Sesame opens "door" to dentists

What: Sesame Communications, Renton

Who: Frith Maier, 46, CEO and founder

Mission: To help dentists market themselves on the Web and communicate with patients through Web pages and e-mail.

Web drill: Sesame provides a custom Web site where patients can log on at any time to view medical records, billing data and even X-rays. They can ask specific questions by e-mail, so they don't need to chase the doctor down. They have access to reference data and get an e-mail reminder for the next appointment. And for those who prefer the traditional way, the program has the capacity to generate automatic phone calls to confirm appointments.

Lip service: The software won't allow dentists to take on more patients, but to serve them more efficiently. Patients appreciate 24/7 access to their records, especially when taxes or insurance are due. Sesame doesn't restrict patients to the clock, the phone or the fax machine to get information. "A lot of patients are working moms who can only deal with this stuff at 10 at night," Maier said.

Employees: 58

Financials: The private company does not disclose financial details but is profitable, according to Maier. Founded in 1999, the company has been self-funded until 2008, when it received its first venture round.

More than they can chew: Maier said Sesame decided to pursue the dental market in detail, rather than chasing a wider customer base. Being specialized and focused provides the company an advantage, and its budget module allows the differentiation between a dentist, which needs to be paid off immediately, and an orthodontist, where payment plans are often required. "It was a good decision to not spread ourselves too thin," Maier said. "If we moved into the general health-care market, it would dilute our effectiveness."

In the chair: "I love building businesses," Maier said. "It really drives me. What we have been able to build here with this group of people has gotten me very excited about coming to work. I am always thinking of the next step."

— Charles Bermant