Why Hospitals Fail at Oral Care — and the Hazard, KY Startup Fixing It: Toothsure

Hospital-acquired pneumonia is the number one hospital-acquired infection in the United States — and it often starts with something as simple as a missed tooth brushing. After 37 years of consultations in Eastern Kentucky ICUs and nursing homes, one dentist decided to fix it. In this episode, Dr. Greg Baker and Dr. Brandon Wilde of Toothsure join us to share how they're building OralVac and OralVac+ — preloaded, measured-dose oral care devices designed around two years of ICU nurse feedback — from their home base in Hazard, Kentucky. The conversation covers the personal moment behind the company (Greg's mother spending a week in the ICU with only a cup of water for oral care), navigating the FDA as a combination drug-device targeting Q4 2026 clearance, the funding journey from self-funded to Keyhorse Capital and a seven-figure state grant, and the $7.3M manufacturing facility bringing 60 jobs to Perry County. It's a story of Appalachian grit: a clinician-founder betting his legacy on the idea that Eastern Kentucky can build world-class medical devices. Hosted by Logan Jones Middle Tech is proudly supported by: KY Innovation → kyinnovation.com Awesome Inc → awesomeinc.org