Quip electric toothbrushes are hung on a bathroom mirror by a suction cup on the brush holder.
Quip wants to be more than a toothbrush company. As part of his quest, he acquires the dental insurance start-up Afora for an undisclosed amount.
Quip started selling electric toothbrushes online in 2015 and has since grown a consumer network. Similar to other direct-to-consumer online personal care brands like Harry’s and Dollar Shave Club, Quip offers subscriptions.
The company wants to connect patients and dentists using its online platform. It reminds clients when it’s time for an exam and allows dentists to reward them for coming by by paying for battery and brush head replacement.
Afora sells Basic dental insurance plans for $ 25 per month and a premium version for $ 45 per month. It covers two cleanings per year, a dental exam and x-rays. It lists the prices on its website for additional procedures like cavity filling.
Quip will not immediately integrate its toothbrushes into Afora’s plans, but it could merge the two companies over time, said Simon Enever, co-founder and CEO of Quip. Afora founder Jeffrey Rappaport will join Quip as director of dental care.
“The key for us is that it’s not an overnight thing to complete the whole picture that we’ve described,” Enever said. “This is another step in putting the pieces of the puzzle together and helping people understand that using a toothbrush twice a day really is about the experience you get and the treatment you need. when you consult a professional. “
Quip has entered into a financing deal with Silicon Valley Bank worth up to $ 10 million. The company closed a $ 10 million Series A funding round in November with investors like Demi Lovato and Sherpa Capital, whose founders invested in eyewear startup Warby Parker.
He’s not the only newcomer interested in this space. Dental Bundle started selling Bluetooth connected toothbrushes and expanded into dental insurance after seeing the opportunity to use over a year of collected data. The idea is to figure out which users are brushing and flossing and offering them cheaper rates and other incentives.
