Not Just Another Dental Equipment Manufacturer

In an insightful interview with Dr. Sang Chul Lee, the visionary founder and CEO of Ray Medical, we delve deeper into the company's ethos and the cultural underpinnings that drive its pioneering approach—an integral aspect of both Ray Medical and Ray America's success.

Please tell us about yourself

I am Dr. Sang Chul Lee, one of the first individuals to receive a doctorate in engineering in medical imaging. I am the founder and CEO of Ray Co., Ltd., a company that has been operating in the dental industry for 18 years under my leadership.

How did it all begin?

If I had started my career as an employee, I would not have had the opportunity to start my own company. However, I was fortunate enough to found Ray, a company that manufactures CT scanners based on my doctoral thesis in medical CT imaging, in 2004 with two other classmates who also had doctorates in this field. Our company's journey from the lab to becoming a corporation is a classic one. In 2010, when Samsung Electronics decided to focus on medical devices as part of their future growth strategy, they acquired Ray and made it a subsidiary of their medical device team. In 2015, we decided to spin off the company and buy back all of the shares owned by Samsung at the time, which was about 70% of the total shares, with the help of an investment from a Silicon Valley firm.

What sets Ray apart from other dental equipment manufacturers?

Ray has seen significant growth in recent years, with a yearly growth rate of 40%. This success can be attributed to positive word-of-mouth from clinicians and end-users, as the company initially had little brand recognition. We quickly realized that the quality of our products would be crucial to the company's success, and we have therefore focused on producing high-quality products. As a result, clinicians have recommended our products to their colleagues, helping us to overcome our lack of brand awareness. To drive our growth, we have shifted our focus from hardware manufacturing to software solutions. This has led to an increase in the number of software developers on our team compared to hardware developers. I believe that software is more important than hardware in this industry, and it's not just about being able to write code and develop software but creating something that is clinically useful and meaningful to clinicians. To that end, we have expanded our product offerings to include 3D printing and CAD/CAM-based digital treatment solutions through continuous innovation. This has allowed Ray to become a full digital solutions company, leading the way in digital dentistry from diagnosis to treatment.

What is RAYFace?

RAYFace is a game-changing 3D facial scanner that transforms the way dental professionals approach patient care. It is the first scanner of its kind to accurately overlay dentition data onto a patient's 3D facial scan with just one click. This results in a comprehensive understanding of the patient's face, enabling the creation of personalized restoration treatments. I am proud to announce that RAYFace has been recognized as one of Dentistry Today's Top Innovative Products.

Future directions?

Automation is important in the dental industry because it enables quick and efficient treatment solutions with just a few clicks. The dental industry is constantly evolving at a faster rate than any other industry, so in order to keep up with these changes, we acquired a company in Taiwan even though we have the capability to develop these solutions internally. We have learned that it is crucial to adapt and respond to changes as quickly as possible. Our ultimate goal is to offer complete same-day dentistry for patients, turning our company into a full digital solutions provider that offers a variety of digital treatment options such as clear aligners, surgical stents, and restorations.