A former hedge fund analyst is looking to shake up the dental industry — and empower hygienists.
Eva Sadej, who worked for Ray Dalio’s Bridgewater Associates for four years, left last year to start Floss Bar, an app aimed at bringing affordable preventive dental care to more people.
Floss Bar allows dental hygienists to freelance and schedule basic care — like cleanings and flossings — in the dental office where they now work, but in off-hours not used by the dentist.
“We work in the odd hours when the dentist isn’t there or is just on call,” Sadej told The Post. “I’m able to give customers a good deal because it’s times when the office wouldn’t be making money anyway.”
Floss Bar is a win-win because the hygienists get extra work — and pay — and the dentists create an additional revenue stream as they take a piece of the hygienists’ business, Sadej said.
Floss Bar, which is currently in the middle of raising $1 million in cash — at a valuation of $5 million — has agreements with three Manhattan dental practices and is looking to expand.
It hopes to set agreements with 1,000 dental offices across the country in five years, Sadej said.
Core to Floss Bar’s philosophy is the belief that customers should be able to control the scope of their dental care. Patients are able to choose whether they will have a formal exam with the on-site dentist or if they simply want preventive care.
“Patients set their own boundaries,” Sadej said. “They choose their level of comfort.”
For those who do opt for a full exam, any issues that Floss Bar’s hygienists discover — such as a cavities or root canals — are referred to the supervising dentist.
“We’re efficient,” Sadej told The Post. “Our customers don’t have to leave work and spend three hours getting basic dental care.”
Recent Comments