Perceptive Technologies, a Boston-based startup backed by Edward Zuckerberg (father of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg) and Y Combinator, developed the world's first fully autonomous AI-powered robotic dentistry system. The system integrates advanced 3D volumetric imaging using optical coherence tomography (OCT), AI-driven diagnostics, and a robotic arm to perform dental procedures with unprecedented speed and precision. bioaccess® facilitated the world's first fully automated dental procedure on a human at a clinical site in Colombia — a crown placement completed in just 15 minutes versus the traditional 2.5-hour process. This milestone, announced in July 2024, was covered by Newsweek, STAT News, New Atlas, and the World Economic Forum.
Perceptive needed to conduct the world's first fully automated dental procedure on a human patient to validate its AI robotic system outside a lab environment. US FDA approval was still years away (estimated 5+ years per their CEO), and the company needed a regulatory-friendly jurisdiction with established dental clinical trial infrastructure, experienced investigators, and the ability to move quickly — all while maintaining the highest safety and documentation standards required for a world-first procedure that would attract global media attention.
bioaccess® identified Colombia as the optimal location for this historic procedure, leveraging the country's established regulatory framework for innovative dental devices and its proven clinical trial infrastructure. bioaccess® executed a Master Services Agreement with Perceptive in February 2024, completed site feasibility assessments, coordinated with the clinical investigator, and managed the regulatory pathway to enable the procedure. Colombia was an ideal fit because the country already had regulatory familiarity with novel dental devices and clinical research infrastructure in dentistry — a capability bioaccess® had helped develop through its broader LATAM network.