Increasing peer referrals and spreading “attentive, friendly” reputation
50 providers signed up in one day… ‘historic year’ forecast for ’26
Midtown Tokyo Station, the heart of Japan’s business and culture, was the setting for the 2nd Tokyo Minish Clinical Seminar. The 2nd Tokyo Minish Clinical Case Seminar was held in the lecture hall of Funai Soken headquarters. The nervousness of the first event last year is still fresh in my mind, and it’s been a year already. At the after-party, which lasted until the early hours of the morning, there was only one topic of conversation among colleagues. “Wow, so much has changed in a year.”
We had 170 participants, a 70% increase from last year. Despite the increase in numbers, the process was much easier. This was thanks to the full support of our partner Funai Soken. Last year, we had long lines and manual registration, but this time, we introduced a QR authentication system and the entry was smooth from the start.
When we asked the Japanese doctors we met on the ground how they got involved, the answer was the same. They were recommended by their colleagues. Word of mouth about Minish was spreading naturally in the Japanese dental community. “The feedback is thorough” and “the response is very friendly” are some of the tangible reputations that led to trust.
Attendees said that Minish’s philosophy doesn’t stop at philosophy, but also reflects the time and effort he puts into his clinical practice. Traveling to and from Japan once a month for the past year to work with 25 provider dental practices has been very rewarding as a practitioner.
I could see the change in the eyes and attitudes of the attendees. Whereas last year it was all about curiosity, “I’m here to see what Minish is,” this year it was clear that they were thinking, “How can we implement this in our dental practice?” In fact, on the day of the seminar and immediately afterward, we had over 50 dental practices sign up for provider agreements.
Some came with their staff, while others came as a refresher before attending the Minish course in Korea. The mix of attendees was also much different. Unlike last year’s event, which was dominated by solo practitioners, this year’s attendees included representatives from large medical corporations with multiple branches and practitioners from the core Tokyo area. I think this is a strong sign that they are starting to look at Minish as a full-fledged business partner rather than just a new technology.
The highlight of the seminar was that the doctors from local providers were the main speakers. Last year, Korean doctors led the presentation, but this year, local doctors such as Dr. Ahn Gil-woo and Dr. Shimazaki Taito took the podium. The impact of the vivid clinical data and operational know-how accumulated in the field in Japan over the past year was tremendous when delivered by the voices of Japanese doctors.
The relationship with partner Funai Soken has also deepened. More than just a partner, Mr. Kang explains the future of minish technology combined with AI. As a strategic partner, Funaisoken not only actively introduces him to other large companies in the region, but also proposes a 300-person seminar in Osaka. Their proactive attitude, “We will select only those companies that have a clear intention to sign a provider contract,” gave me a pleasant feeling that things would go well.
I think the biggest change over the past year is not the number of providers, but the way we look at each other. The way Japanese dentists look at Minish, and the way we look at our own possibilities. I’m excited to see what the future holds, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
