish Academy. After completing the academy and earning step-by-step certifications, dentists are eligible to become certified clinics using Minish solutions. Currently, there are 13 certified hospitals across the country.

"It's not just something you can do, but quality has to be maintained, so doctors have to master trimming techniques and gluing techniques," Kang said, explaining that they have created an academy and certification system for quality control.

We plan to continue to educate dentists and increase the number of certified hospitals through the academy in Korea. As of the end of March this year, the academy has completed five rounds of recruitment, and the sixth round will be held in October.

"Some people still confuse Minish with laminates, but after completing the Minish Academy and working with the Minish solution, you can see that they are definitely different," says Kang. "Dentists who use the solution are very satisfied with it as an alternative to preserving natural teeth, and patients are also very satisfied with the solution in terms of restoring damaged teeth and making them healthier."

The company is targeting not only domestic but also overseas markets. Minish Technology maintains mutual relationships with many global companies and organizations, including VITA, 3M, and Tachycardia in Vietnam, and is looking to expand into other countries around the world, starting with Vietnam.

"We are preparing to supply Minish solutions overseas to dentists and patients around the world," said Kang, adding, "We plan to develop and launch various products to supply certified hospitals and make it more convenient for patients to meet Minish solutions in their local area." Seungye Cho, MoneyS Reporter