Smile-Link banks on digital, AI tools for recovery & growth
SHAH ALAM: Smile-Link Healthcare Global Bhd, the parent company of Drs Wong and Partners Dental Surgeons, expects a modest recovery in the second half of 2025 through cost-cutting efforts, downsizing and upgrades in digital and artificial intelligence-powered dental tools.
Managing director Datuk Dr Wong Ruen Yuan said this recovery also depends on macroeconomic factors such as interest rates and consumer disposable income.
'We do not expect revenue to improve in the first half of the year, as there's nothing particularly promising.
'The second half may improve, but any increase would likely be modest – around 5% to 10%. It will not be a dramatic jump. That said, we are seeing some encouraging signs,' he told SunBiz in an interview.
Wong said Smile-Link's recovery is supported by international patients from Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Australia who are drawn to Malaysia's affordable and high-quality dental care.
'We get a lot of patients from overseas – around 10% to 20% of our revenue comes from them. Those who migrate from Malaysia to Australia or the UK, when they want to do treatment, return to Malaysia. Even patients from Singapore, where the cost of living and operating standards are significantly higher,' he said.
These patients generally seek high-value dental procedures, such as implants and cosmetic treatments, rather than basic care. 'They typically do not visit for routine services, it is usually for more complex or specialised procedures,' Wong said.
He rebutted the perception that Malaysia's dental care lags behind that of developed nations.
'There is a common belief that we are behind countries like Germany or the United States, but in reality, we offer comparable quality at just 20% of the cost.'
Many overseas patients return for treatment because they trust the standards.
'There is a common perception that countries like Singapore or Thailand are regional leaders in healthcare. However, whether in medical or dental services, Malaysia upholds comparable standards. Even in prosthetics, we have advanced towards digital integration and AI-driven technologies,' Wong said.
For example, Wong said, the group started digitalising patient records last year.
'Previously, we relied on handwritten records stored in the lab. We have now transitioned to the CLN system, which links all our clinics. This allows us to access a patient's records even if they were treated at a different branch,' he explained.
He shared that the group has allocated between RM1.5 million and RM2 million this year for internal upgrades.
'Our focus is on upgrading our internal infrastructure, including replacing ageing dental equipment such as treatment chairs over a decade old, and ensuring all clinics are fully digitalised,' Wong said.
He added that the group has no plans to open new clinics this year due to the lengthy break-even period and increasing pricing pressure from independent practitioners offering aggressive discounts.
'We cannot arbitrarily reduce our fees, as doing so would compromise service quality and sustainability. However, new solo practitioners often enter the market with lower pricing and frequent promotional offers, which puts pressure on the industry. As a result, expansion is not our immediate priority,' Wong said.
He highlighted Smile-Link's integration of AI and digital tools to enhance treatment quality, reduce costs and improve operational efficiency.
'Given the current economic climate, patients are generally reluctant to pay more for treatment. However, by leveraging AI technology, we can reduce treatment time, enhance the quality of care, and lower material costs,' Wong said.
Smile-Link posted a pre-tax profit of RM715,000 for the six months ended Dec 31, 2024 – a reversal from a RM3.99 million loss in the same period of the previous year. The improvement was primarily driven by cost-cutting measures, including selling underperforming clinics and ongoing internal restructuring efforts to enhance service quality and operational efficiency.
However, revenue declined 17.7% year-on-year to RM15 million from RM18.2 million, mainly attributed to downsizing its clinic network, which was reduced from 86 to 60.
The company remains focused on cost efficiency and service upgrades while working toward resolving its delayed audited financial statement submission and trading suspension on the LEAP Market.
As of end-March, Smile-Link remained under trading suspension on the LEAP Market due to its failure to announce audited financial statements for the 18-month financial period ended June 30, 2024, by the Oct 31, 2024, deadline.
The company replaced its previous external auditors, HLB Ler Lum Chew PLT, via extraordinary general meetings in January and appointed Messrs Ong and Wong as new auditors on March 13.
Bursa Malaysia did not grant a time extension for the delayed filing, and the audit is ongoing.
In line with LEAP Market Listing Requirements, the company is issuing monthly updates under Rule 6.14(3) until the matter is resolved.
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