TBA The Biotechnology Initiative

The Voice of Bioscience in Ontario



Biophotonics: shining a light on dentistry

For people that dread going to the dentist, the May 15 TBI (The Biotechnology Initiative) breakfast meeting was quite the treat.

Titled, "Bio - Photonics" Challenging Light to Create Value for our Partners’, the meeting gave attendees the chance to learn about an exciting new approach in biotechnology biophotonics.

The morning program featured two speakers on the subject, Marcia Vernon of the Institute National d’Optique (INO) and Stephen Abrams CEO, of Quantum Dental Technologies.

Biophotonics involves harnessing the interaction of light with biological matter.

INO has over a decade of success in developing innovative biophotonic solutions. In her presentation Vernon discussed INO’s expertise as a contract R&D company specializing in this field as well as the work INO is doing with Quantum Dental Technologies to apply biophotonics to dentistry.

Current theories state that dental disease is an infectious process, which means bacteria is its major cause. Hoping to overcome current shortcomings of treating tooth decay, Stephen Abrams hopes that biophotonics will lead to tooth decay prevention forgoing having to drill, fill and bill.

If successful, Abram’s work would change the dentistry profession from a surgical practice to a preventive one, meaning lower dental bills and painless check ups. Now that’s something we can all smile about.