Award-winning AI solution supports dental diagnostics – Entteri targets international growth
An AI-based dental X-ray image analysis solution helps dentists to make diagnoses and automatically records findings directly in the patient information system. Tampere-based Entteri is investing heavily in development work, and the recognition it has received is now supporting the company’s international growth ambitions.
Entteri Professional Software, which supplies information systems to private dental practices, is facing a highly positive challenge. The Tampere-based company already holds around a 90 per cent market share in Finland, which means future growth must come from international expansion.
• Founded: 1994, part of Planmeca Group since 2015
• Net sales: Around EUR 7 million
• Personnel: Over 60, the majority working in development roles
Entering demanding international markets is easier when the product is strong. It becomes even easier when the product development process itself is strong. Only robust R&D can respond to market changes and maintain competitiveness in a way that sustains client trust.
Entteri’s R&D work is now demonstrably high quality. Last year, the company received two prestigious awards: the Product Development Path Makers award and an award for innovation from the Finnish Dental Society Apollonia. They are a strong testament to Entteri’s abilities. The awards were granted for the company’s AI-based dental X-ray image analysis solution. In addition to supporting diagnostics, the system automatically records findings in the patient information system, which the dentist can approve with the click of a button.
First version of the product offered to clients free of charge
One factor behind the product’s success was Entteri’s approach to distributing and promoting the award-winning software. Since the solution transfers part of the responsibility from the dentist to the software, there is understandably a threshold for adoption.
“We therefore decided to provide the first version free of charge to all our oral healthcare clients. This allows them to become familiar with using AI and form their own opinions about it, without having to make a financial commitment right away,” says Topi Koskinen, Business Director, who is responsible for services at Entteri.
Early feedback helped the company to further develop the product. In addition, the company’s export efforts benefit from being able to demonstrate that the product already has a broad base of active users in Finland.
According to Entteri’s CEO Ville Tuominen, the awards are significant, but they are only one part of the company’s chosen path. Entteri wants to take greater responsibility for the growing burden on healthcare systems.
“Successful R&D is also about helping to solve the societal challenges facing healthcare.”
“Successful R&D is also about helping to solve the societal challenges facing healthcare. The question is no longer simply about needing more healthcare professionals. Those of us working in technology must also contribute and actively introduce new ways of doing things based on our own thinking,” Tuominen says.
Speed is not key in international expansion
As the company prepares for international expansion, it has carefully considered the smartest way to proceed. Decades of experience have taught Entteri that speed is not the key issue – profitability and continuity are. Entteri is not looking to take out a EUR 10 million loan in pursuit of explosive growth.
“We are not trying to capture markets aggressively. Instead, we operate in the same mature and client-oriented way we always have. We know how to grow organically and in a controlled way. Focusing on that approach has been the key to our success,” says Tuominen.
“We know how to grow organically and in a controlled way.”
Entteri’s products are designed for technologically mature operating environments, which naturally shapes its target markets. The other Nordic countries and the UK are high on the company’s list. More broadly, the European Union is sufficiently large for a company of Entteri’s size.
When technology is global and sufficiently advanced, the main obstacle to internationalisation remains the familiar one: country-specific regulation.
“We have several small markets that share many similar characteristics, but in practice their operating models and regulations are very different,” says Tuominen.
“Our award-winning product was developed with a European partner and runs on a European server.”
International expansion has also reshaped Entteri’s skills profile. In addition to its strong RDI focus, the company now requires more expertise in sales and local regulation, although these capabilities can also be sourced through local partners.
One entirely new factor in international expansion has been the need to consider geopolitical instability in business operations.
“We have sought to build our service solutions to be technologically independent. For example, our award-winning product was developed with a European partner and runs on a European server. More broadly, our software architecture emphasises technological flexibility,” says Topi Koskinen.
Development work gains momentum from partners and supporters
Entteri does not try to carry out all its R&D work alone. Instead, it actively participates in a range of joint projects. Recently, the company has conducted research cooperation with the universities of Helsinki, Oulu, Tampere and Jyväskylä.
“We also carry out projects with different groups. We have a very strong research-oriented approach and are often involved in academic projects,” says Ville Tuominen.
In its AI-related product development, Entteri has utilised seed funding provided by Technology Industries of Finland. In addition, the company has employed a thesis worker funded through a grant from the Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation.
“Such instruments encourage both us and others to launch development initiatives that are important to us but would involve too much risk without outside support. They are definitely valuable,” says Head of Product Jukka Pihlaja who has been responsible for the projects.
Entteri’s tips for using AI to support growth
- Think of AI as an ongoing development path. If it is not ready for something today, it probably will be in a year’s time. Be prepared for that moment.
- Take AI-related regulation into account throughout the entire development process.
- When an AI tool works well, systematise it and make it part of routine operations.
- The objective of using AI does not always have to be speed or cost savings. Sometimes the goal can simply be ease of use or enjoyment.
Text: Harri Junttila
Photos: Matias Ahonen