Altus Dental Helps Advance Oral Health Innovation Through MassChallenge Healthcare Challenge Program

Leading dental benefits provider collaborates with startups developing innovative methods to expand access to care.

BOSTON, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In a continuing effort to improve access to oral healthcare, Altus Dental collaborated with two emerging healthcare startups through the MassChallenge Healthcare Challenge Program to explore new approaches to expanding access to care.

As one of four Challenge Partners in the 2026 MassChallenge Healthcare Challenge Program, Altus Dental helped launch the program's first dedicated Oral Health Challenge Area, reflecting the growing need for innovative solutions that improve access to dental care. Through the program, Altus Dental worked with startups Hesy Tech and Teledentistry.com, collaborating on approaches to strengthen and accelerate their go-to-market strategies.

"Oral health plays a critical role in overall health, and we are inspired by opportunities to improve how patients access and experience dental care," said Jennifer Rousseau, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Investments at Altus Dental. "That's why we're committed to working alongside innovators who are developing practical solutions to expand access to care. Through MassChallenge, we've had the opportunity to engage with startups that are tackling these challenges in new ways."

Altus Dental challenged startups to develop solutions that address one of the industry's most persistent problems: access to affordable care in underserved communities, particularly Medicaid populations.

To help address these challenges, Altus Dental collaborated with:

• Hesy Tech, which is developing AI-guided robotic technology designed to expand access to preventive dental hygiene services.
• Teledentistry.com, which connects patients with licensed dentists through virtual care for consultations, emergency triage, and prescriptions.

Altus Dental will continue to be a resource as the startups grow.

"It's been a privilege to partner with Altus Dental over the past decade, and to see that relationship evolve to the point where we could help them launch a dedicated Oral Health Challenge," said Will Magruder, Vice President of Partnerships at MassChallenge. "Using the MassChallenge platform, we're able to help unlock new standards of care — an outcome that benefits us all."

Altus Dental joined Eli Lilly, MassMutual and MIT Lincoln Laboratory as Challenge Partners in the MassChallenge Healthcare Challenge Program, working with startups across biotechnology, MedTech, digital health and oral health to accelerate solutions addressing some of healthcare's most pressing needs.

About MassChallenge
MassChallenge is a global institution that backs startups building solutions to complex, systems-critical challenges, working where complexity is high and the path to market is hardest. Founded in Massachusetts, MassChallenge connects startups with partners, programs, and capital designed to accelerate commercialization and real-world impact. Since 2009, MassChallenge has supported more than 5,000 startups that have raised over $27B in funding. Learn more at masschallenge.org.

About Altus Dental
Altus Dental is a leading dental and vision benefits provider serving more than 400,000 members across Massachusetts and the surrounding New England region.

SOURCE MassChallenge