by Michael O'Malley, USTAR Marketing and Communications
A good idea stemming from good intentions is at the root of a growing Orem-based company bringing innovative technology to the dental and veterinary markets.
The flagship product of Aribex, Inc. is the NOMAD handheld x-ray system. Slightly larger than a hairdryer, this battery-powered device uses patented technology to put the power of diagnostic x-rays in a portable package. “Nomad is an innovation that changes the way radiography is done. We’re first to market. In fact, we’re creating a whole new category in the market,” says President and CEO D. Clark Turner, Ph.D.
The idea for the device has humanitarian origins. “Back in 2003, I was employed at Moxtek in Orem, working on miniature x-ray tube technology for future Mars rover missions. A dentist friend of mine mentioned he was going to Russia to do some humanitarian work, and he asked if a portable x-ray device could be designed,” Turner says. “We pooled some money and I built a prototype.”
Nomad has benefits over bulky, in-place dental x-ray units, Turner says. With in-place units, the dental assistant leaves the room before triggering the device. In the assistant’s absence, patients – especially children – tend to fidget, which can require retakes and more exposure to x-rays.
“With Nomad, the dental assistant stays in the room,” Turner says, “That’s a more comfortable experience for the patient. The entire process takes about half the time of a normal x-ray, and usually is done in first attempt so there’s a lower exposure for the patient.”
While the device has benefits for routine dentistry, NOMAD continues to reflect its making-the-world-a-better-place genesis. “One non-profit group called ‘Give Kids a Smile’ uses our device in inner city schools. They were able to give full dental exams to nearly three thousand kids in just two days. That number of exams would have been impossible without the NOMAD.”
Turner adds, “A mobile dental client used one of our units to perform exams on homeless and uninsured people in areas affected by the Katrina Hurricane. We just got a letter from them saying they were able to perform root canal operations on 80 people in four days. That’s a lot of teeth saved, thanks to our device.”
Turning a good idea and a working prototype into a viable business took some time. In 2004, Turner displayed a prototype at a conference of the American Dental Association. “Dentists would walk by the booth, glance at the NOMAD, stop in their tracks and come back to talk to us. ‘This is the coolest thing in the show,’ they would tell us.”
That conference was a turning point for Turner. “I knew by then we could build the device, and going to that conference showed we could probably sell a lot of them. That’s when I quit my other job to start Aribex.”
With employee number one in 2004, the company has grown to 28 staff in 2008. A number of milestones occurred along that trajectory of growth. “Getting FDA 510(k) clearance in July 2005 was critical. That’s when we could really start selling the product.”
Other milestones include receiving ISO certification in July 2006, and shipping the 2000th unit in February 2008.
In February 2008, Aribex engaged with USTAR’s Technology Outreach and Innovation Program to plot ongoing strategy. USTAR is the Utah Science, Technology and Research Initiative, designed to grow the Utah tax base through the support of high-growth technology companies that generate high-paying jobs. Central Utah regional director Steven Roy directed a team of analysts and interns to provide Aribex with preliminary market data on possible medical applications for the device, at no charge to Aribex.
Of more immediate impact was a session that Roy facilitated that helped Turner and other Aribex senior management define the company’s strategic direction. Roy used his years of experience in consulting on corporate organizational structure to good effect. “Steve helped us set specific goals and focus on two markets – dental and veterinary,” Turner says. “It was a productive day.”
Roy agrees. “When you have a breakthrough technology, it’s easy to get distracted by the wide range of markets available. Part of the value USTAR offers is to help companies like Aribex define their markets and direct their efforts to the most promising ones. Once a presence in a core market is established, the next opportunity is that much easier to undertake.”
Turner speaks well of the assistance USTAR provided. “I would tell the legislature to provide more USTAR funding to helping existing companies grow,” he says, adding that he would like to engage with Roy and his team on future efforts, including the possible submission of a federal research and development grant (known as SBIR).
“Aribex is an example of a smart approach to growth,” Roy says. “Clark and his team have shown a lot of discipline in focusing on their two prime markets. They’re building a great base for future expansion.”
Turner finds the demands of managing a small but fast-growing company to be challenging. “Growing a company requires cash, so I’m spending a lot of time on financial matters. The chief financial officer duties I handle are what keep me up at night. The fun part of my job remains the chief technology officer aspect. I’m really proud of our innovative technology.”
For more information:
www.aribex.com
www.ustar.utah.gov
