Sponsored by Wittler Orthodontics
While most high school sophomores are juggling schoolwork and extracurriculars, Westfield High School students Rayan Elbanhawy and Ritvik Bhatia are doing all that while simultaneously launching an oral health care tech startup.
Their company, Smilo, is the result of a semester-long entrepreneurship class that challenges students to design and build a business from scratch. After early ideas fell flat for each, the duo joined forces and brainstormed a list of everyday problems. One that stood out to them was oral health.
“Instead of just coming up with random ideas, we made a list of things that bother us,” Elbanhawy says. “Oral health was at the top, and we realized there was a real opportunity there.”
From that insight came Smilo, a smart toothbrush concept with one major innovation: an oral scanner. Smilo actively creates a 3D model of the user’s teeth using infrared scanning and a small camera, setting it apart from other smart brushes that only monitor brushing habits or time spent brushing. The companion app would then analyze this model to detect signs of plaque buildup, inflammation and potentially even early-stage cavities.
The team’s goal goes beyond just detection — they want to create an app experience that empowers users to understand and improve their oral health. Using AI, the Smilo app would interpret scan results, provide feedback and suggest treatments or next steps. A special feature for families is also in the works: a kids’ program that allows parents to monitor their children’s brushing habits and reward consistency with a points-based system.
“We think this could really change the game,” Bhatia says. “There are smart toothbrushes out there, but none that give you actual diagnostic insight into your oral health. This could help catch problems before they become expensive or painful.”
Their idea has already generated buzz. After placing in the top 15 of Westfield High School’s innovation competition, Smilo advanced to the semifinal round hosted by the Westfield Chamber of Commerce, where they were selected as one of the top five teams. That recognition came with more than bragging rights. It also included funding to build a prototype and valuable mentorship from local business leaders.
“One of the judges approached us after the presentation and offered to connect us with someone in the toothpaste industry,” Elbanhawy says. “The support from the community has been amazing.”
“We’ve talked to dentists, teachers and others in health care, and the feedback has been really positive,” Bhatia says. “We believe in this, and we’re going to keep going.”
Smilo is still in early development. The pair is refining the prototype and building out the app experience. For now, those interested can follow their progress on Instagram at @smilo_offical.
As their classmates prepare for summer break, Elbanhawy and Bhatia are diving headfirst into startup life, proving that innovation can happen at any age — and that sometimes all it takes is the spark of a good idea and the willingness to create it.
