Dr. Gerald Tan: AI Dentistry, Business Betrayal & Rebuilding Trust – E588

From BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand & Malaysia Startups, Founders & Venture Capital VC (English) Jeremy Au

Dr. Gerald Tan, founder of Elite Dental Group and the first Singaporean dentist to graduate from Harvard Business School, joins Jeremy Au to share how dentistry blends science, art, and entrepreneurship. They explore his journey from being one of 30 students in NUS Dentistry to leading an AI-driven public health initiative and surviving a devastating fraud by trusted business partners. Gerald unpacks how AI is reshaping oral health diagnostics, how public and private dental sectors have evolved in Singapore, and why legal protections alone aren’t enough in business. His story is a powerful look into what it means to lead with resilience and foresight in healthcare.

01:25 He chose dentistry after a biology teacher’s influence and secured one of 30 spots at NUS Dentistry: entry was highly competitive with over 900 applicants

10:19 Singapore’s public dental sector has improved significantly: however, private clinics remain more agile in adopting cutting-edge technologies

11:53 Private dental practices leverage AI for 3D imaging, smile reconstruction, and robotics: public clinics face slower tech adoption due to red tape

15:10 Gerald leads a national AI project to screen elderly oral health via smartphone photos: the tool supports Singapore’s Healthier SG initiative and preventive care agenda

20:04 He bought a retiring dentist’s practice to found Elite Dental Group: the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted patient volumes and highlighted business model vulnerabilities

25:41 A joint venture with ex-bankers collapsed after they forged financial documents and fled to China: Gerald relied on contract clauses to unwind the deal but says trust is more important than paperwork

Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/gerald-tan-tooth-tech-betrayal

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