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ACCELERATE

ACCELERATE advances established innovative solutions, providing non-dilutive funds and guidance to in-market companies working with industry partners. The program helps pilot and scale solutions that improve oral and overall health.

Apply to ACCELERATE

Advancing Established Innovation

Two professionals sit at a round table in a modern office; a bald Asian man in a suit explains something with his hands while a woman with long hair listens across from him.

ACCELERATE is focused on solutions that have shown progress in improving access, equity, and integration of oral health or overall health, including for underserved populations. The program can help:

  • Drive speed to market, shortening the time it takes to pilot a solution  
  • Decrease risk in adopting innovation, with financial and advisory support 
  • Develop long-lasting partnerships, by proving financial and clinical ROIs  

Program Benefits

As part of ACCELERATE, companies may receive:

  • Up to $100,000 in non-dilutive funds, which must be matched directly or in-kind by an industry partner
  • Support to scope the project and drive toward outcomes
  • Data and analytics support, including claims analysis, outcomes design, ROI modeling, and more
  • Networking at closed-door and industry events with our ecosystem of partners
  • Follow-on support after successful pilots, such as further partnership or investment
boy patient profile-tate

CareQuest's guidance and support through ACCELERATE have been instrumental in our rapid growth. We were able to pilot and scale much quicker than we would have been able to on our own, so that we're reaching as many children and families across the country as possible.”

Dr. Ashley Lerman, Founder & CEO, Firstgrin, ACCELERATE Company

Who Should Apply

We are looking for companies that have developed solutions and are ready to scale their impact within a mission-aligned ecosystem. ACCELERATE applicants must have an in-market project reaching thousands of lives ready to launch, with an industry partner committed to supporting it over a 6 to 12-month timeframe.

We are particularly interested in supporting solutions which:  

  • Expand access to care via scalable, virtual, and preventive care models 
  • Enable medical-dental information exchange and interoperability 
  • Focus on populations with chronic conditions connected to oral health, including diabetes, women’s health, cardiovascular disease, and more

Applications are accepted year-round. For more information, visit our FAQs.

Are you an earlier stage company? Learn more about SMILE Health.

Application Process

Primary application:

  • Preliminary applications are due on the first of every month.
  • Initial applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis by our team

Secondary application:

  • If selected to move forward, you will be invited to submit a secondary application
  • Secondary applications are due by the 1st of each month
  • If you miss the deadline, your application will be reviewed the following month

Review Committee interview:

  • If your secondary application is selected, you will be invited to participate in a 20-minute interview with our team
  • The interview will include time for you to present your project and answer questions

Notification of acceptance:

  • You will be notified of acceptance or next steps following the monthly review cycle

Funding distributed:

  • Your funds will be distributed to you based on the project milestones in your pilot charter
Apply now

Become a Partner

Enterprise-scale organizations interested in partnering with a company to pilot their solution should have regional or national reach, such as payers, health systems, provider groups, or distributors. Partners must: 

  • Have a clear vision for how a successful pilot could continue or scale after the ACCELERATE project concludes 
  • Have executive level and operational sponsorship to match CareQuest’s support

If your enterprise is interested in piloting an innovative solution through ACCELERATE, please connect with our team to discuss your priorities. 

ACCELERATE in Action

Expanding access to care via teledentistry

Grin, an advanced teledentistry remote monitoring platform, teamed up with a large multi-site dental provider to improve patient access and clinic efficiency. Together, they developed a scalable model that has already reached more than 5,000 underserved adults and children across clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Their goal is to expand this model nationwide, significantly improving access and outcomes for all. Read the case study.

Standardizing oral health assessments for better patient outcomes

Overjet is introducing an AI-enabled oral health scoring system, designed to create a standardized measure of oral health. The project embeds automated disease scoring directly into clinical workflows across Medicaid-serving dental clinics and mobile care settings, helping providers identify risk earlier and deliver more consistent care. The project aims to improve clinical decision-making, reduce variation in care, and support population health management and is expected to generate evidence for broader adoption of value-based oral health care models.

Transforming school-based oral health access at scale

Virtual Dental Care, a leader in teledentistry, is using AI-enabled virtual dental assessments to help children receive required oral health screenings. The project creates a scalable pathway that connects screening, risk identification, and referrals for kindergarteners. By bringing virtual oral health services directly into schools, the project aims to expand access for underserved children and families while reducing barriers to preventive care. It also demonstrates how technology can improve early intervention, strengthen care coordination, and support broader adoption of school-based oral health programs.

Scaling innovation to address oral dryness in underserved populations

Murnia partnered with a global dental manufacturer to tackle the widespread issue of mouth dryness. Together, they co-developed clinical education modules and expanded product access through professional and consumer channels. Their collaboration is improving treatment options for patients with oral dryness and related conditions, reaching thousands across diverse care settings. Read the case study.

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