AI startup raises US$13 million in funding

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 16 September 2025

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BOSTON, US: Dental artificial intelligence (AI) startup LightSpun has secured US$13 million (€11 million^*) in new funding, positioning the company at the centre of the flourishing dental AI segment. With this fresh injection of capital, LightSpun aims to streamline dental insurance administration using AI, reducing delays and overheads. This development comes amid a dramatic rise in venture capital activity in dental AI and a new collaboration with the American Dental Association (ADA) to modernise credentialling.

LightSpun’s recent funding round increases its total funding to US$18 million. It was led by investment firm Brewer Lane Ventures and joined by early-stage health investor Virtue, fintech-focused investment firm Cambrian Ventures and growth-stage company Industry Ventures.

The LightSpun platform uses AI to automate claims administration, benefits management, and provider onboarding and credentialling. According to a company press release, key performance claims include adjudicating over 90% of claims automatically, slashing provider onboarding times from 45–60 days to fewer than seven and cutting administrative costs by roughly half.

One of the most notable recent developments is LightSpun’s collaboration with the ADA. Through the ADA Delegated Credentialing Service, powered by LightSpun, provider credentialling, insurance application services and provider data management are now better integrated. This aims to shorten the often‐lengthy credentialling processes from weeks or even months to a matter of days.

LightSpun is planning to use the new funding to accelerate further enhancements to its AI platform, increase its engineering and product development headcounts, simplify customer onboarding and strengthen its partnerships. By the end of 2026, the company aims to bring its efficiencies to more insurers and dental support organisations.

These developments come in the context of a much larger trend: venture capital investment in dental AI has leapt forwards in recent years. According to a report by CareQuest Innovation Partners, dental AI and other machine learning startups secured around US$145 million in funding in 2024 alone, significantly higher than in previous years. That growth underscores investor confidence in the potential for AI to overhaul dental care administration comprehensively, including payment and credentialling systems.

LightSpun’s growth and its collaboration with the ADA position it as an important participant in this emerging segment. By tackling some of the costs associated with insurance administration, credentialling and paperwork, it seeks to improve both provider experience and patient outcomes. As the dental AI segment rapidly scales, LightSpun’s trajectory will be watched closely by payers, providers and policymakers alike.

Editorial note:

^* Calculated on the OANDA platform for 9 September 2025.