Overview
Orofacial Therapeutics Inc is a San Diego-based medical device company that develops a variety of aids for dental and medical providers and patients.
We are a collaborative team open to pursuing partnerships with both private and non-profit organizations working towards patient-centered care for pain conditions.
Ann McCulloch
Ann McCulloch, MBA, is the Co-founder and President of Orofacial Therapeutics Inc. and oversees the growing sales of the Company’s medical devices for orofacial pain and sales of QuickSplint in the dental market through the 2024 Distribution Agreement with Kettenbach USA. Orofacial Therapeutics Inc.’s company headquarters is in San Diego, CA.
When Ms. McCulloch met Dr. Eli, a short-term project evolved into a new career that now focuses on patient and provider education about orofacial pain, and marketing products to benefit patients. As a graduate of the Yale School of Management with personal experience in TMD and chronic pain, her extensive business relationships open the door for educational partnerships, product sales, and writing on the topics of occlusion, TMJ disorders, preventing chronic pain, and jaw injuries in sports.
Ann McCulloch was invited in December 2024 to serve as a member of the Forum on Temporomandibular Disorders conducted by the National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine (NASEM). Forum members consist of public and private sector experts and stakeholders meeting over a two year period to explore opportunities for collective action. The focus of the Form is to “consider emerging issues in TMDs, facilitate cross-sector action, and foster long-term multidisciplinary relationships – all focused on improving research and care for people living with TMDs. Read more information on the National TMD Forum.
Dr. Bradley Eli
Dr Bradley Eli, DMD, MS is the co-founder of Orofacial Therapeutics and inventor of QuickSplint and diagnostic protocols. A helicopter pilot at age 15, dental school graduating class president at Temple University, and walking encyclopedia, Eli is a driven, gifted, and inventive problem-solver. Eli graduated in 1992 from the first Orofacial Pain and Dysfunction postgraduate residency program at UCLA School of Dentistry. After graduating from this ground-breaking program, Dr. Eli developed treatment plans for complex orofacial pain patients at Loma Linda University Medical Center, and later at the UCSD Department of Anesthesiology and Scripps Memorial Hospital Pain Center.
This comprehensive clinical experience solidified his understanding of clinical chronic pain management and integrated care models with neurology, rheumatology, otolaryngology, and pharmacology. Dr. Eli is the director of Facial Pain Specialists, a group practice limited to the treatment of orofacial pain and sleep disorders, with multiple locations in Southern California. Dr. Eli is nationally recognized for his expertise in successfully treating these challenging conditions, and serves on staff at three hospitals in San Diego, CA.
Dr. James Fricton
Dr. James Fricton, DDS, MS has played an integral role in helping establish the Orofacial Pain specialty, which was recognized by the American Dental Association in March 2020. Dr. Fricton is Professor Emeritus of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, Medicine, and Public Health, where he established one of the first university-based, multidisciplinary TMD and orofacial pain clinics, and helped define the Curriculum for Orofacial Pain specialty training programs. At the time, care for TMD treatment was focused on changing occlusion or TMJ surgery.
Dr. Fricton proposed the use of the biopsychosocial model to achieve better outcomes to address not only the patient’s physical conditions but also focused on contributing factors. He used human systems theory and cybernetics to explain the inter-relationships between contributing factors, and demonstrated the benefits of a team approach, consisting of a dentist, physical therapist, and health psychologist.
In 1985 Dr. Fricton created with partners the Minnesota Head and Neck Pain Clinic based on an interdisciplinary model of care that includes neurology, physical medicine, and rehabilitation specialists, now with four clinic sites in Minnesota. He has held top leadership positions in the American Academy of Orofacial Pain, the American Board of Orofacial Pain, the American Board of Dental Specialties, the American Pain Society, and the International Myopain Society.
Dr. James Elliott
Dr. James Elliott, PT, PhD, FAPT Dr. Elliott played professional baseball for the San Diego Padres and worked in major league baseball before becoming a trailblazer in physical therapy. He completed his PhD at the University of Queensland in 2007 and a post-doctoral fellowship in 2010. He has overseen large multidisciplinary studies investigating the neurobiological mechanism of persistent spinal pain associated with head/neck trauma with special emphasis on whiplash injury. He is currently a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney and serves as an adjunct professor and principal investigator for the Neuromuscular Imaging Research Laboratory at Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, Chicago.
In 2019, we attended a presentation by Dr. Elliott entitled, “Assessment, Prediction and Management of Patient with Head/Neck Disorder Post-Whiplash.” Dr. Elliott shares our commitment to early intervention for acute craniofacial injury, conservative treatment combined with patient education, and assessment and diagnostic tools to identify and streamline access to care for patients who are likely to progress to chronic or intractable pain. We shared our vision with Dr. Elliott and asked him to join the team and bring his extensive knowledge and physical therapy experience to bear on our products and training programs.
Accomplishments of Orofacial Therapeutics
Our first product, the QuickSplint® temporary bite plane and patient aids were designed for use by general dentists, TMJ dentists, endodontists, periodontists, oral surgeons, and cosmetic dentists. We are proud to have QuickSplint included in the dental training programs offered around the world by the Pankey Institute, The Dawson Academy, Clinical Mastery Series, Esthetic Professionals, American Academy of Craniofacial Pain, and in the protocols taught by BioResearch Associates and Millennium Dental Technologies. Our protocols, developed in collaboration with dental industry leaders, include the Protocol for JAMSS (Jaw and Muscle Sprain, Strain), the S.A.F.E. Protocol to prevent JAMSS from dental procedures, and the Parafunction Risk Rating Protocol for diagnosing bruxism.
Effective January 1, 2024, Orofacial Therapeutics and Kettenbach LP announced an exclusive Distribution Agreement for Kettenbach to become the exclusive global distributor of QuickSplint dental products Kettenbach based in Eschenburg, Germany, conducts R&D for and manufacturing in Germany of over 60 high quality products. We are excited to expand QuickSplint’s reach through Kettenbach’s network of direct sales representatives and its ecommerce website. Kettenbach’s superior impression materials such as Panasil® and Futar®, are highly compatible with QuickSplint.
QuickSplint is made in the US, is FDA 510k cleared and obtained the CE mark in 2017. The company works with distributors in the US, Canada, UK, Europe, India, Australia, and South Africa.
Also in 2020, Orofacial Therapeutics was named a Top 10 Pain Solution Provider by MedTech Outlook, a magazine for the medical industry that focuses on new ways of tackling healthcare challenges. Orofacial Therapeutics was selected for addressing facial pain in a manner that is low cost, scalable, and introduces a model for delivering standardized care for acute musculoskeletal pain conditions of the head and/or neck.
Partnerships
Advancing General Practice Education on TMDs
We are partnering with James Fricton, DDS, MS, and Robert Hasel, DDS, to distribute a pre-doctoral introductory TMD course for dental institutions. Drs. Friction and Hasel lead a world-class interdisciplinary team of Orofacial Pain Specialists, Dentists, and Physical Therapists in developing the curriculum. The course satisfies the curriculum guidelines defined by the pre-doctoral committee of the American Academy of Orofacial Pain (AAOP). More information can be found at tmd-education.com/courses/tmd. Additional programs are underway as we partner with renowned opinion leaders to generate high-quality, evidence-based educational materials.
Key Goals:
- Enhanced Education Accessibility: Our Primary aim is to enhance the accessibility of TMD educational resources for individual providers, professional dental societies, and large provider organizations like Dental Service Organizations (DSOs). By making these materials easily available, we empower healthcare professionals with the knowledge they need to effectively diagnose and manage TMD cases, thereby improving patient outcomes and satisfaction.
- Collaborative Knowledge Expansion: By facilitating collaboration with key opinion leaders in the field of Orofacial Pain and related disciplines, our objective is to foster the creation of high-quality educational content. This content will address the complexities of TMD diagnosis and treatment and serve as a valuable resource for advancing the collective understanding of orofacial pain disorders.
- Empowering DSO Organizations: Our distribution efforts are designed to enhance staff training and address the diverse needs of their patient communities. By providing access to comprehensive educational materials, we aim to empower DSOs to deliver superior care and support to patients with TMD and other orofacial pain conditions, thereby strengthening their position as leaders in the healthcare industry.
Orofacial Therapeutics is partnering with The TeleDentists® to serve urgent care needs
This partnership will focus on combatting acute jaw pain, TMJ flare-ups, and other pain of the head, neck, and jaw. The new collaboration aims to help people in pain to heal quickly and affordably from initial low-cost consultation to follow-up care.
The TeleDentists treat urgent oral and dental problems. The proprietary national network of experienced, board-licensed dentists are on call and available around the clock to provide virtual dental consults.
Under the new partnership, patients can arrange a virtual consultation with The TeleDentists. If appropriate, Speed2Treat will be recommended. The TeleDentists can provide an initial consultation and healing kit for less than $150, no insurance needed. It’s an easy, affordable way for patients to address their conditions. For those with more complex conditions that require specialized care, The TeleDentists® can help connect them with specialized providers.
We are honored to collaborate with The TeleDentists to help patients who don’t know where to go for jaw pain flare-ups or accident- or abuse-based trauma. The TeleDentists provide convenient, affordable access to care for patients who lack dental insurance or are hesitant to go to a medical or dental facility due to the COVID pandemic. We share a common goal to help patients in pain get relief as quickly as possible.
Contact Us
858-252-2264
Orofacial Therapeutics Inc.
6824 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115