Kjeld A. Aamodt, DDS ’12, MS ’15 : Giving orthodontists more time with patients

“You know when Dorothy’s hopes and dreams were dashed when she pulled back the curtain on the Wizard of Oz? That’s what orthodontists are experiencing as they enter the field that they’ve studied for more than 11 years,” explains Dr. Kjeld Aamodt, founder and chief orthodontist at San Francisco-based Uniform Teeth.

“Many of us graduated with the hopes of spending time with patients and using the most advanced technology to help them get a healthier smile,” Aamodt says. “But nowadays, many orthodontia practices are like factories, where doctors spend 10 minutes with each patient, and most of their other time is mired with failing technology and administrative duties. And yet, I believe that patients value real connection with their orthodontist now more than ever. Providing better care for the next generation of patients requires a tectonic shift toward accessible and attentive care. And that’s why I created Uniform Teeth.”

Aamodt has replaced braces with clear aligner technology. Clear aligners are 3D-printed plastic trays that can move teeth more efficiently and comfortably than the traditional wires, brackets, and headgear. And unlike braces, they are nearly invisible.

“We have a team of engineers developing clear-aligner software for doctors that will make treatments more precise and predictable,” says Aamodt, who also serves as an assistant clinical professor in the UCSF School of Dentistry’s Department of Orofacial Sciences. “We want our doctors to spend more time on patient care and less time worrying about unpredictable tooth movements.”

Uniform Teeth also has developed an app to increase engagement between patients and doctors. At any time, patients can send in pictures of their smiles so doctors can review their progress and answer any questions. “We live in a mobile, on-demand world and there is no reason why orthodontia should still be stuck in dial-up mode,” Aamodt says. “Doctors can use our app to chat with patients and make sure they are in compliance with their treatment.”

Besides software engineers, Aamodt’s nontraditional team includes a CEO with experience from One Medical, a provider of technology-enabled primary care services; a data scientist who studied at Harvard; and a marketer from Twitter. He says that “this takes the burden of running the business off of the doctor’s shoulders, which allows them to spend more time with patients.”

Aamodt’s strategy for creating a better doctor experience seems to be working as UCSF alumni Stephanie Purnomo, DDS ’14, MS; Matt Cozin, DDS, MS; and Margarita Lachica, DDS, MS ’07, have joined Uniform Teeth.

“I am a proud alumnus of UCSF,” Aamodt says. “I want to give back by helping the next generation of doctors thrive in an environment where they can be successful and provide the best patient care. We are expanding Uniform Teeth this year to multiple locations, and I hope more UCSF alumni will join in our mission.”

For his pursuit of new ideas that push the boundaries of science and health care, UCSF honored Aamodt with a 2019 Campaign Alumni Award in the category of The Pathfinders.