NatEureka Labs Founder and CEO Zach Rome has been named the grand prize winner of the Shils Fund's 2026 Great Oral Health Pitch Grand Finale, earning a sponsorship package valued at more than $50,000 to accelerate commercialization of his oral health ingredient platform CajuDent.
The finale, which was held August 10, brought together three regional champions who had each won first-place honors at major dental meetings: Rome from the California Dental Association competition, Dr. Khamir Patel of SmartChair.AI from the Greater New York Dental Meeting competition, and Suzanne Cano of LunaLite Dental from the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting competition.
CajuDent is a patent-pending, naturally derived ingredient platform designed to target the biofilm drivers of cavities and gum disease through standardized anacardic acid extracts from cashew apples. The technology is intended to complement existing oral health products while addressing the underlying biological causes of disease.
The $50,000-plus package includes cash, products and services, mentorship, strategic business support, and industry exposure. SmartChair.AI was recognized for its AI-driven approach to practice efficiency and diagnostics. LunaLite Dental was recognized for its advanced dental imaging solution.
Zach Rome will be formally recognized at the Shils Fund Annual Awards Celebration on October 13 at the NYU College of Dentistry in New York City. More information is available at shilsfund.org.
