#Reena Varghese Kannimala

 There is probably no one who doesn’t know the name William Colgate. Like Colgate, who made God a partner in his company, there is a businessman in Kerala who follows a similar path—Asia’s own William Colgate: John Kuriakose.

John’s journey echoes that of William Colgate, the founder of the global Colgate brand. Like Colgate—who vowed to give God a tenth of all his earnings—John Kuriakose built his business on the principle: God first, profit second.

This Muvatupuzha  native, also known as Olikkal John, rose from a lineage that once struggled with mental health issues across three generations. Today, he is the founder of Asia’s number one dental lab. Behind his rise is what he calls the blessing of God, received by putting God first in all things.

John Kuriakose lives with a Bible always by his side—whether on a trip or in the office, it’s always within reach. Known for encouraging young people to “dream dreams that make you lose sleep,” he told Metro News that his ultimate goal is to become a saint. This deep Christian conviction also drives his promise: never to allow any product from Dent Care to cause harm as long as he is alive.

As an evangelist and entrepreneur, John believes everything he does is for God. “Christ,” he says, “is the charioteer of this organization.”

When he realized that India lacked precision machines and technical know-how, John was inspired to start his own venture in dental technology.

He explains how Dent Care is different from others:

"What was done back then was to use a cap and crown made entirely of nickel-chrome metal. The dentist would grind the teeth on both sides to make them smaller, place a bridge in the middle, and then apply an acrylic covering to the exposed area."

"Our quality products were first introduced to dental clinics in Muvattupuzha, then to the entire Ernakulam region, and eventually to the whole country."

Despite growing demand, early days were tough:

“We couldn’t deliver the products on time. Dent Care started with just six employees. Over time, we grew to around 150. We rented most of the building we worked in. Our rent went from ₹500 to ₹25,000, along with a growing product line.”

“There was a huge demand for our products, and we struggled to meet deadlines. But there was also good profit. Dent Care grew—more employees, more products, more customers… and above all, the divine presence guiding the way.”

John’s leadership principles are grounded in scripture:

“I always tell my employees: no matter how small the task, do it as if you are doing it for God. He who acts righteously in the presence of God will succeed—in life and in everything he does.”

Dent Care started with only two products. Today, it manufactures over 450.

Lessons Learned from World Travels

“Travel as much as you can. A man who does not travel is like a frog in a well.”

These are the words often repeated by John Kuriakose, a man with a deep passion for travel.

Once labeled “stupid and inferior” by his math teacher and even slapped in class, John had a turning point when he decided to enter the dental care industry. He realized there was a serious shortage of skilled dental technicians in India, and that the country's health sector wasn't producing enough trained professionals. To address this gap, he enrolled in a dental technician course in Chennai—and graduated with a gold medal.

John then began traveling the world to gain further expertise. His first international trip was to Liechtenstein, where he studied ceramic dental technology, which he would later introduce in Kerala. “My eyes were opened when I attended that class,” he recalls.

He was especially inspired by the European teaching style, where “even the smallest details—things we Malayalis often ignore—are explained thoroughly.” This experience deeply influenced his approach to learning and teaching.

While international travel is a luxury for many, for John—who has dedicated his life to Christ—it is also an opportunity to glorify God. He told

Metro News

 “On foreign trips, I usually have a good breakfast in the morning—because it’s free. In the afternoon, I might have a burger or something small. But I avoid dinner altogether, because dinner parties abroad often involve beer and wine. I pray not to even see that, which is why I skip dinner on such trips.”

“I always travel in economy class. Of course, I can afford business class, but whether you fly business or economy, you reach the same destination. I believe the money saved by flying economy can be used to help someone in need.”

John makes it a point to attend all major international conferences on dental products and technologies. “Every advanced system I see abroad, I believe should be brought to India,” he says.

He learned about porcelain coating for metal teeth—a more advanced alternative to traditional metal-only prosthetics—in Switzerland. Today, Dent Care sends employees to Switzerland and Germany for advanced training in cutting-edge dental technologies.

The knowledge gained through these travels is regularly shared with professionals through the Indian Dental Association.

“Our products are about 25% more expensive than others. That’s because of our commitment to using internationally certified technologies. Dent Care is one of the few institutions that offers all the latest technologies in dentistry.”

He adds:

“We use only the highest-quality raw materials, most of which are imported from Germany. That’s what defines the value of our products.”

Today, Dent Care’s clients include dental hospitals, medical colleges, and dentists across India, Asia, and beyond. As a business-to-business (B2B) operation, Dent Care’s mission is clear:

to accurately meet the needs of dental professionals with precision, ethics, and innovation.

Our goal now is to grow Dent Care into the world's number one dental lab by 2030.