# Scaling a Telehealth Startup: The TeleDentists Growth Story Dr. Maria Kunstadter explains how virtual care transformed dental access and emergency room efficiency. - **Source:** [The Startup Junkies Podcast](https://brifing.si/source/c535ff31-06f4-46a1-8ccf-00512fbafa13) - **Published:** 2026-10-20 - **Topic:** [Entrepreneurship](https://brifing.si/c/entrepreneurship) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/59f0315f-03fc-4eb8-9fc4-70bda66c3ef5 ## Origin of Virtual Dentistry Dr. Maria Kunstadter founded The TeleDentists after attending a national conference focused on the opioid crisis. She identified a critical gap in care where patients with severe toothaches frequently visited emergency rooms lacking dental expertise. This realization sparked the development of a virtual platform designed to provide immediate dental consultations. ## Pandemic Driven Expansion The COVID-19 pandemic acted as a massive catalyst for the company, resulting in a 1,200% growth rate within a single year. This surge highlighted the urgent necessity for remote dental triage when traditional offices were closed. The platform successfully scaled its operations to meet this unprecedented demand for virtual care services. ## Addressing Emergency Room Costs Toothaches represent a significant financial burden, with emergency room visits for dental issues costing nearly $3 billion annually. By implementing teledentistry, the platform diverts non-emergency dental cases away from hospitals. This mechanism ensures that patients receive appropriate care while reducing the strain on emergency departments that lack specialized dental staff. ## Integration and Chronic Disease The platform emphasizes the vital link between oral health and systemic chronic diseases. By bridging the traditional gap between dental and medical care, the service improves overall patient outcomes. This integrated approach allows for better health management, proving that dental health is an essential component of comprehensive medical treatment plans. ## Global and Rural Access The company is currently expanding its reach into rural communities and international markets where dental professionals are extremely scarce. By leveraging virtual consultations and e-prescriptions, the model overcomes geographical barriers to care. This strategy addresses the cultural and logistical challenges of providing dental services in regions with limited infrastructure. ## Dentist Partnership Model Contrary to fears of competition, the platform is designed to help dentists gain new patients rather than lose them. The system facilitates next-step appointment scheduling, effectively funneling patients into local practices for follow-up care. This collaborative model encourages traditional practitioners to embrace teledentistry as a tool for practice growth. ## Overcoming Industry Stagnation Dentistry has historically been a slow industry to innovate, often resisting digital transformation. Dr. Kunstadter’s experience demonstrates that overcoming this inertia requires a clear value proposition for both patients and providers. The success of the platform proves that technology can successfully modernize traditional dental workflows despite deep-seated industry resistance. ## Strategic Scaling Lessons Scaling a health tech startup requires navigating complex regulatory environments and cultural differences in healthcare delivery. As a member of the Fuel health tech accelerator, the founder utilized expert connections to navigate capital and growth challenges. The journey highlights the persistence needed to build sustainable solutions in stagnant medical sectors. ## Sources covering this story - https://share.transistor.fm/s/c4e8545a — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._