Finnish health technology company Koite Health Oy has signed an agreement with German distribution and training company white cross GmbH. Following the agreement white cross will focus their marketing efforts on over 55.000 dentistry professionals in the German market to promote the use of Lumoral – the latest technology on the market for improved oral health self-care.

HELSINKI, Finland (February 3, 2023)

white cross GmbH is a respected leader in dentistry in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. With its training institute – praxisDienste Institut für Weiterbildung – white cross has been for the past 22 years market leader in Germany in the field of training dental prophylaxis specialists including prophylaxis assistants and dental hygienists.

white cross is responsible for educating one-third of all new prophylaxis assistants and dental hygienists in Germany. In addition, the CEO of white cross also runs a private university – Medical School 11 – in Heidelberg, Germany, which educates health professionals through its B.Sc Dental Hygiene study program. The educational program of the praxisDienste Institut für Weiterbildung is offered in 11 major cities in Germany with Heidelberg being the administrative headquarter.

The agreement between Koite Health and white cross includes all activities necessary to launch a novel medical device and a new technology in the German market. Through training and education, the company seeks to ensure that dental professionals in the world’s second-largest market are well-informed about Lumoral so that they can recommend the treatment to patients.

– We have about 55.000 active dentists in Germany in addition to around 25.000–30.000 dental prophylaxis assistants and dental hygienists. Our mid-term goal is to see 10 percent of this target group becoming familiar with the Lumoral-treatment and actively recommending it to their patients based on the patients’ individual oral health risk profile, says Prof. Werner Birglechner, who leads both white cross and Medical School 11 private university.

Prof. Birglechner stresses that cutting-edge technologies are essential for the company’s training and distribution business. Lumoral is such an innovation.

– Our customers expect that they are trained with the latest scientifically proven technologies. We strongly believe that this is the case for Lumoral.

Prof. Birglechner expects to see “a substantial customer base” among dental professionals and dental hygienists becoming promoters of Lumoral-treatment. These professionals are the key to the larger patient market.

Prof. Werner Birglechner, CEO of white cross and Medical School 11 private university.

Lumoral is changing the future of dental care at home 

Thorough dental care is the foundation for preventing and treating gum diseases like periodontitis. Effective mechanical brushing and flossing are often not enough. Treatment with Lumoral improves dental care, especially when traditional self-care is not enough, or when an oral disease requires more drastic measures than just brushing and cleaning.

Research shows that Lumoral’s antibacterial aPDT phototherapy effectively eliminates harmful bacteria in the mouth while treating advanced gum disease. Similar light-activated antibacterial treatments have been used in dental clinics, for example. However, the problem has been the cost and frequency of these treatments to provide sufficient efficacy.

– We believe that repeated and frequent aPDT helps to prevent and treat gum diseases such as periodontitis and that there is sufficient clinical proof for the technology itself. The Dual-Light method of Lumoral helps to improve clinical results for the benefit of the patient. The recent clinical data we have seen in a controlled clinical trial that examines the treatment of periodontitis with Lumoral in comparison with the gold standard, are very convincing, says Prof. Birglechner.

white cross strives to provide patients with the best possible modern treatment for oral diseases. The Lumoral-collaboration fits well with this goal.

Helping to keep oral health up to par

Germans are highly conscientious in their dental care, with check-ups at least once a year, if not more. Dental appointments are usually easy to book in the country – even on the same day if necessary. This is unlike in Nordic countries where queues can be long, especially in the public dental care sector.

According to Prof. Birglechner, caries prevalence in Germany is very low – among the lowest in the world – but gum disease, such as periodontitis, poses a major threat also to Germans. This is the case, especially among middle-aged and older people. Moreover, because periodontitis can be present without showing any symptoms, in many cases the disease is left untreated. This creates a threat to patients’ overall health as periodontitis is scientifically proven to be linked with many systemic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and malignant cancers – even Alzheimer’s disease.

– Together with our team we have developed recommendations and patient profiles for where and how Lumoral should be used. The frequency and intensity of the Lumoral use vary depending on the individual risk.

Prof. Birglechner adds that the key target groups are patients with a higher risk for caries or periodontitis. These include patients undergoing orthodontic treatment, patients with high health consciousness, elderly patients with limited motor abilities as well as competitive athletes.

– We will start the first sales activities by the end of January and intensify the activities during the year.

Sakari Nikinmaa, Koite Health’s CEO, the partnership agreement’s benefits are mutual. Partnership with Prof. Werner Birglechner and white cross GmbH is an important step for Lumoral’s geographical expansion from Nordics to Central Europe.

Sakari Nikinmaa, CEO of Koite Health

– Our strategy is to partner with industry leaders to raise awareness among professionals about the Lumoral product and its benefits and to build a global sales structure to secure product availability globally.

– Prof. Birglechner and his team have excellent resources, and they are experts in educating new solutions to the dental segment. We see them as a perfect partner in building a presence in the second-biggest dental market globally. By working together, we can take oral health to a new level and provide patients with the best possible treatment experience and outcomes, says Nikinmaa.