Established in Barcelona in Spain in 2021, starlynr® offers an aligner system developed by a group of dentists over the past 23 years. The state-of-the art aligner is twice as strong and ten times clearer than other brands, and the starlynr system creates customised treatment plans using the most reliable artificial intelligence (AI) software, for anatomically correct tooth movement that lasts. The company’s mission is to enable faster, easier and high-quality treatments. It operates via satellite clinics under the supervision of its experts, enabling dentists to treat patients with starlynr anywhere in the world. To learn more about starlynr and its plans for the Middle East, Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa spoke with Dr Fady Yaacoub, founder and chairperson, and Dr Amro Adel, who has been the company’s CEO since November.
Dr Yaacoub, how did the idea for starlynr come about?
Starlynr wasn’t a planned project but a personal interest that came to life about 23 years ago. A group of general dentists, orthodontists and I were in contact for almost two decades, sharing what we’d personally experienced with patients and the results of our treatment modalities. With every year that passed, we made sure to remain up to date with the latest technologies introduced in our segment and the effectiveness of these products, all while sharing our findings and limitations with one another.
It was important for each of us to give our patients the best solutions and results in hope that some day we could provide better solutions not only for our patients but to other dentists. Through AI and oral health solutions, we managed to create a breakthrough in orthodontics, developing an innovative solution for dentists and labs across the world for affordable, flexible and more predictable care—all in less time and with guaranteed results.
Why do you think that starlynr is a success story?
With every possible situation carefully studied and tested with a team of highly qualified professionals, we made sure that starlynr would be market-ready before its launch.
Starlynr is a success because it simply works for all general dentists and orthodontists. We’ve managed to reduce chair time for dentists, enabling them to treat more patients, and to provide patients with quicker results and greater comfort. Our main mission is to allow individuals to embark on this journey in the simplest way possible.
Our easy-to-use step-by-step online guide has helped dentists document and assist patients faster than ever. Our introduction and invitation to satellite clinics through our personalised customer support has made life easier for general dentists and orthodontists everywhere.
Our success can be seen in the demand for starlynr by dentists looking for alternative aligner solutions and in our personal experiences with our patients, encouraging our movement even further.
Where was starlynr first launched, and what are your plans for expansion?
starlynr started off in two very different markets at once: in Slovakia and Egypt. We chose these two extremely different markets, as we knew that these countries were ready to take on this journey and were in great need of it. Egypt having over 64,000 highly qualified dentists, we thought that this would be a great country to which to bring our innovative solution to assist dentists and in return to receive a large community of prospective pioneers who have been excited to get started.
Although aligners had been available in Slovakia for quite some time, we thought that we needed to introduce a more effective and customised aligner solution. We were happy to see the high interest in the market as a result and the patient demand.
Our next steps are to expand our community in nearby countries in Europe and the Middle East. Three complementary markets in our scope are Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. In the future, we hope to bring our findings into academia and educational systems. This is the only way that we as dentists can pave the way for future generations in dentistry to find new advancements and breakthroughs in oral health.
What do you hope dentists will be able to achieve through this journey?
Our mission has always been to optimise dentists’ time and facilitate their work. That is what we collectively feel as a team and that is what I believe makes us stand out as a company. We are not selling a product; we are offering a solution that we hope can change the lives of both dentists and patients. We believe that everyone deserves to have a beautiful smile they can truly be happy and confident with. Through our solutions and our satellite clinics—the number of which is rapidly increasing—we can simply say that our mission is to add star smiles to our orbit.
Dr Adel, congratulations on your recent promotion to CEO! How did you come to hold this position?
I met Dr Yaacoub years ago when we initially became friends and shared similar ideologies and a mutual interest in the latest innovations in oral health. We found that our values and ethics around the industry were aligned. For us and the members of the starlynr community, our mission is more than just providing a solution; our mission is to cater to like-minded dentists and bring together our findings for the benefit of patients.
What surprised you when you saw starlynr from the inside?
When I was first approached by starlynr I can openly say that I had my doubts. As aligners had been in the market for some time, my main concern was making sure that this version had all the advancements needed to fit today’s world. The new world is digital and in it AI has application in daily life, and this applies to the dental industry too. What I found interesting about starlynr is that its systems cater to all old and new dental clinic software, enabling more dentists to embark on this journey and treat more patients—all in less time. Starlynr was established after COVID-19 took its toll on the world, and the developers made sure to make this alternative as seamless as possible for both patient and dentist.
How do you see starlynr evolving in the next few years, and what are your plans for expansion?
Starlynr launched in Slovakia and Egypt only a year ago and is already expanding to neighbouring countries in both Europe and the Middle East. With our various laboratories in the region, the demand from both dentists and patients is the cornerstone for our expansion. The solution, its practicality and demand from clinics are what makes us believe in starlynr. As interest in starlynr is expanding among clinics and patients, we have no doubt that starlynr will soon be available worldwide. Our network isn’t limited to patients and general dentists, but can be accessed by various professionals, including orthodontists. We can only hope that our vision can expand with continuous goodwill and more smiles!
Can you tell us more about starlynr’s presence in the Middle East, and how the system works?
As our website shows, we enable both the dentist and patient to apply to the starlynr journey online, enabling both to start their journey and get informed wherever they are. Dentists then go through a protocol in order to become a professional starlynr provider via starlynr satellite clinics. This certification assures patients that their provider is qualified to carry out their treatment. With every patient case, starlynr aligners are customised via AI and supported by starlynr laboratories available in every region. The starlynr software then works on precise 3D fabrications, enabling the patient to see his or her future smile even before treatment starts. The patient is then provided with a starlynr start-to-finish kit and a simple step-by-step guide on how to use the aligners.
From the moment a patient finds his or her nearest satellite clinic (also available for directions online), we secure the patient with a treatment plan, send update notifications and are available to the patient at all times via our online customer support. Further to our security protocol on patient care, our international dentists oversee every case with maximum care every step of the way.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
We believe in the future of orthodontics. Just like old solutions no longer serve the current world, we need to make room for possibilities for new oral health solutions and help make these available to the mass public. It is our belief that everyone deserves to have a beautiful smile, and we hope that starlynr satellite clinics can bring more smiles to earth.
