Empowering Innovation That Helps the World SMILE
SMILE Health is the accelerator program where transformational solutions to improve oral health take center stage.
We support innovators who challenge norms and are ready to advance solutions that improve accessibility, equity, and propel the integration between oral health and overall health.
Apply for SMILE Health
What Is SMILE Health?
CareQuest Innovation Partners and MATTER have joined together to launch SMILE Health for its fourth year. The four month semi-virtual program connects diverse innovators with a network of mission-aligned industry partners who help advance your solution and roadmap.
Benefits for selected participants include:
- Non-Dilutive Cash Stipend: Receive a $15,000 stipend without giving up any equity.
- Expert-Led Validation Studies: Tap into curated industry data and strengthen your business case.
- 1:1 Mentorship: Connect with industry veterans who provide personalized guidance.
- Custom Curriculum: Engage in immersive workshops tailored to health innovators.
- Dedicated Pitch Support: Workshop pitches to present to medical and oral health leaders at a closed-door Reveal Day and at HLTH.
- Ongoing Access: Gain a six-month MATTER membership upon program completion to continue building your business.
- Future Growth: Apply for ACCELERATE, a program that provides incremental funding to collaborate with industry partners on mission-aligned projects.
Ready to take the next step toward growth?
2025 Tracks and Virtual Events
The 2025 SMILE Health accelerator focuses on three primary areas of oral and overall health innovation. Our virtual events offer applicants the opportunity to connect with experts during the application window.
Advancing Accessible, Equitable, and Integrated Health
How can we make health care, including oral health, more accessible, equitable and/or integrated?
Engaging People in Their Oral Health
How can we more effectively activate individuals and communities in oral health to enhance health outcomes, promote self-care, and reduce disparities?
Join our virtual event on April 28 from 12-1 p.m. ET, featuring leaders from Colgate-Palmolive, Dental Innovation Alliance, and Sun Life Dental, including DentaQuest.
Connecting Chronic Care with Oral Health
How can we help people at risk or with chronic conditions better manage their overall health through oral health?
Join our virtual event on April 23 from 2-3 p.m. ET, featuring leaders from Cigna Healthcare, Henry Schein and 7Wire Ventures.
Who Should Apply?
We are calling for startups that have built a solution to improve oral health and care outcomes for all people and want to advance it with a mission-aligned community.
The SMILE Health program is open to global solutions across all disciplines, and applicants must:
- Include an oral health focus or a potential use case to advance integrated health. The program has cross-industry representation and previous experience in oral health is not required.
- Demonstrate a validated hypothesis or preliminary proof-of-concept of how your solution addresses our focus areas.
- Commit to roughly 10-15 hours/week for four months by participating in mentor meetings, custom curriculum, and collaborative working sessions around validation.
Dr. Adam Schulhof
CEO and Founder of Grin
“SMILE Health opened the door to market opportunities we always knew would be a great fit for our technology but hadn’t yet proven. Our industry partner provided insights to help us focus our strategy and care for chronically underserved patient populations. We are now able to operationalize this new market focus, deepen our relationships with industry partners, and quickly advance our business priorities.”
2025 Program Timeline
Our Industry Partners & Investors
We partner closely with mission-aligned industry partners and investors and are proud to have an extensive network of leaders eager to engage with you! In addition to CareQuest Innovation Partners and MATTER, industry partners will collaborate with you on your validation study by providing access to insights, networking, and additional resources. Investors will be engaged throughout SMILE Health, including mentorship and participation in Reveal Day and HLTH. This is a unique opportunity to meaningfully engage with industry leaders and investors to catalyze outcomes during and after the accelerator program.
About CareQuest Innovation Partners
CareQuest Innovation Partners validates and scales transformative solutions to improve overall health through oral health. Together, with our ecosystem of leading industry partners, startups, and investors we make care more accessible, equitable, and integrated. Joined by the shared mission to improve the oral health of all, CareQuest Innovation Partners is the for-profit subsidiary of CareQuest Institute.
About MATTER
At MATTER, we believe collaboration is the best way to improve healthcare. The MATTER collaborative includes more than 1,000 current and alumni startups from around the world, working together with dozens of hospitals and health systems, universities and industry-leading companies to build the future of healthcare. Together we are accelerating innovation, advancing care, and improving lives. For more information, visit matter.health and follow @MATTERhealth.