UCrest, MDC tie up to elevate dental care standards

PETALING JAYA: Digital hospital and mobile health service provider Ucrest Bhd has entered into a five-year long partnership with MDC Asia Link Bhd (MDC) to provide a clinic management system (CMS) for its dental clinic chains.

The collaboration entails a five-year renewable partnership to digitalise MDC’s clinics with artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Medical Things.

In a statement, UCrest said the objective of the partnership is to elevate the standard of care in the dental industry.

MDC will adopt UCrest’s iMedic platform as the CMS for its clinics. The platform will be used to manage patients with the mobile app, allowing them to track the related vital signs, biomarkers and lifestyle that can affect the oral health and manage their dental care plan.

According to UCrest, the AI technologies in iMedic would help to analyse and diagnose images easily and more accurately.

All medical records including x-ray images will be uploaded to the platform and patients are able to access them at their own convenience, the company said.

UCrest chairman Eg Kah Yee said the partnership is a symbiotic relationship between the two companies.

“The effort that we have in this partnership is helping each other to customise and continue to enhance the technology that we have in meeting their (MDC) requirements in the dental service setting.”

“With iMedic platform, the dentist and health consultants would be able to develop a personalised dental health plan for each of the customers and proactively manage and service the customers,” said Eg.

He added that AI technologies will be able to diagnose dental diseases of patients with precision and predict the development of it, allowing early preventive measures to be taken.

“We are leading the transformation of dental care services with the use of AI, Internet of Things, 3D printing and digital technologies to provide our customers with the highest level of care and services, while improving the clinic operation efficiency,” said MDC chief executive officer Dr Aslan Bacho.

On another note, UCrest has also signed three other business partnership agreements with healthcare and technology providers in the first four months of 2024.

When asked about the group’s rationale of signing multiple business partnership agreements in the span of four months, Eg said that the demand for digital technology is imminent.

“Technology is going to be continuously adopted in all areas in healthcare services, be it in a hospital or clinic setting,” he said

Regarding UCrest’s outlook, Eg expressed optimism on the business: “It is looking good for the digital health business”.

He noted that technology to be implemented in the healthcare sector is a long cycle.

“Investors have to understand that this is the case and they should aim for a long-term investment,” he added.

Meanwhile, MDC announced that it is delaying its plans to carry out an initial public offering (IPO).

Two years ago, the group announced that it had plans to conduct an IPO in 2024.

The delay for the IPO is due to the group’s business model as its clinics are not equipped with integrated digitalisation in its systems yet, said Aslan.

He added that the group will be expecting to execute the IPO in the next three years.

“Without integrated digitalisation in our clinics, it is very difficult to compete in the healthcare industry.

“Hopefully, our collaboration (with UCrest) will accelerate the process in terms of our business model, customer relations and the valuation of the company.”