What Calcivis does

Calcivis is an Edinburgh-based medical device company that develops and commercializes the CALCIVIS Imaging System, a chairside dental diagnostic that uses a recombinant bioluminescent photoprotein to visualize free calcium ions released from actively demineralizing tooth surfaces. The system pairs a biologic reagent (sprayed onto the tooth) with a custom imaging device and proprietary overlay software to produce real-time demineralization maps, enabling dental practitioners to differentiate active from inactive caries lesions and detect subclinical demineralization that conventional visual-tactile methods miss in up to 70% of pre-cavitated cases. The company positions the product as the first application of bioluminescence in preventive dentistry, addressing a global disease — dental caries — that affects roughly 35% of the world population.

The business operates a hybrid capital-equipment + consumable model: the imaging device represents a one-time capital sale to dental practices, while the photoprotein reagent is consumed per procedure and generates recurring usage-based revenue. Calcivis sells exclusively through a direct enterprise field-sales motion with consultative demos, currently limited to the United States following FDA Premarket Approval secured in January 2024 (the first Scottish medical device to achieve this milestone). The company also holds a UKCA mark for the UK market and has publicly stated plans for UK and European expansion once the US launch is established.

The company was co-founded in 2012 by Adam Christie and Bruce Vernon, is backed by the Scottish National Investment Bank, Investment Fund for Scotland, Archangels, and Scottish Enterprise, and transitioned leadership in April 2025 to Greg Sheehan (formerly VP of Global Endodontic Platform at Dentsply Sirona) to professionalize the commercial phase. Operating geographies are the UK (headquarters at Edinburgh BioQuarter) and the US (Milton, Massachusetts), with headcount in the 1-10 range and total disclosed funding of approximately £28M+ across nine rounds since 2012.

Name

Calcivis

Legal name

Calcivis, Inc.

Website

https://calcivis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Calcivis is an Edinburgh-based medical device company that sells the CALCIVIS Imaging System, a chairside dental diagnostic using bioluminescent photoprotein technology to detect active tooth demineralization in real time. It targets US dental practices with a capital-device plus consumable model following FDA Premarket Approval in January 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dental Diagnostic Imaging Equipment

NAICS

Dental Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing (339114)

SIC

Dental Equipment & Supplies (3843)

akta.pro primary industry

Dental Imaging Equipment Service, Calibration & QA Providers (HLABAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Teleradiology Platforms & Reading Workflow (HLACALAK)

Keywords

• Dental imaging systems
• Caries detection devices
• Bioluminescent diagnostics
• Preventive dentistry equipment
• Dental medical devices

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations

Revenue model

1. Medical Device Sales (Imaging System): Sale of the CALCIVIS Imaging System device - a dental imaging apparatus that includes the photoprotein delivery and imaging capture technology. This is a capital equipment sale model typical for medical devices.
2. Consumables (Photoprotein Agent): Recurring revenue from the biologic diagnostic agent (photoprotein) that is consumed during each imaging procedure. The photoprotein is sprayed onto tooth surfaces and reacts with calcium ions to produce the bioluminescent signal.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Calcivis develops and commercializes the CALCIVIS Imaging System, a dental medical device that uses a proprietary recombinant photoprotein to react with free calcium ions released from actively demineralizing tooth surfaces, producing a real-time bioluminescent signal. The system consists of an imaging device, a consumable photoprotein reagent, and proprietary software that overlays visible and luminescent images to provide chairside maps of active caries lesion demineralization, enabling early detection and monitoring of tooth decay.

Product overview

Calcivis offers a single unified product: the CALCIVIS® Imaging System, which consists of a bioluminescent photoprotein reagent (a biologic diagnostic agent), an imaging device, and proprietary software. The system represents the first application of bioluminescence in preventive dentistry, enabling real-time chairside assessment of caries lesion activity by detecting free calcium ions released during active demineralization. The imaging device applies the photoprotein and simultaneously captures bioluminescent reaction images, which are overlaid with visible images to generate demineralization maps for early detection and monitoring of dental caries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CALCIVIS Imaging System A bioluminescence-based dental imaging system that detects and assesses demineralization associated with carious lesions in real time. It consists of a hand-held imaging device, a consumable recombinant photoprotein reagent that reacts with free calcium ions released from actively demineralizing tooth surfaces, and proprietary software that overlays visible and luminescent images to provide chairside demineralization maps. It is intended for general dental practitioners, hygienists, and dental practices performing routine examinations and preventive dentistry for patients aged 6 and above, and is currently available for sale in the United States only.

Quantifiable outcome

• Conventional diagnostic methods miss up to 70% of pre-cavitated caries lesions
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• KaVo Dental (Envista): Manufacturer of DIAGNOdent, the leading laser fluorescence caries detection device used chairside by dental practices. Most direct competitor to CALCIVIS in the early caries detection workflow, serving the same preventive dentistry customer segment.
• Acteon Group: Manufacturer of Sopro intraoral cameras and the SoproLife/SOPROcare fluorescence-based caries detection devices. Directly competes with CALCIVIS in the dental imaging and caries detection category, targeting the same dental practitioner use case.
• Air Techniques: US-based manufacturer of dental imaging systems including Spectra (caries detection camera) and ProVecta intraoral imaging. Direct competitor in the dental imaging device category with overlapping sales channels into North American dental practices.

Broad incumbents

• DEXcowin / iTero (Align Technology): Align Technology (iTero) sells intraoral scanners and NIRI (near-infrared imaging) caries detection capability within its imaging platform. Broad incumbent adding AI-driven caries detection features that could compete with or complement CALCIVIS in digitally-enabled dental practices.
• Midmark Corporation: US manufacturer of dental equipment including imaging systems, chairs, and delivery units. Serves the same dental practice customer base with overlapping capital equipment sales motion into general dentistry offices.
• Dentsply Sirona: Largest global dental equipment and consumables manufacturer offering imaging systems (X-ray, intraoral cameras), restorative materials, and endodontic solutions. New Calcivis CEO Greg Sheehan previously served as VP of Global Endodontic Platform here, making it the most strategically relevant incumbent peer.
• 3Shape: Global dental technology company offering TRIOS intraoral scanners, imaging software, and CAD/CAM workflows. Adjacent competitor in dental digital imaging with overlapping practitioner customers and growing AI-powered diagnostic capabilities.
• NSK Nakanishi: Japanese manufacturer of dental handpieces, scalers, and small equipment sold globally through dental distribution. Comparable in selling capital equipment and consumables into the same dental practice channel as Calcivis targets.

Emerging players

• Quantum Dental Technologies: Developer of The Canary System, a laser-based caries detection device using PTR-LUM technology. Niche emerging competitor pursuing the same chairside early caries detection opportunity with a different underlying physics.
• Wagstaff & Cartwright / Vista Dental: Smaller dental technology manufacturer selling diagnostic and preventive products into dental practices. Comparable go-to-market through dental distribution and overlapping preventive dentistry positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/calcivis
• Facebookfacebook.com/CALCIVIS-464425417252633
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/calcivis-limited

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds9 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Calcivis