Dr. Brian Gray on the year ahead at CandidPro

Since announcing the arrival of our new Chief Dental Officer in the fall of 2022, our teams and our CandidPro doctors have been fired up to see what Dr. Brian Gray will bring to the table. While he’s already helped us rapidly iterate on our clinical tools and prescription models, there’s a lot more he’s looking forward to sharing over the coming months.

We sat down with Dr. Gray to get his take on what’s on the horizon for CandidPro and our clear aligner platform.

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Q: You’ve been Chief Dental Officer for several months now. What are some highlights from your time here so far?

Dr. Gray: Yes, it’s incredible that it’s already been nearly six months. We’ve just accomplished so much already; it’s hard to know where to begin. 

One of the first things I wanted to focus on here was our retainer system. We’re currently developing a really comprehensive retention system that our doctors are going to love. More to come on that soon. That’s something I really love about working with Candid: the combination of technical knowledge and passion for creating great products means we can fast-track product development for things our doctors really want.

I’ve also enjoyed getting to know various teams across the company. Whether that’s in training technical teams on new protocols, working with our Account Executives on serving our CandidPro doctors, or chatting with the leadership team about the future of the company, there’s this positive energy that permeates through every department. It’s a great culture to be a part of.

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Q: 2023 looks to be an exciting time for CandidPro. What are some things you’re looking forward to seeing this year?

Dr. Gray: I think this is going to be a pivotal year for us because we’ve got a ton of new features that are nearly ready for the limelight. In the first half of this year, especially, you’ll see a lot of those features moving out of testing and into the hands of our CandidPro doctors. That’s a big deal for me, and I think our doctors will really appreciate the attention to detail we’ve put into everything. 

We’re testing out a bunch of product modalities with doctors right now. Basically, we want to honor our doctors with advanced clear aligner knowledge by giving them the freedom to plan treatment the way they want. That means they’ll get more options for adding auxiliaries to their cases when they want. At the same time, we’re still going to minimize the need for auxiliaries and IPR as much as possible because we know that we can produce great results without them.

I’m also working on launching more robust programming at Candid Academy. Education is something I’m really passionate about, and I want to make sure that our doctors are growing their skill sets with us in the best way possible. So far, our Candid Academy Faculty has put together some really great programs that doctors can participate in after work. I’m expanding those programs this year, and maybe even creating pre-recorded content that doctors can view with their teams during morning huddles or lunches. 

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Q: How will these new developments benefit CandidPro doctors and their teams this year?

Dr. Gray: That’s a great question. I think the biggest win for CandidPro doctors and their teams will be streamlined workflows. What we have today is already so much more efficient than any clear aligner system on the market, but the coming year will see more time-saving enhancements. Ultimately, we’ve listened to our providers and streamlined our case submission and CandidMonitoring processes to help them treat more patients in less time. 

For doctors who are less experienced with orthodontics, our learning platforms are going to really help them grow as well. And we’ve got some of the best and most diverse minds in the industry to help them do that. Again, education is of the utmost importance to me—as both a lifelong learner and instructor—so I’m dedicating a lot of time this year to building out world-class courses that distill the magnificent knowledge base we have here.

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Q: What will make this coming year a success for you as Chief Dental Officer?

Dr. Gray: This year feels like a foundational year, in my mind. I want to continue building on the momentum from 2022 this year and stoking excitement about CandidPro. The industry is taking notice, but I think this year will be the time for more doctors to see that CandidPro is the future. As we roll out these new features, we’re going to be a lot harder to ignore.

There are also a few new faces we’ll be seeing around Candid this year—well-known dentists and orthodontists that will take Candid Academy to the next level. I don’t think I’m allowed to go into specifics on them yet, but we should be hearing more about them soon.

But I think The best measure of success for me this year will be how we’re able to position CandidPro for the future. As I mentioned earlier, this year is a fulcrum for us. We’re setting the stage to be the practitioner’s choice in clear aligners, and this year will really kick that conversation into gear. 

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Q: Why is 2023 a great time for providers to get started with CandidPro?

Dr. Gray: You know, it’s not just a good time. I think this is actually the best time to become a CandidPro provider. The market isn’t even close to its peak right now, and there's a huge opportunity for clear aligner providers through 2030. 

Beyond that, this is a great time for doctors to make their mark with CandidPro. We’re such a proactive organization, and we’re dedicated to listening to our providers. This is a great time to join up, speak up, and make an impact on the future of GP-directed clear aligner care. 

For more great information about what's in store for CandidPro, contact someone on our team.