Vivos Therapeutics, Inc. - Annual Report: 2020 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the transition period from                                to

Commission File Number: 001-39796

Vivos Therapeutics, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (844) 672-4357

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes [  ] No [X]

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act. Yes [  ] No [X]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes [X] No [  ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes [X] No [  ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer [  ] Accelerated filer [  ] Non-accelerated filer [X] Smaller reporting company [X]
Emerging growth company [X]

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. [  ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 726(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. [  ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes [  ] No [X]

As of June 30, 2020, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, the registrant’s securities were not publicly traded. The registrant’s common stock began trading on The Nasdaq Capital Market on December 11, 2020. The aggregate market value of the common stock outstanding, other than shares held by persons who may be deemed affiliates of the registrant, computed by reference to the closing sales price for the common stock on December 31, 2020, as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market, was approximately $73 million. Common stock held by each officer and director and by each person known to the registrant who owned 10% or more of the outstanding voting and non-voting common stock have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed to be affiliates. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for other purposes.

As of March 18, 2021, the registrant had 18,212,119 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, outstanding.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current expectations and views of future events. The forward-looking statements are contained principally in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Readers are cautioned that known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those over which we may have no control and others listed in the “Risk Factors” section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

You can identify some of these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “potential,” “continue” or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. These forward-looking statements include statements relating to:

These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties. Although we believe that our expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, our expectations may later be found to be incorrect. Our actual results of operations or the results of other matters that we anticipate herein could be materially different from our expectations. Important risks and factors that could cause our actual results to be materially different from our expectations are generally set forth in “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Business,” “Regulation” and other sections in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. You should thoroughly read this Annual Report on Form 10-K and the documents that we refer to with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from and worse than what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

The forward-looking statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this Annual Report on Form 10-K and the documents that we refer to in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and have filed as exhibits to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect.

SUMMARY OF MATERIAL RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR BUSINESS

The following is a summary of certain risks, uncertainties and other factors related to our company. These do not represent all of the risks we face. You should carefully consider all of the risk factors presented in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and all other information contained in this Report including the financial statements in order to a more complete picture of the risk factors we face.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

Risks Related to Our Products and Regulation

Risks Related to Our Securities Generally

PART I

Item 1. Business

Overview

We are a medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative treatment alternatives for patients with sleep disordered breathing (SDB), including mild-to-moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We believe our products and technology represent a significant improvement in the treatment of mild-to-moderate OSA versus other treatments such as continuous positive airway pressure (or CPAP) or palliative oral appliance therapies. We call our alternative and advanced treatment the Vivos System.

The Vivos System

The Vivos System is an advanced therapeutic protocol, which combines the use of customized oral appliance specifications developed by Vivos and prescribed by specially trained dentists in cooperation with their medical colleagues. We believe the Vivos System technology represents the first non-surgical, non-invasive and cost-effective treatment for people with mild-to-moderate OSA. Combining technologies and protocols that alter the size, shape and position of the tissues of a patient’s upper airway, the Vivos System opens airway space and can significantly reduce symptoms and conditions associated with mild-to-moderate OSA. Published studies have shown that using our customized appliances and clinical protocols led to significantly lower Apnea Hypopnea Index scores and improve other conditions associated with OSA. Our patented oral appliances have proven effective (within the scope of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (or FDA) cleared uses) in over 15,000 patients treated worldwide by more than 1,200 trained dentists.

The Vivos System consists of combination of our patented oral appliance (the mRNA appliance^®) with multi-disciplinary and proprietary clinical treatment protocols that has 510(k) clearance from the FDA as a Class II medical device for the treatment of snoring, mild-to-moderate OSA and SDB. We also market a specially designed and patented FDA Class I customized oral appliance (DNA appliance^®) and a number of preformed pediatric oral appliances, which we call the Vivos Guides. For the treatment of mild-to-moderate OSA, the Vivos System and other Vivos products are typically delivered to patients by dentists specially trained to use the Vivos System to address certain craniofacial and morphological conditions commonly associated with SDB and mild-to-moderate OSA.

Vivos DNA appliance		Vivos mRNA appliance

Sleep Apnea and the Role of Dentists in Treatment

The House of Delegates of the American Dental Association in 2017 adopted a policy statement describing the important role dentists can play in helping identify patients at greater risk of sleep related breathing disorders. By focusing our business model around dentists, we fulfill this role by training dentists and providing the support to use the Vivos System with their patients that suffer from mild-to-moderate OSA. Our program to train dentists and offer them other value-added services as described below is called the Vivos Integrated Practice (VIP) program. The VIP program provides dentists with a strong economic incentive to provide this treatment and prescribe the Vivos System, together with practice support services.

Sleep apnea is a serious and chronic disease that negatively impacts a patient’s sleep, health and quality of life. According to a 2019 article published in Chest Physician, it is estimated that OSA afflicts 54 million adults in the U.S. alone, and according to a 2016 report by Frost & Sullivan, OSA has an annual societal cost of over $149.6 billion. According to the study “Global Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)” conducted by an international panel of leading researchers, nearly 1 billion people worldwide have sleep apnea.

The Vivos System is estimated to be effective in approximately 80% of cases of obstructive sleep apnea. Approximately 1 billion people globally suffer from OSA, and as many as 80% remain undiagnosed. Research has shown that when left untreated, OSA increases the risk of comorbidities, such as high blood pressure, heart failure, stroke, diabetes, dementia and other debilitating, life-threatening diseases.

Obstructive sleep apnea can range from mild to severe, based on a measurement system called the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). The AHI is an index of the number of partial or complete airway blockages lasting 10 seconds or longer that a patient experiences in an hour. Studies have shown that the patented and proprietary technologies and protocols incorporated into the Vivos System technology alter the size, shape and position of the tissues that comprise the human airway. In 17 published, peer-reviewed studies (on which our founder and Chief Medical Officer was an author) that examined the impact of our technologies and protocols on the AHI scores of patients with varying degrees of OSA, patient AHI scores were reduced from a low of 38% to a high of 98.6%, with the mean AHI reduction shown in such studies being 67.4%. The results from published case reports and articles, together with patient-reported outcomes, have shown that our Vivos System therapy provides a significant reduction in the severity of patients’ OSA (as measured by industry standard indices such as the AHI among others), improvement in sleep-related quality of life, reduction in snoring, as well as a high patient compliance rates and a strong safety profile.

The treatment by a dentist of SBD and mild-to-moderate OSA with the Vivos System follows a required diagnosis of these conditions (typically through the use of either a polysomnogram (or PSG) or home sleep apnea test (or HSAT) by a medical doctor which is often provided by the sleep test provider.

VivoScore^{TM ,} Powered by SleepImage

In February 2021, we launched VivoScore^TM Powered by SleepImage^®, an FDA cleared diagnostic technology for home sleep apnea testing featuring what we believe to be significant commercial advantages over existing HSAT products and technologies in the market. We believe VivoScore may enable healthcare providers to more efficiently screen, diagnose and initiate treatment for OSA in their patients which could result in more patients being treated with our Vivos System. While we anticipate increased revenue from VivoScore due to an expected increase in total patients tested and a corresponding increase in patient enrollment in Vivos System treatment, in arriving at this conclusion, we are relying on the results of a pilot test we conducted and other feedback from VIPs, which may or may not prove reliable on a broader scale.

VivoScore is a comprehensive home sleep apnea test that utilizes proprietary cardiopulmonary coupling technology developed by MyCardio LLC d/b/a SleepImage (“SleepImage”). VivoScore consists of a single-sensor ring recorder worn on the finger that works with a mobile phone application which facilitates a seamless data capture and upload and proprietary cloud-based algorithms to evaluate sleep quality and clinically diagnose sleep apnea. VivoScore test results have been shown to be comparable with overnight in-lab PSG tests. VivoScore creates comprehensive proprietary sleep quality measures, such as the Sleep Quality Index (or SQI), that go beyond a mere clinical diagnosis for sleep apnea to more effectively manage treatment benefit and improve patient outcomes. With no consumables required, per test costs are significantly reduced, which is expected to allow for broad distribution and multi-night sleep evaluations using VivoScore that are often required by insurance carriers.

The SleepImage System, which is the underlining technology for VivoScore, is FDA cleared for the purpose of evaluating sleep quality and to diagnose and manage sleep disordered breathing in both children and adults and may eliminate access and cost hurdles that may exist with other competing HSAT technology. Current estimates show that 80% of sleep apnea sufferers remain undiagnosed and untreated, creating a pressing need for an easy-to-use, clinical grade, low-cost HSAT for patients of all ages.

We are bringing VivoScore to market under a Licensing, Distribution, and Marketing agreement with SleepImage. This agreement is exclusive to our company with respect to white labeling of the VivoScore brand to the sleep dentistry market in the United States and Canada. Our agreement with SleepImage has an initial term of two (2) years and is subject to automatic one (1) year extensions, subject to the right of the parties to terminate the agreement prior to an extension. Either party also has the right to terminate the agreement (subject to applicable notice and cure periods) for customary matters such as breach of the Agreement or bankruptcy of a party. SleepImage also has the right to terminate the agreement under certain other circumstances, including a change of control of our company.

Our Mission

Our mission is to rid the world of OSA. We believe we are well-positioned with what we consider to be a disruptive technology in our Vivos System aimed at treating mild-to-moderate OSA, with a clear first-mover strategy in penetrating the dental market as a means of treating OSA, compelling economics at each level of the delivery chain, and a talented team of experienced professionals who are passionate about what we do and driven to deliver results.

Our Market Opportunity

Estimates from publicly available information vary as to the extent of obstructive sleep apnea in the United States, but we believe the market is significant. According to a 2010 publicly available analysis from researchers at the Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine, mild obstructive sleep apnea is defined by an AHI between 5 and 15 and has a prevalence of 8-11% of the adult population in the United States. A 2004 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association stated the prevalence of mild obstructive sleep apnea is one in five adults. Based on our analysis of the available public information, we estimate that approximately 15% of the adult population in the United States and Canada suffers from mild-to-moderate OSA. Based on the estimated total adult population of 284 million in the United States and Canada, we believe the total addressable United States and Canadian market is approximately 43 million adults. Our estimates set forth below relating to the intended uses of the Vivos System are also based in part upon data found in the study Oral Appliance Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An Update, published publicly by the National Institutes of Health in 2014. Targeted treatment projections identified by this method of sleep titration were found to result in effective treatment in 87% of patients predicted to be successfully treated of OSA in an initial study. To be conservative and based on available data and our internal market analysis, we estimate that over 80% of individuals diagnosed with OSA in the North American addressable market may be candidates for the Vivos System, leaving us with a total addressable consumer market of over 43.2 million adults.

We currently charge clinicians an average sales price of approximately $1,600 per adult case for the Vivos System. There are approximately 160,000 qualified general dentists in the United States and Canada who could potentially offer the Vivos System to their patients. Based on the addressable US and Canadian consumer market described above and average sales price, we believe the addressable consumer market for adults in the United States and Canada is approximately $69 billion.

In addition, another published study, titled “Global Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA),” conducted by an international panel of leading researchers in 2007, reported that nearly 1 billion people worldwide have sleep apnea. Accordingly, we believe there is a substantial market opportunity for us outside the United States and Canada.

Our Treatment Alternative for OSA – the Vivos System

The Vivos System is a non-invasive, non-surgical, non-pharmaceutical, multi-disciplinary treatment modality for the treatment of mild to moderate OSA. The proprietary and virtually painless Vivos System enhances and increases the upper airway and offers patients what we believe to be an effective treatment alternative based on clinical retrospective data showing that some patients diagnosed with mild-to-moderate OSA, snoring and SDB symptoms are improving. Based on VIP and patient feedback we have received, we believe initial therapeutic benefits from using the device are often achieved relatively quickly (in days or weeks) and final clinical results are typically achieved in 12 to 24 months), all at a relatively low cost to consumers ranging between $7,000 and $10,000 for adults and $3,500 to $6,000 for children (costs vary by provider) when compared to other options such as surgery.

We believe that the Vivos System alters the size, shape and position of the tissues that surround and comprise the functional space known as the upper airway. This belief is based on retrospective raw data with validated before and after sleep studies and Cone Beam Computerized Tomography (CBCT) scans from treating clinicians and patient testimony. As the Vivos System treatment process progresses, the airway expands, with many patients reporting a significant reduction of their mild-to-moderate OSA symptoms. Our primary product used in the Vivos System is the mRNA appliance^®, a specifically designed, custom oral appliance that is worn primarily in the evening hours and overnight and is available for adults. The total treatment time can range from 12 to 24 months with 18 months being the approximate mean treatment time. Our appliances require periodic adjustments some of which can be performed by the patient and others that are typically rendered at the dental office where treatment was initiated.

Patients who undergo treatment in the Vivos System will typically receive a customized mRNA appliance fitted to both the upper and lower arches. Alternatively, the VIP may prescribe an upper arch DNA appliance with the possibility of adding a lower arch DNA appliance later-on in treatment. Each case is priced accordingly, and patient fees are set by the treating dentist. It is not common for a given patient to be prescribed both an mRNA appliance and a DNA appliance. Irrespective of the Vivos device prescribed, each patient is given specific protocols and instructions for wear and maintenance, including the expected duration of daily wear (typically 14-16 hours per day including overnight). In addition to the oral appliance treatment, the patient may be referred for treatment by an orofacial myofunctional therapist, a chiropractor, an ear, nose and throat physician (“ENT”), and/or other healthcare providers for adjunctive therapy, as necessary. Each of these providers contributes to the overall treatment outcomes within the scope of their individual licensures. The Vivos System is a multi-specialty system that is collaborative with several related healthcare specialties such as those just listed.

Through the course of treatment with the Vivos System, patients have reported a variety of outcomes, including:

The Vivos System has been specifically designed to promote the proper growth and development of the hard and soft tissues surrounding and comprising the oral cavity, nasal cavity, upper and lower jaws, and other tissues which together form and shape the airway. As these areas develop more fully using the Vivos System, a patient’s airway typically widens and expands (a process we call Pneumopedics^®), enabling them to breathe properly through their nose. With a more open and less-obstructed airway and easier nocturnal breathing, the symptoms of SDB often diminish over time and patients often report no longer suffering from the adverse impacts of SDB or mild-to-moderate OSA. Use of the Vivos System is variable and case dependent but is typically recommended to be worn daily for 12 to 16 hours starting in the early evening and continuing overnight. During use, patients can typically talk (with minor difficulty), drink and swallow, but the device must be removed to eat. An example of the impact of Vivos System treatment on an upper airway is shown in the figures below depicting scans of the airway before and after treatment. 

30-Year-Old Male | 14 Months

Before (March 2017)		After (May 2018)

30-Year-Old Male – 14 Months Treatment. Before minimum airway area: 31.4mm² – After minimum airway area: 111.6mm². Before total airway volume: 13.22c – After total airway volume 26.5cc. (Imaging performed with no oral appliance in the mouth)

Often the cause of OSA is abnormal anatomical features of soft tissues and/or structures of the maxillomandibular skeleton that cause a disproportionate anatomy of the airway. Correcting the maxillo-mandibular skeletal and oral soft tissue structures can reduce obstruction of the upper airway, as shown above.

The Vivos System works to treat OSA as follows:

Our Growth Strategy

Our goal is to be the global leader in providing a clinically effective non-surgical, non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical, and low-cost alternative for patients with sleep disordered breathing, including mild-to-moderate OSA. We believe the following strategies will play a critical role in achieve this goal and our future growth:

Our Revenue Model

Our revenue is derived from three primary sources, namely (1) VIP enrollment and training fees (comprised of one-time, up-front fees, as well as optional renewal fees after 12 months); (2) recurring Vivos System and Vivos Guides sales; (3) recurring monthly subscription fees from our Billing Intelligence Services (BIS); and (4) MID one-time development and recurring management fees.

VIP office training and enrollment fees. We derive revenue from one-time enrollment and training fees charged to new VIPs, which are dental practices specially trained by us in the use of the Vivos System. We have three VIP program pricing options which we refer to as Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3. Our Tier 1 fees are currently set at $50,000 for the main practice provider plus $10,000 for each associate doctor (although such fees for the main practice provider can be discounted to $40,000, while the associate fees are not typically discounted and are the same across all tiers). Tier 2 pricing reflects a one-time enrollment fee of $25,000 coupled with a 30% price premium on appliances, and Tier 3 pricing reflects a $12,500 one-time enrollment fee coupled with a 50% price premium on appliances. The one-time enrollment fee provides VIPs with extensive clinical and business integration training, including training on matters such as billing and marketing. For additional subscription fees described further below, VIPs can sign up for our Billing Intelligence Services (BIS) under which the VIPs outsource their medical credentialing, pre-authorizations, billing, and payer collections functions to us. On average, our revenue from VIP enrollment fees currently is approximately $28,000 per VIP.

Recurring Vivos System and Guide sales. Trained VIPs pay us an average adult case fee of approximately $1,600 per case, and $400 for a pediatric Guide case. We maintain average gross margins in excess of 70% on both adult and pediatric cases. In turn, VIP offices typically charge adult patients fees ranging from $7,000 to $10,000, and $3,500 to $6,000 for pediatric cases. We estimate that fully burdened costs to the VIP practice range from between $1,500 (pediatric Guides) and $3,000 (adult mRNA appliance^®) per case.

Billing Intelligence Services (BIS). This complete billing solution includes a comprehensive integrated revenue cycle management software system that allows dentists to focus on running their practice and delivering the best care for their patients. Our medical billing service generates recurring subscription fees from participating VIPs (Silver Package: $795 setup fee and $795 per month, Gold Package: $1,800 setup fee and $895 per month, or Platinum Package: $2,800 set up fee and $995 per month) This important adjunctive service is priced competitively and allows VIP offices to outsource a key back-office function without adding one or more full time employees.

Medical Integration Division (MID). In addition, in 2020, we launched our MID to assist VIP practices to establish clinical collaboration ties to local primary care physicians, sleep specialists, ENTs, pediatricians, pulmonologists and other healthcare professionals who routinely see or treat patients with sleep and breathing disorders. The primary objective of our MID is to promote the Vivos System to the medical profession and thus facilitate the potential for more SDB and OSA patients gaining access to the Vivos System, which we believe can improve quality of life and can reduce overall health risks experienced these patients. The MID seeks to fulfill that objective by meeting with VIP dentists and physicians in their local areas to establish physician practices using the trademarked name “Pneusomnia Craniofacial Sleep Medicine Center” (Pneusomnia Center). These independent medical practices will be set up as LLCs or subchapter S corporations owned by a small group of independent physicians, co-located in the dental practice of the VIP dentist, and managed by our company under a management and development agreement. We believe our early market response from MID activities has been promising, and in March 2021 we announced the opening of the first Pneusomnia Center in Del Mar, California as well as plans to open additional Pneusomnia Centers in several other cities in the U.S. However, it remains too early to predict the eventual impact on our overall revenue. If successful, the MID is expected to enhance the overall practice level economics for independent VIP offices and generate additional lines of recurring revenue for us.

Vivos Centers. Finally, we derive a relatively small amount of revenue from the management of two (2) clinics in Colorado (which we call the Vivos Centers) where dentists and other healthcare professionals treat patients using the Vivos System. As a company, we are not in the business of treating patients per se, as this occurs only through dentists and other professionals, operating within the scope of their respective licenses, who, among other services, prescribe and treat patients using the Vivos System and/or Vivos Guides. We thus have no direct control over patient intake or clinical care at our Vivos Centers. Our role is limited to training and educating dentists and their staff, and to fulfilling orders placed for the Vivos System and/or Vivos Guides.

While operating Vivos Centers through licensed dentists and other healthcare professionals was the main aspect of our business model prior to July 2018, the Vivos Centers are not currently our core business, but rather a means by which we derive hands-on assessments and field intelligence from the use and practice of the Vivos System in actual clinical settings. As such, we may dispose of one or more of the Vivos Centers in the future, as was the case in October 2019 when we sold one Vivos Center located in Orem, Utah. In our current business model, our core revenue drivers are enrollment and renewal fees from VIP clinical education and office training, sales of the Vivos System and other appliances, and subscription fees from BIS services as described above.

Patient Advantages

We believe the Vivos System offers the following patient advantages:

During the course of treatment with our Vivos System, patients have reported the following adverse effects that include, but are not necessarily limited to:

Patient Treatment Process

Most potential patients learn they may be a possible candidate for OSA therapy through physician referral, education and advertising campaigns, and/or dentist examinations. Some useful predictive information can be obtained from self-reported questionnaires given to the patient in advance of a formal evaluation, and this procedure may simplify the clinical assessment of patients. The most widely used of such questionnaires are the Berlin Questionnaire and the Multivariable Apnea Prediction Index.

If a VIP dentist determines that a patient may have OSA, they will refer the patient to complete either a VivoScore or other home sleep apnea test (which could be our VivoScore test) or a full polysomnography, which provides detailed information on sleep state, respiratory behavior and gas exchange abnormalities, in addition to a range of other variables including body position, heart rate and rhythm, and muscle tone and activity. The sleep test will be reviewed, and a diagnosis of the test will be given by a medical doctor; usually by a doctor that specializes in sleep, a pulmonologist or a cardiologist.

If a patient is diagnosed with sleep apnea from the reading of the home sleep apnea test or polysomnography test and is a candidate for oral appliance therapy, additional data will be recorded including a CBCT imaging scan. After obtaining a prescription from a physician, the VIP dentist will design a treatment plan and present the case to the patient. Upon treatment acceptance, the financial arrangements will be organized including insurance pre-authorization and/or any deposits and payment plan agreements. The VIP dentist will design the appliance(s) based upon treatment protocol and order the appliance through our cloud-based portal that we call Vivos Aire.

Fabrication of the Vivos System appliances usually takes between two to four weeks for delivery. Upon receipt of appliance(s) by the VIP dentist, the patient will visit the dentist for an appliance seating and delivery appointment. Routine follow-up lasts for the 12 to 24 months of treatment.

Upon determination of treatment completion, the patient will take a post-treatment home sleep apnea test, such as VivoScore, or a polysomnography test. Post treatment CBCT imaging will be taken to compete the patient’s treatment and records profile.

Competition

Our industry is subject to significant competition and rapid change from the introduction of new products and technologies and other activities of industry participants. We compete as a first-line therapy in the OSA treatment market for patients with mild to moderate OSA. There are several treatment options for patients with OSA depending on the level of severity of the disease, ranging from lifestyle changes to surgery. The goals of therapy are to resolve signs and symptoms of OSA, improve sleep quality, normalize and reduce the AHI, and generally increase SpO₂ (blood oxygen saturation) levels. CPAP therapy is typically considered the first-line standard of care of therapy for adults with OSA; however, decreased patient adherence lessens the benefits of CPAP therapy. Common reasons cited for lack of adherence is trouble getting used to wearing the CPAP device, difficulty tolerating forced air, dry and stuffy nose, feeling claustrophobic, skin irritation, pressure sores, leaky mask, dry mouth, bothersome noise, chronic bacterial and respiratory infections, and lack of intimacy. According to published research, many patients with mild-to-moderate OSA, who prefer not to use CPAP, use mandibular advancement devices (or MAD) oral appliances as an alternative therapy; however, treatment with MADs comes with its own set of adverse side effects, including dry mouth, dental caries, TMJ pain and sounds, soft tissue and tongue irritation, excessive salivating, occlusal changes, damage to teeth or restorations, and tooth mobility, among other effects.

CPAP is a therapy often prescribed by medical doctors for patients with OSA. CPAP is delivered through a face or nasal mask that connects through a hose to a bedside air compressor. The CPAP machine forces air into the nasal passages at pressures high enough to overcome obstructions in the airway and facilitate normal breathing. The effectiveness of CPAP has been limited by low patient compliance due to claustrophobic sensations, discomfort with the constant air pressure, irritation from an ill-fitting mask, embarrassment in front of a bed partner, machine noise, skin irritation, dry mouth, sinus infections, nausea, acid reflux, and depression about having a sleep disorder. CPAP therapy is a palliative solution to OSA. It can relieve symptoms but does not address the underlying cause. When CPAP therapy is discontinued, patients typically revert back to having OSA.

Another palliative solution to OSA is a mandibular advance device. MADs are oral appliances used to treat mild-to-moderate OSA. MADs are used with the intent of moving the lower jaw and tongue base forward and/or preventing the tongue from moving back into the throat or the oropharynx. This specific action has the effect of opening the airway, thereby minimizing or preventing snoring and/or airflow compromise leading to OSA. Forward jaw posturing, maintained over several hours repeated daily, however, is not normal, and can lead to a number of adverse side effects, including but not limited to, dental caries, dry mouth, tooth discomfort, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD or TMJD), craniofacial pain, muscular discomfort, malocclusion (bite changes), tooth movement, and more.

CPAP, MADs and other products on the market that non-surgically address SDB and OSA are palliative therapies that temporarily treat the symptoms only, which may worsen over time. We believe these therapies are not designed or intended to address or resolve the tissue obstruction(s) which, in the opinion of some researchers, constitutes the potential root cause(s) of the disorder in up to 98% of patients with OSA. CPAP and MADs require lifetime nightly use to be effective. Conversely, a number of published studies show that by addressing the potential root cause of OSA in many patients, we believe the Vivos System may offer patients the very real hope of a more effective solution to their OSA that can be accomplished in about 12 to 24 months.

The follow graphic depicts what we believe to be the competitive landscape for the Vivos System:

We believe that the leading SDB and OSA treatment modalities fall into the following categories:

We consider our primary competition, both within and outside of the United States, to be both CPAP and other oral appliance products (all of which represent variations on the same mandibular advancement device platform) typically delivered by licensed dentists, such as SomnoMed, DynaFlex, TAP, EMA, and Herbst (which are FDA cleared) as well as ALF, Homeoblock and FAGGA (which are not FDA cleared). According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, over 100 different oral appliances are FDA cleared for the treatment of snoring and OSA. We believe other emerging businesses are in the early stages of developing mandibular advancement or other oral appliance devices which incorporate novel technologies.

To a lesser extent, we also compete with surgical therapies such as Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), maxillomandibular advancement (MMA), robotic tongue reduction surgery, and Inspire Medical implants. While we compete with CPAP in general as an alternative treatment for mild-to-moderate OSA, we believe the Vivos System is a superior alternative given its relative safety, comfort, ease of use and the potential to resolve underlying conditions. In addition, the Vivos System is suitable for patients who cannot tolerate CPAP or for whom CPAP has not been effective. In certain cases, clinicians may temporarily treat patients using a combination of the Vivos System and CPAP.

As highlighted in the chart above, a patient who is diagnosed with OSA faces two primary treatment pathways—non-surgical and surgical. The Vivos System, CPAP, and mandibular advancement oral appliances are examples of non-surgical treatment options. Inspire Medical Systems implants, UPPP surgery, and Maxillomandibular Advancement surgery are examples of surgical treatment options. Each treatment option offers patients potential benefits and risks at a different price point.

We believe the Vivos System offers patients several important advantages. Treatment in the Vivos System is typically limited to a defined period of time (12-24 months), whereas both CPAP and oral appliance therapy require lifetime nightly use to be effective. Treatment in the Vivos System also addresses the underlying anatomical cause of the OSA, whereas both CPAP and oral appliances are palliative and effective only for temporary relief of symptoms while the devices are being used. Neither treatment purports to correct the underlying tissue and structural anomalies that give rise to the OSA condition in the first place. Long-term compliance in both alternative non-surgical protocols can be challenging. Yet once treatment in the Vivos System is complete, no further intervention is necessary, in most cases.

Inspire Medical Systems’ primary treatment for OSA involves surgical implant devices that seek to temporarily remove airway obstruction by moving the tongue forward via an electrical stimulation. These devices relieve OSA symptoms and lower AHI scores, but pose the added cost and risks of surgery, and must be used nightly over the patient’s lifetime in order to be effective. The Vivos System avoids the cost and risk of surgery, and is less costly for both patients and insurance carriers than surgical options. The Vivos System is thus far less dependent on insurance reimbursement for patients to be able to afford treatment.

We believe that the primary competitive factors in the OSA treatment market are:

Most of the other OSA treatments against which we compete have a greater penetration into the OSA treatment market. Mandibular advancement oral appliances and a variety of surgical treatments are better known to ENT physicians, sleep centers, dentists, and the other physicians on whom we may rely for referrals, but we believe dentist and physician awareness of our Vivos System therapy is increasing.

Our Competitive Strengths

We believe that the Vivos System has numerous advantages that, taken together, set us apart from the competition and position us for success in the marketplace:

Sales and Marketing

We have established a methodical approach to market development which centers on active engagement directly with members of the medical community, including general dentists and medical doctors who treat SDB and OSA, to educate them on the Vivos System and its benefits. The goals of our sales and marketing efforts are (i) secure new VIP dentists provide them with the tools to treat patients with our products and (ii) more broadly educate the medical community regarding our products with a view towards expanding our number of VIPs as well as medical professionals who could refer SBD and OSA patients to our VIPs for treatment.

We sell the VIP Program to dentists through a direct sales force that primarily targets general dentists in the United States and Canada. Our VIP program was developed to train dentists to identify and treat conditions associated with SDB and mild-to-moderate sleep apnea. Our sales program to target medical doctors is our recently launched MID program, which was developed to assist VIP practices to establish clinical collaboration ties to local primary care physicians, sleep specialists, ENTs, pediatricians, pulmonologists and other healthcare professionals who routinely see or treat patients with sleep and breathing disorders.

We sell our VIP program to dentists in the United States and Canada. In countries outside of North America we typically offer a modified training and support program at a lower cost. We currently have approximately 10 direct sales representatives in the United States and Canada. Our direct sales force engages in sales efforts and promotional activities focused on referring physicians, as well as directly to the over 147,000 professionally active general dentists in the United States and the 13,000 general dentists in Canada.

Our current VIP sales organization is comprised of:

Our MID sales organization is comprised of a Senior Vice President that leads the MID sales efforts and one Senior Director of Business Development. We plan on growing our MID sales organization by recruiting candidates that have extensive healthcare backgrounds, strong business development experience setting up physician owned medical facilities/practices and significant healthcare regulatory knowledge.

We utilize indirect and direct marketing channels to inform and educate dentists, medical doctors and healthcare professionals about the Vivos System. Our indirect marketing channels include strategic partners, industry key opinion leaders, trade shows and our own clinical advisor network. Our direct marketing channel includes outreach to prospective VIPs using digital advertising platforms including Facebook and Google ad placements. The objective of our indirect and direct marketing efforts are to bring dentists, medical doctors and healthcare professionals to our educational and training websites to learn about SDB, OSA and treatment alternatives.

We believe our dentist and medical doctor marketing efforts have been effective in facilitating contact via our Vivos introduction and online training webinars, particularly during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Potential Economics for Trained VIP Clinicians

Dentists that enroll in our VIP program have favorable economics. The actual incidence of dental patients with OSA will vary, but our conservative estimate would suggest the average dental practice sees 400-500 adult patients with a high risk of suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. Using these demographic figures, the economic potential per dentist may be calculated, based on a retail adult case fee of approximately $9,000, fully burdened VIP provider costs of approximately $3,000, and net profit of approximately $6,000, to be over $3,300,000 in annual gross revenue potential annually with over $2,400,000 in potential net profit. We believe based on our experience that dentists have seen accretive economic additions to their practices with the Vivos System, and thus the VIP program can likely add to the doctor’s take-home income. Our sales and clinical advisory dentists conduct training primarily in a highly personalized, deep immersion workshop format at our Institute for Craniofacial Sleep Medicine. The key topics covered in training include case selection, clinical diagnosis, treatment planning, appliance design, adjunctive therapies, instructions on ordering Vivos products, guidance on pricing, case acceptance, instruction on insurance reimbursement protocols and interacting with our proprietary software system and the many other features of our website. We present our training material in a manner we believe to be superior to most other dental training and experience. As a result, we are able to complete the initial training workshops, both online and in person, typically within just 15 days spread out over several weeks. Our success in training approximately 1,200 dentists confirms our belief that training represents a minimal barrier to adoption for most dentists.

Below is an illustrative model depicting the total additional revenue a dentist might receive by treating patients with the Vivos System. The potential patients with OSA is determined by using a calculation that results in a conservative estimate that 30% of patients of a dental practice patient may suffer from OSA (according to a 2019 article published in Chest Physician). The revenue treatment fee is estimated at $9,000 per patient. This illustration helps to explain why a dentist might want to become a trained VIP and use the Vivos System.

To facilitate the adoption of the Vivos System, we market the VIP Program, and as part of that offering, we often partner with equipment manufacturers to bundle training and equipment into a turn-key program financed by third party lenders for those dental practices who need to purchase additional equipment. The VIP Program fees are also often financed by third party lenders separate from any equipment purchases. Loan terms and payments will vary depending on the doctor’s credit, the interest rate, the amount financed, and the term of the loan. Generally, payments on such financing range from about $600 to $2,500 per month.

Insurance Reimbursement

Our mRNA appliance^® is a custom fabricated appliance to treat mild-to-moderate OSA, SDB and snoring in adults. The mRNA can be billed in and out of network to most commercial payers under the E0486 CPT code. The E0486 is reimbursable by many major commercial medical payers following a medical diagnosis of OSA. Level of reimbursement is approximately 50% (ranging from 5% to 70%), although medical insurance is never a guarantee of payment, and patient deductibles and policy limitations may vary. A verification of benefits is required for all medical policies to check for validity of CPT code E0486 and oral appliance therapy (OAT). Pre-authorization may be required for reimbursement. Pre-Authorization requirements may vary based on the payer policies and patient’s insurance coverage. Although many patients pay for treatment out of pocket on a fee for service basis, the availability of health insurance coverage is an important consideration for many patients who desire treatment in the Vivos System. All medical policies have different reimbursement policies which may affect availability of reimbursement.

VIPs typically remain out of network with commercial health insurance payers, but this depends on the individual practice and the commercial payer guidelines in each state. As out of network providers, dentists can set their own fees and balance bill the patient for the cost of care not covered by the patient’s health insurance. The American Medical Association will provide fee ranges for all billable CPT codes. A dentist must set their own fees for the CPT codes billed in their office that are within their scope of practice. The Vivos System of appliances are reimbursable by Medicare or Medicaid.

The mRNA appliance^® is not covered by Medicare or Medicaid due to not meeting approved design criteria by CMS. We have made modifications to the mRNA appliance^® in order to meet CMS criteria for the billing code E0486 to Medicare. These slight modifications of the mRNA appliance^® have provided the opportunity to create a new device called the mmRNA appliance^® (Modified Mandibular Repositioning Nighttime Appliance). We have completed mechanical testing on the mmRNA appliance^® and in February 2021 we announced that we submitted a 510(k) for Class II clearance to the FDA for the mmRNA with indications to treat mild-to-moderate OSA, SDB and Snoring in adults. Upon 510(k) Class II approval, we plan to submit an application to PDAC (Pricing, Coding, Analysis and Coding) for the mmRNA appliance^® to be added to the CMS Medicare list of approved sleep appliances. We expect this process to take 3 to 6 months. We have not found the lack of inclusion on the current CMS Medicare list of approved sleep appliances to hinder market distribution or acceptance due to the fact that most dentists who work with the Vivos System are out of network with commercial payers and do not typically file for reimbursement under Medicare.

We have seen an increase in the ability for reimbursement for our other FDA registered oral appliances such as DNA appliances and Guides. These oral appliances are being pre-authorized and billed under an undefined CPT code only when medical necessity is present and documented properly. Pre-authorization with medical director review is required with a “letter of medical necessity” (LMN) to gain possible medical reimbursement. A dentist billing an undefined CPT code for a Class I or Class II oral appliance must proceed with caution. Billing an undefined CPT code for OAT must be supported with documented medical necessity and is reviewed by the medical director at the payor before being submitted for possible reimbursement. Typically, the dentist writes an LMN to explain the medical necessity, the subscriber’s request for oral appliance therapy and submit these for review to the medical directors at the payor. The plan medical directors will then review any craniofacial abnormalities, CT images, comorbidities, and any medical conditions the patient has be diagnosed with by a medical doctor. This documentation is how the dentist establishes medical necessity. Once pre-authorization is gained, then oral appliance therapy can be billed for a possible reimbursement from the medical payor. A dentist typically can gain reimbursement for OAT by the medical insurance as long as there is medical necessity present and documented.

Published Research

There are several studies in the medical literature on upper airway remodeling in pathologic conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and similar conditions. In contrast, there is a dearth of studies that have documented pneumatization and physiologic upper airway remodeling. Advances in 3D digital technology, as well as an increased understanding of the human genome and epigenetics, has allowed us to make further advances in understanding of craniofacial phenomena. For example, while it was believed that sutures undergo closure in early adulthood, according to published research, it is now thought that populations of stem cells may persist to permit continued growth and development. Using this premise, the midfacial bone volume can be increased surgically or non-surgically. Since the roof of the mouth is the floor of the nose, the volume of the nasal airway can also be increased surgically or non-surgically. Therefore, using our patented, non-surgical protocols we targeted upper airways to address sleep disordered breathing. Using various assessment techniques, we found surface area, volumetric and functional changes of the upper airway. These treatment-induced changes might be described as physiologic remodeling of the upper airway (a process we have labeled and trademarked as Pneumopedics^®) achieved through craniofacial epigenetics.

Since 2009, our technology has been the subject of approximately 55 peer-reviewed articles in the medical, dental and orthodontic literature. Of the 55, 27 of these articles are journal papers, with Dr. G. Dave Singh, our Chief Medical Officer, as first author on 22 of these papers. Of the 27, 17 of these articles describe the studies that examine the impact of our technology and protocols on the AHI scores of patients with varying degrees of OSA as described in “Overview” above. In addition, over 25 conference papers have been published as abstracts, with Dr. Singh as first author on 20 of these conference papers, and 19 independent dentists and 5 different sleep physicians are co-authors on these publications as well. The results published in these case reports and articles, together with patient-reported outcomes, have shown that our Vivos System therapy provides a significant reduction in the severity of patients’ mild-to-moderate OSA (as measured by industry standard indices such as the AHI, among others), improvement in sleep-related quality of life, reduction in snoring, as well as a high patient compliance rates and a strong safety profile.

Intellectual Property

To establish and protect our proprietary rights, we rely on a combination of patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, including know-how, license agreements, confidentiality procedures, non-disclosure agreements with third parties, employee disclosure and invention assignment agreements, and other contractual rights. Our intellectual property is important to achieving and maintaining our position in the market. We currently own five design patents that expire between 2023 through 2029 and two utility patents expiring in 2029 and 2030. We also own two Canadian patents and one European patent that has been validated in Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands, all of which expire in 2029. Our U.S. trademark portfolio consists of ten registered marks and five pending trademark applications.

FDA Regulatory Status

The Vivos System features our Mandibular Repositioning Nighttime Appliance (or mRNA appliance^®), which incorporates the same patented technology built into our Daytime Nighttime Appliance (DNA appliance^®). We also separately market our own pre-formed guide and rescue appliances which are not a part of the Vivos System (which we refer to collectively as Vivos Guides or Guides). The regulatory status of our products is as follows:

We are conducting two separate Western Institutional Review Board (WIRB) approved pediatric clinical trials with seven private dental sites around the country. The purpose of the first study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the DNA appliance^® to reduce SDB, including snoring, mild to moderate OSA, and Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (or UARS), and to establish nasal breathing in children. The purpose of the second study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Guides (which we call the Vivos Grow and Vivos Way appliances) to reduce SDB, including snoring, mild to moderate OSA, and Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (or UARS). Upon completion of these WIRB pediatric clinical trials (expected to be completed in the next 12 to 18 months), we plan to submit two separate 510(k) applications to the FDA requesting pediatric clearances and indications of use for the DNA appliance^® as well as the Guides.

The mRNA appliance^® is cleared by the FDA as Class II sleep appliance to treat mild-to-moderate OSA, sleep disordered breathing and snoring in adults. Patients undergoing treatment are seeing improvement in the said cleared indications of use, but clinicians have also reported that they are seeing other comorbidities and medical conditions improve due to treatment. The mRNA appliance^® (central to the Vivos System) and other Vivos appliances are made available to trained clinicians who exercise their independent clinical judgment with respect to their use and suitability as a part of an overall treatment protocol created for each individual patient.

We submitted a 510(k) Class II application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in February 2021 for our mmRNA oral appliance with indications to treat mild-to-moderate OSA, sleep-disordered breathing and snoring in adults. The mmRNA oral appliance (modified mandibular Repositioning Nighttime Appliance) is a new version of the company’s existing mRNA appliance^®, which is an FDA-cleared Class II oral appliance. Assuming the mmRNA’s 510(k) Class II approval, we expect to submit an application to a PDAC (Pricing, Data Analysis and Coding) contractor for the mmRNA to be added to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ list of approved sleep apnea appliances.

In September of 2017 our subsidiary, BMS, was the subject of a routine FDA audit. It was the very first time the FDA had ever audited BMS. That audit resulted in certain findings that BMS was required to remediate, such as the inadequate documentation of certain FDA-required procedures, not keeping certain records and materials in paper format and in triplicate and using certain descriptive words and phrases on its website and in marketing materials that were unapproved in advance by FDA. We immediately hired a highly qualified FDA consultant and legal counsel with FDA expertise to assist BMS in preparing both a written response and a plan for maintaining compliance with FDA regulations and guidelines. In good faith, and based on documents provided by BMS, we believed BMS had filed its response to the original audit in a timely manner with FDA. However, in January 2018 BMS received a request for a response to an FDA Warning Letter that had been posted online at the FDA website for its alleged failure to reply in a timely manner to FDA and address the findings of the September audit. Prior to that request, BMS had never before seen or received any further notice of deficiency and no such Warning Letter. We discovered that this Warning Letter was the direct result of FDA never having received the BMS initial response, which we believed we had filed on September 27, 2017. Due to the local BMS office in Portland, Oregon being closed down on September 30, 2017 pursuant to a share exchange pursuant to which BMS became a subsidiary of our company (which transaction was accounted for as a merger as disclosed in the consolidated financial statements), all of which was fully disclosed to FDA, neither we nor BMS ever received any further notices from FDA as to them not having received the initial BMS response.

Immediately upon becoming aware of the miscommunication and deficiency, we and BMS notified the FDA of the error and provided the FDA with full documentation of our substantial efforts to fully comply with FDA rules and regulations. The FDA completed a second audit in April 2018, which examined the responses to the BMS findings and Warning Letter. We believe that this matter has been satisfactorily resolved, although no definitive statement to that effect has been made by FDA, nor has the Warning Letter been taken down. The FDA also audited our company (then known as Vivos BioTechnologies, Inc.) and issued one minor observation, to which we have responded and addressed.

In addition to the proactive steps previously mentioned, we engaged a consultant in October of 2017 who we hired as our Senior Vice President of Compliance in January 2018, revamped 100% of all website and marketing materials and literature, accelerated our efforts to address all of the findings of deficiencies from the September 2017 audit, and began filing additional documentation and requests to expand the current labeling restrictions and allow us to have greater latitude in using certain descriptive phrases such as Sleep Disordered Breathing in public communications.

We have validated a 510(k) request for the DNA appliance^® with retrospective clinical data. This DNA appliance^® 510(k) is under review and the approval process is expected to take three to six months, meaning we would expect to hear from the FDA in 2021. However, it is possible that we may not receive this FDA additional clearance. Nevertheless, the DNA appliance^® is exempt from 510(k) clearance, as a Class I device.

Also see “Corporate History – Rescission Offering in 2018” below for more information relating to such FDA matter.

Manufacturing and Supply

We rely on third-party suppliers and manufacturers on a per order, or per item basis. Outsourcing manufacturing reduces our need for capital investment and reduces operational expenses. Additionally, outsourcing provides expertise and capacity necessary to scale up or down based on demand for our Vivos System. We select our manufacturing labs to ensure that our Vivos System appliances are safe and effective, adhere to all applicable regulations, are of the highest quality, and meet our supply needs. We also rely on third-party carriers and freight forwarders for product shipments, including shipments to and from our manufactures’ distribution facilities and customer distribution facilities.

Our Ongoing Clinical Research

We are committed to ongoing research and development and we intend to invest in our business to further improve our products and clinical outcomes, increase patient acceptance and comfort and broaden the patient population that can benefit from the Vivos System.

Government Regulation

Our products and our operations are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA and other federal and state authorities in the United States, as well as comparable authorities in the EEA. Our products are subject to regulation as medical devices under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or FDCA, as implemented and enforced by the FDA. The FDA regulates the development, design, non-clinical and clinical research, manufacturing, safety, efficacy, labeling, packaging, storage, installation, servicing, recordkeeping, premarket clearance or approval, import, export, adverse event reporting, advertising, promotion, marketing and distribution, and import and export of medical devices to ensure that medical devices distributed domestically are safe and effective for their intended uses and otherwise meet the requirements of the FDCA.

In addition to U.S. regulations, we are subject to a variety of regulations in the EEA governing clinical trials and the commercial sales and distribution of our products. Whether or not we have or are required to obtain FDA clearance or approval for a product, we will be required to obtain authorization before commencing clinical trials and to obtain marketing authorization or approval of our products under the comparable regulatory authorities of countries outside of the United States before we can commence clinical trials or commercialize our products in those countries. The approval process varies from country to country and the time may be longer or shorter than that required for FDA clearance or approval.

FDA Premarket Clearance and Approval Requirements

Unless an exemption applies, each medical device commercially distributed in the United States requires either FDA clearance of a 510(k) premarket notification or pre-market approval (PMA). Under the FDCA, medical devices are classified into one of three classes—Class I, Class II or Class III—depending on the degree of risk associated with each medical device and the extent of manufacturer and regulatory control needed to ensure its safety and effectiveness. Class I includes devices with the lowest risk to the patient and are those for which safety and effectiveness can be assured by adherence to the FDA’s General Controls for medical devices, which include compliance with the applicable portions of the QSR, facility registration and product listing, reporting of adverse medical events, and truthful and non-misleading labeling, advertising, and promotional materials. Class II devices are subject to the FDA’s General Controls, and special controls as deemed necessary by the FDA to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the device. These special controls can include performance standards, post-market surveillance, patient registries and FDA guidance documents. While most Class I devices are exempt from the 510(k) premarket notification requirement, manufacturers of most Class II devices are required to submit to the FDA a premarket notification under Section 510(k) of the FDCA requesting permission to commercially distribute the device. The FDA’s permission to commercially distribute a device subject to a 510(k) premarket notification is generally known as 510(k) clearance. Under the 510(k) process, the manufacturer must submit to the FDA a premarket notification demonstrating that the device is “substantially equivalent” to either a device that was legally marketed (for which the FDA has not required a PMA submission) prior to May 28, 1976, the date upon which the Medical Device Amendments of 1976 were enacted, or another commercially available device that was cleared to through the 510(k) process. The FDA has 90 days from the date of the pre-market equivalence acceptance to authorize or decline commercial distribution of the device. However, similar to the PMA process, clearance may take longer than this three-month window, as the FDA can request additional data. If the FDA resolves that the product is not substantially equivalent to a predicate device, then the device acquires a Class III designation, and a PMA must be approved before the device can be commercialized.

The Guides are registered with the FDA as Class I devices for orthodontic tooth positioning. The DNA appliance® is registered with the FDA as a Class I device for palatal expansion and is currently used by Vivos-trained clinicians accordingly. The DNA appliance® also currently has a pending 510(k) application to include additional indications of use for the treatment of mild-to-moderate OSA, snoring, and SDB in adults. This use would require the DNA appliance^® to be registered as a Class II device. We have validated this 510(k) request with retrospective clinical data. This DNA appliance® 510(k) review and approval process is expected to take another three to six months, meaning we would expect to hear from the FDA in 2021. However, it is possible that we may not receive this FDA additional clearance. Nevertheless, the DNA appliance® is exempt from 510(k) clearance as a Class I device. Given the fact that our dentists regularly prescribe the DNA appliance to treat conditions closely associated with OSA, we do not believe a failure to receive FDA Class II clearance would materially impact our results or financial condition. The mRNA appliance® has 510(k) clearance from the FDA as a Class II medical device for the treatment of snoring, mild-to-moderate OSA and SDB.

Devices deemed by the FDA to pose the greatest risks, such as life-sustaining, life-supporting or some implantable devices, or devices that have a new intended use, or use advanced technology that is not substantially equivalent to that of a legally marketed device, are placed in Class III, requiring approval of a PMA. Some pre-amendment devices are unclassified, but are subject to the FDA’s premarket notification and clearance process in order to be commercially distributed. We do not have any Class III devices.

PMA Pathway

Class III devices require PMA approval before they can be marketed although some pre-amendment Class III devices for which the FDA has not yet required a PMA are cleared through the 510(k) process. The PMA process is more demanding than the 510(k) premarket notification process. In a PMA application, the manufacturer must demonstrate that the device is safe and effective, and the PMA application must be supported by extensive data, including data from preclinical studies and human clinical trials. The PMA must also contain a full description of the device and its components, a full description of the methods, facilities and controls used for manufacturing, and proposed labeling. Following receipt of a PMA application, the FDA determines whether the application is sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review. If the FDA accepts the application for review, it has 180 days under the FDCA to complete its review of a PMA application, although in practice, the FDA’s review often takes significantly longer, and can take up to several years. An advisory panel of experts from outside the FDA may be convened to review and evaluate the application and provide recommendations to the FDA as to the approvability of the device. The FDA may or may not accept the panel’s recommendation. In addition, the FDA will generally conduct a preapproval inspection of the applicant or its third-party manufacturers.

The FDA will approve the new device for commercial distribution if it determines that the data and information in the PMA application constitute valid scientific evidence and that there is reasonable assurance that the device is safe and effective for its intended use(s). The FDA may approve a PMA application with post-approval conditions intended to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the device, including, among other things, restrictions on labeling, promotion, sale and distribution, and collection of long-term follow-up data from patients in the clinical study that supported a PMA approval or requirements to conduct additional clinical studies post-approval. The FDA may condition a PMA approval on some form of post-market surveillance when deemed necessary to protect the public health or to provide additional safety and efficacy data for the device in a larger population or for a longer period of use. In such cases, the manufacturer might be required to follow certain patient groups for a number of years and to make periodic reports to the FDA on the clinical status of those patients. Failure to comply with the conditions of approval can result in material adverse enforcement action, including withdrawal of the approval.

Certain changes to an approved device, such as changes in manufacturing facilities, methods, or quality control procedures, or changes in the design performance specifications, which affect the safety or effectiveness of the device, require submission of a new PMA application or a PMA supplement. PMA supplements often require submission of the same type of information as a PMA application, except that the supplement is limited to information needed to support any changes from the device covered by the original PMA application and may not require as extensive clinical data or the convening of an advisory panel. Certain other changes to an approved device require the submission of a new PMA application, such as when the design change causes a different intended use, mode of operation, and technical basis of operation, or when the design change is so significant that a new generation of the device will be developed, and the data that were submitted with the original PMA application are not applicable for the change in demonstrating a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are almost always required to support a PMA application and are sometimes required to support a 510(k) submission. All clinical investigations of investigational devices to determine safety and effectiveness must be conducted in accordance with the FDA’s investigational device exemption, or IDE, regulations which govern investigational device labeling, prohibit promotion of the investigational device, and specify an array of recordkeeping, reporting and monitoring responsibilities of study sponsors and study investigators. If the device presents a “significant risk” to human health, as defined by the FDA, the FDA requires the device sponsor to submit an IDE application to the FDA, which must become effective prior to commencing human clinical trials. A significant risk device is one that presents a potential for serious risk to the health, safety or welfare of a patient and either is implanted, used in supporting or sustaining human life, substantially important in diagnosing, curing, mitigating or treating disease or otherwise preventing impairment of human health, or otherwise presents a potential for serious risk to a subject. An IDE application must be supported by appropriate data, such as animal and laboratory test results, showing that it is safe to test the device in humans and that the testing protocol is scientifically sound. The IDE will automatically become effective 30 days after receipt by the FDA unless the FDA notifies us that the investigation may not begin. If the FDA determines that there are deficiencies or other concerns with an IDE for which it requires modification, the FDA may require a response on such deficiencies or permit a clinical trial to proceed under a conditional approval.

In addition, the study must be approved by, and conducted under the oversight of, an Institutional Review Board, or IRB, for each clinical site. The IRB is responsible for the initial and continuing review of the IDE, and may pose additional requirements for the conduct of the study. If an IDE application is approved by the FDA and one or more IRBs, human clinical trials may begin at a specific number of investigational sites with a specific number of patients, as approved by the FDA. If the device presents a non-significant risk to the patient, a sponsor may begin the clinical trial after obtaining approval for the trial by one or more IRBs without separate approval from the FDA, but must still follow abbreviated IDE requirements, such as monitoring the investigation, ensuring that the investigators obtain informed consent, and labeling and record-keeping requirements. Acceptance of an IDE application for review does not guarantee that the FDA will allow the IDE to become effective and, if it does become effective, the FDA may or may not determine that the data derived from the trials support the safety and effectiveness of the device or warrant the continuation of clinical trials. An IDE supplement must be submitted to, and approved by, the FDA before a sponsor or investigator may make a change to the investigational plan that may affect its scientific soundness, study plan or the rights, safety or welfare of human subjects.

During a study, the sponsor is required to comply with the applicable FDA requirements, including, for example, trial monitoring, selecting clinical investigators and providing them with the investigational plan, ensuring IRB review, adverse event reporting, record keeping and prohibitions on the promotion of investigational devices or on making safety or effectiveness claims for them. The clinical investigators in the clinical study are also subject to FDA regulations and must obtain patient informed consent, rigorously follow the investigational plan and study protocol, control the disposition of the investigational device, and comply with all reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Additionally, after a trial begins, we, the FDA or the IRB could suspend or terminate a clinical trial at any time for various reasons, including a belief that the risks to study subjects outweigh the anticipated benefits.

Post-market Regulation

After a device is cleared or approved for marketing, numerous and pervasive regulatory requirements continue to apply. These include:

We may be subject to similar foreign laws that may include applicable post-marketing requirements such as safety surveillance. Our manufacturing processes are required to comply with the applicable portions of the QSR, which cover the methods and the facilities and controls for the design, manufacture, testing, production, processes, controls, quality assurance, labeling, packaging, distribution, installation and servicing of finished devices intended for human use. The QSR also requires, among other things, maintenance of a device master file, device history file, and complaint files. As a manufacturer, our facilities, records and manufacturing processes are subject to periodic scheduled or unscheduled inspections by the FDA. Our failure to maintain compliance with the QSR or other applicable regulatory requirements could result in the shut-down of, or restrictions on, our manufacturing operations and the recall or seizure of our products. The discovery of previously unknown problems with any of our products, including unanticipated adverse events or adverse events of increasing severity or frequency, whether resulting from the use of the device within the scope of its clearance or off-label by a physician in the practice of medicine, could result in restrictions on the device, including the removal of the product from the market or voluntary or mandatory device recalls or a public warning letter that could harm both our reputation and sales. Any potential consequences of off-label use of the DNA appliance are the responsibility of the treating dentist; however, we may face consequences related to such off-label use. See “Risk Factors— The misuse or off-label use of the Vivos System may harm our reputation in the marketplace, result in injuries that lead to product liability suits or result in costly investigations, fines or sanctions by regulatory bodies if we are deemed to have engaged in the promotion of these uses, any of which could be costly to our business.”

The FDA has broad regulatory compliance and enforcement powers. If the FDA determines that we failed to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, it can take a variety of compliance or enforcement actions, which may result in any of the following sanctions:

Regulation of Medical Devices in the EEA

There is currently no premarket government review of medical devices in the EEA (which is comprised of the 28 Member States of the EU plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland). However, all medical devices placed on the market in the EEA must meet the relevant essential requirements laid down in Annex I of Directive ⁹³/42/EEC concerning medical devices, or the Medical Devices Directive. There is also a directive specifically addressing Active Implantable Medical Devices (Directive 90/385/EEC). The most fundamental essential requirement is that a medical device must be designed and manufactured in such a way that it will not compromise the clinical condition or safety of patients, or the safety and health of users and others. In addition, the device must achieve the performances intended by the manufacturer and be designed, manufactured and packaged in a suitable manner. The European Commission has adopted various standards applicable to medical devices. These include standards governing common requirements, such as sterilization and safety of medical electrical equipment, and product standards for certain types of medical devices. There are also harmonized standards relating to design and manufacture. While not mandatory, compliance with these standards is viewed as the easiest way to satisfy the essential requirements as a practical matter. Compliance with a standard developed to implement an essential requirement also creates a rebuttable presumption that the device satisfies that essential requirement.

To demonstrate compliance with the essential requirements laid down in Annex I to the Medical Devices Directive, medical device manufacturers must undergo a conformity assessment procedure, which varies according to the type of medical device and its classification. Conformity assessment procedures require an assessment of available clinical evidence, literature data for the product and post-market experience in respect of similar products already marketed. Except for low-risk medical devices (Class I non-sterile, non-measuring devices), where the manufacturer can self-declare the conformity of its products with the essential requirements (except for any parts which relate to sterility or metrology), a conformity assessment procedure requires the intervention of a Notified Body. Notified bodies are often separate entities and are authorized or licensed to perform such assessments by government authorities. The notified body would typically audit and examine a product’s technical dossiers and the manufacturers’ quality system. If satisfied that the relevant product conforms to the relevant essential requirements, the notified body issues a certificate of conformity, which the manufacturer uses as a basis for its own declaration of conformity. The manufacturer may then apply the CE Mark to the device, which allows the device to be placed on the market throughout the EEA. Once the product has been placed on the market in the EEA, the manufacturer must comply with requirements for reporting incidents and field safety corrective actions associated with the medical device.

In order to demonstrate safety and efficacy for their medical devices, manufacturers must conduct clinical investigations in accordance with the requirements of Annex X to the Medical Devices Directive, Annex 7 of the Active Implantable Medical Devices Directive, and applicable European and International Organization for Standardization standards, as implemented or adopted in the EEA member states. Clinical trials for medical devices usually require the approval of an ethics review board and approval by or notification to the national regulatory authorities. Both regulators and ethics committees also require the submission of serious adverse event reports during a study and may request a copy of the final study report.

On April 5, 2017, the European Parliament passed the Medical Devices Regulation (Regulation 2017/745), which repeals and replaces the EU Medical Devices Directive and the Active Implantable Medical Devices Directive. Unlike directives, which must be implemented into the national laws of the EEA member States, the regulations would be directly applicable, i.e., without the need for adoption of EEA member State laws implementing them, in all EEA member States and are intended to eliminate current differences in the regulation of medical devices among EEA member States. The Medical Devices Regulation, among other things, is intended to establish a uniform, transparent, predictable and sustainable regulatory framework across the EEA for medical devices and ensure a high level of safety and health while supporting innovation. The Medical Devices Regulation will however only become applicable three years after publication (in 2020). Once applicable, the new regulations will among other things:

We are subject to regulations and product registration requirements in many foreign countries in which we may sell our products, including in the areas of:

The EU Medical Devices Regulation became effective in May 2020. The revised regulation includes further controls and requirements on the following activities:

Federal, State and Foreign Fraud and Abuse and Physician Payment Transparency Laws

In addition to FDA restrictions on marketing and promotion of drugs and devices, other federal and state laws restrict our business practices. These laws include, without limitation, foreign, federal, and state anti-kickback and false claims laws, as well as transparency laws regarding payments or other items of value provided to healthcare providers.

The federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits, among other things, knowingly and willfully offering, paying, soliciting or receiving any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe or rebate), directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind to induce or in return for purchasing, leasing, ordering or arranging for or recommending the purchase, lease or order of any good, facility, item or service reimbursable, in whole or in part, under Medicare, Medicaid or other federal healthcare programs. The term “remuneration” has been broadly interpreted to include anything of value, including stock, stock options, and the compensation derived through ownership interests.

Recognizing that the federal Anti-Kickback Statute is broad and may prohibit many innocuous or beneficial arrangements within the healthcare industry, the United State Department of Health and Human Services (“DHHS”) issued regulations in July 1991, which DHHS has referred to as “safe harbors.” These safe harbor regulations set forth certain provisions which, if met in form and substance, will assure medical device manufacturers, healthcare providers and other parties that they will not be prosecuted under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute. Additional safe harbor provisions providing similar protections have been published intermittently since 1991. Although there are a number of statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors protecting some common activities from prosecution, the exceptions and safe harbors are drawn narrowly. Our arrangements with physicians, hospitals and other persons or entities who are in a position to refer may not fully meet the stringent criteria specified in the various safe harbors. Practices that involve remuneration that may be alleged to be intended to induce prescribing, purchases or recommendations may be subject to scrutiny if they do not fall within an exception or safe harbor. Failure to meet all of the requirements of a particular applicable statutory exception or regulatory safe harbor does not make the conduct per se illegal under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute. Instead, the legality of the arrangement will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis based on a cumulative review of all its facts and circumstances. Several courts have interpreted the statute’s intent requirement to mean that if any one purpose of an arrangement involving remuneration is to induce referrals of federal healthcare covered business, the federal Anti-Kickback Statute has been violated. In addition, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation. Moreover, a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the federal civil False Claims Act (described below).

Violations of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute may result in civil monetary penalties up to $100,000 for each violation, plus up to three times the remuneration involved. Civil penalties for such conduct can further be assessed under the federal False Claims Act. Violations can also result in criminal penalties, including criminal fines of up to $100,000 and imprisonment of up to 10 years. Similarly, violations can result in exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Liability under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute may also arise because of the intentions or actions of the parties with whom we do business. While we are not aware of any such intentions or actions, we have only limited knowledge regarding the intentions or actions underlying those arrangements. Conduct and business arrangements that do not fully satisfy one of these safe harbor provisions may result in increased scrutiny by government enforcement authorities. The majority of states also have anti-kickback laws which establish similar prohibitions and, in some cases, may apply more broadly to items or services covered by any third-party payor, including commercial insurers and self-pay patients.

The federal civil False Claims Act prohibits, among other things, any person or entity from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval to the federal government or knowingly making, using or causing to be made or used a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim to the federal government. A claim includes “any request or demand” for money or property presented to the U.S. government. The federal civil False Claims Act also applies to false submissions that cause the government to be paid less than the amount to which it is entitled, such as a rebate. Intent to deceive is not required to establish liability under the civil federal civil False Claims Act.

In addition, private parties may initiate “qui tam” whistleblower lawsuits against any person or entity under the federal civil False Claims Act in the name of the government and share in the proceeds of the lawsuit. Penalties for federal civil False Claim Act violations include fines for each false claim, plus up to three times the amount of damages sustained by the federal government and, most critically, may provide the basis for exclusion from government healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. On May 20, 2009, the Fraud Enforcement Recovery Act of 2009, or FERA, was enacted, which modifies and clarifies certain provisions of the federal civil False Claims Act. In part, the FERA amends the federal civil False Claims Act such that penalties may now apply to any person, including an organization that does not contract directly with the government, who knowingly makes, uses or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim paid in part by the federal government. The government may further prosecute conduct constituting a false claim under the federal criminal False Claims Act. The criminal False Claims Act prohibits the making or presenting of a claim to the government knowing such claim to be false, fictitious or fraudulent and, unlike the federal civil False Claims Act, requires proof of intent to submit a false claim. When an entity is determined to have violated the federal civil False Claims Act, the government may impose civil fines and penalties ranging from $11,181 to $22,363 for each false claim, plus treble damages, and exclude the entity from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs.

The Civil Monetary Penalty Act of 1981 imposes penalties against any person or entity that, among other things, is determined to have presented or caused to be presented a claim to a federal healthcare program that the person knows or should know is for an item or service that was not provided as claimed or is false or fraudulent, or offering or transferring remuneration to a federal healthcare beneficiary that a person knows or should know is likely to influence the beneficiary’s decision to order or receive items or services reimbursable by the government from a particular provider or supplier.

HIPAA also created additional federal criminal statutes that prohibit among other actions, knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, including private third-party payors, knowingly and willfully embezzling or stealing from a healthcare benefit program, willfully obstructing a criminal investigation of a healthcare offense, and knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering up a material fact or making any materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement in connection with the delivery of or payment for healthcare benefits, items or services. Similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation.

Many foreign countries have similar laws relating to healthcare fraud and abuse. Foreign laws and regulations may vary greatly from country to country. For example, the advertising and promotion of our products is subject to EU Directives concerning misleading and comparative advertising and unfair commercial practices, as well as other EEA Member State legislation governing the advertising and promotion of medical devices. These laws may limit or restrict the advertising and promotion of our products to the general public and may impose limitations on our promotional activities with healthcare professionals. Also, many U.S. states have similar fraud and abuse statutes or regulations that may be broader in scope and may apply regardless of payor, in addition to items and services reimbursed under Medicaid and other state programs.

Additionally, there has been a recent trend of increased foreign, federal, and state regulation of payments and transfers of value provided to healthcare professionals or entities. The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act imposes annual reporting requirements on certain drug, biologics, medical supplies and device manufacturers for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (“CHIP”), for payments and other transfers of value provided by them, directly or indirectly, to physicians (including physician family members), certain other healthcare providers, and teaching hospitals, as well as ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members. A manufacturer’s failure to submit timely, accurately and completely the required information for all payments, transfers of value or ownership or investment interests may result in civil monetary penalties ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 for each payment or other transfer of value that Is not reported (up to a maximum per annual report of $150,000) and from $10,000 to $100,000 for each knowing failure to report (up to a maximum per annual report of $1,150,000). Manufacturers must submit reports by the 90^th day of each calendar year. Certain foreign countries and U.S. states also mandate implementation of commercial compliance programs, impose restrictions on device manufacturer marketing practices and require tracking and reporting of gifts, compensation and other remuneration to healthcare professionals and entities. Additionally, there are criminal penalties if an entity intentionally makes false statement in such reports. With some exceptions, the information that manufacturers report is made publicly available.

Data Privacy and Security Laws

We are also subject to various federal, state and foreign laws that protect the confidentiality of certain patient health information, including patient medical records, and restrict the use and disclosure of patient health information by healthcare providers, such as HIPAA, as amended by HITECH, in the United States.

HIPAA established uniform standards governing the conduct of certain electronic healthcare transactions and requires certain entities, called covered entities, to comply with standards that include the privacy and security of protected health information, or PHI. HIPAA also requires business associates, such as independent contractors or agents of covered entities that have access to PHI in connection with providing a service to or on behalf of a covered entity, of covered entities to enter into business associate agreements with the covered entity and to safeguard the covered entity’s PHI against improper use and disclosure.

The HIPAA privacy regulations cover the use and disclosure of protected health information by covered entities as well as business associates, which are defined to include subcontractors that create, receive, maintain, or transmit protected health information on behalf of a business associate. They also set forth certain rights that an individual has with respect to his or her protected health information maintained by a covered entity, including the right to access or amend certain records containing protected health information, or to request restrictions on the use or disclosure of protected health information. The security regulations establish requirements for safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of protected health information that is electronically transmitted or electronically stored. HITECH, among other things, established certain health information security breach notification requirements. A covered entity must notify any individual whose protected health information is breached according to the specifications set forth in the breach notification rule. The HIPAA privacy and security regulations establish a uniform federal “floor” and do not supersede state laws that are more stringent or provide individuals with greater rights with respect to the privacy or security of, and access to, their records containing protected health information or insofar as such state laws apply to personal information that is broader in scope than protected health information as defined under HIPAA.

HIPAA requires the notification of patients, and other compliance actions, in the event of a breach of unsecured protected health information, or PHI. If notification to patients of a breach is required, such notification must be provided without unreasonable delay and in no event later than 60 calendar days after discovery of the breach. In addition, if the PHI of 500 or more individuals is improperly used or disclosed, we would be required to report the improper use or disclosure to DHHS, Office of Civil Rights, which would post the violation on its website, and to the media. Failure to comply with the HIPAA privacy and security standards can result in civil monetary penalties up to $59,522 per violation, not to exceed $1,785,651 per calendar year for non-compliance of an identical provision, and, in certain circumstances, criminal penalties with fines up to $250,000 per violation and/or imprisonment.

HIPAA authorizes state attorneys general to file suit on behalf of their residents for violations. Courts are able to award damages, costs and attorneys’ fees related to violations of HIPAA in such cases. While HIPAA does not create a private right of action allowing individuals to file suit against us in civil court for violations of HIPAA, its standards have been used as the basis for duty of care cases in state civil suits such as those for negligence or recklessness in the misuse or breach of PHI. In addition, HIPAA mandates that the Secretary of DHHS conduct periodic compliance audits of HIPAA covered entities, such as us, and their business associates for compliance with the HIPAA privacy and security standards. It also tasks DHHS with establishing a methodology whereby harmed individuals who were the victims of breaches of unsecured PHI may receive a percentage of the civil monetary penalty paid by the violator.

In the European Union, we may be subject to laws relating to our collection, control, processing and other use of personal data (i.e. data relating to an identifiable living individual). We process personal data in relation to our operations. We process data of both our employees and our customers, including health and medical information. The data privacy regime in the EU includes the EU Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC) regarding the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data, the E-Privacy Directive 2002/58/EC and national laws implementing each of them. Each EU Member State has transposed the requirements laid down by the Data Protection Directive and E-Privacy Directive into its own national data privacy regime and therefore the laws may differ by jurisdiction, sometimes significantly. We need to ensure compliance with the rules in each jurisdiction where we are established or are otherwise subject to local privacy laws.

The requirements include that personal data may only be collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes based on legal grounds set out in the local laws and may only be processed in a manner consistent with those purposes. Personal data must also be adequate, relevant, not excessive in relation to the purposes for which it is collected, be secure, not be transferred outside of the EEA unless certain steps are taken to ensure an adequate level of protection and must not be kept for longer than necessary for the purposes of collection. To the extent that we process, control or otherwise use sensitive data relating to living individuals (for example, patients’ health or medical information), more stringent rules apply, limiting the circumstances and the manner in which we are legally permitted to process that data and transfer that data outside of the EEA. In particular, in order to process such data, explicit consent to the processing (including any transfer) is usually required from the data subject (being the person to whom the personal data relates).

The new EU-wide General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, became applicable on May 25, 2018, replacing the current data protection laws issued by each EU member state based on the Directive 95/46/EC. Unlike the Directive (which needed to be transposed at national level), the GDPR text is directly applicable in each EU member state, resulting in a more uniform application of data privacy laws across the EU. The GDPR imposes onerous accountability obligations requiring data controllers and processors to maintain a record of their data processing and policies. It requires data controllers to be transparent and disclose to data subjects (in a concise, intelligible and easily accessible form) how their personal information is to be used, imposes limitations on retention of information, increases requirements pertaining to pseudonymized (i.e., key-coded) data, introduces mandatory data breach notification requirements and sets higher standards for data controllers to demonstrate that they have obtained valid consent for certain data processing activities. Fines for non-compliance with the GDPR are significant—the greater of EUR 20 million or 4% of global turnover. The GDPR provides that EU member states may introduce further conditions, including limitations, to the processing of genetic, biometric or health data, which could limit our ability to collect, use and share personal data, or could cause our compliance costs to increase, ultimately having an adverse impact on our business.

We are subject to the supervision of local data protection authorities in those jurisdictions where we are established or otherwise subject to applicable law.

We depend on a number of third parties in relation to our provision of our services, a number of which process personal data on our behalf. With each such provider we enter into contractual arrangements to ensure that they only process personal data according to our instructions, and that they have sufficient technical and organizational security measures in place. Where we transfer personal data outside the EEA, we do so in compliance with the relevant data export requirements. We take our data protection obligations seriously, as any improper disclosure, particularly with regard to our customers’ sensitive personal data, could negatively impact our business and/or our reputation.

Healthcare Reform

The United States and some foreign jurisdictions are considering or have enacted a number of legislative and regulatory proposals to change the healthcare system in ways that could affect our ability to sell our products profitably. Among policy makers and payors in the United States and elsewhere, there is significant interest in promoting changes in healthcare systems with the stated goals of containing healthcare costs, improving quality or expanding access. Current and future legislative proposals to further reform healthcare or reduce healthcare costs may limit coverage of or lower reimbursement for the procedures associated with the use of our products. The cost containment measures that payors and providers are instituting and the effect of any healthcare reform initiative implemented in the future could impact our revenue from the sale of our products.

The implementation of the Affordable Care Act in the United States, for example, has changed healthcare financing and delivery by both governmental and private insurers substantially, and affected medical device manufacturers significantly. The Affordable Care Act imposed, among other things, a 2.3% federal excise tax, with limited exceptions, on any entity that manufactures or imports Class I, II and III medical devices offered for sale in the United States that began on January 1, 2013. Through a series of legislative amendments, the tax was suspended for 2016 through 2019. Absent further legislative action, the device excise tax will be reinstated on medical device sales starting January 1, 2020. The Affordable Care Act also provided incentives to programs that increase the federal government’s comparative effectiveness research and implemented payment system reforms including a national pilot program on payment bundling to encourage hospitals, physicians and other providers to improve the coordination, quality and efficiency of certain healthcare services through bundled payment models. Additionally, the Affordable Care Act has expanded eligibility criteria for Medicaid programs and created a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to oversee, identify priorities in, and conduct comparative clinical effectiveness research, along with funding for such research. We do not yet know the full impact that the Affordable Care Act will have on our business. There have been judicial and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the Affordable Care Act, and we expect additional challenges and amendments in the future. Moreover, the Trump Administration and the U.S. Congress may take further action regarding the Affordable Care Act, including, but not limited to, repeal or replacement. Most recently, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts was enacted, which, among other things, removes penalties for not complying with the individual mandate to carry health insurance, beginning in 2019.

In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the Affordable Care Act was enacted. For example, the Budget Control Act of 2011, among other things, included reductions to Medicare payments to providers of 2% per fiscal year, which went into effect on April 1, 2013 and, due to subsequent legislative amendments to the statute, will remain in effect through 2027 unless additional Congressional action is taken. Additionally, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, among other things, reduced Medicare payments to several providers, including hospitals, and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years.

We expect additional state and federal healthcare reform measures to be adopted in the future, any of which could limit the amounts that federal and state governments will pay for healthcare products and services, which could result in reduced demand for our products or additional pricing pressure.

Anti-Bribery and Corruption Laws

Our U.S. operations are subject to the FCPA. We are required to comply with the FCPA, which generally prohibits covered entities and their intermediaries from engaging in bribery or making other prohibited payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business or other benefits. In addition, the FCPA imposes accounting standards and requirements on publicly traded U.S. corporations and their foreign affiliates, which are intended to prevent the diversion of corporate funds to the payment of bribes and other improper payments, and to prevent the establishment of “off books” slush funds from which such improper payments can be made. We also are subject to similar anticorruption legislation implemented in Europe under the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions.

Human Capital Resources

As of December 31, 2020, we had 93 full-time employees and 5 part-time employees. None of our employees are represented by a union. We consider our relations with our employees to be good but we do have a Whistleblower Hotline setup for employees to confidentially report concerns. Of our current employees, approximately nine are involved in senior management, 16 in sales and marketing, one in research, development and regulatory and 71 in finance and operations.

We value the importance of retention, growth and development of our employees and we believe we offer competitive compensation (including salary, incentive bonus, and equity) and benefits packages. We traditionally will benchmark compensation with external sources to verify positions are paid in-line with the market. Our corporate culture is built on passion – we believe in the company’s vision of ridding the world of sleep apnea and hire employees who want to share that same passion. We hold annual company-wide trainings and host regularly scheduled management meetings where management communicates notable corporate developments to be disseminated to employees, as well as a periodic corporate all hands meetings. We are always looking for additional ways to diversify our workforce. We will continue to promote a work environment that is based on the fundamental principles of human dignity, equality and mutual respect. In addition, we are committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for all of our employees. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have required personal protective equipment for patient-facing employees in addition to requiring daily health questionnaires and temperature checks. Many employees work remotely and we have limited travel as a result of the pandemic. We will continue to support our workforce during these unprecedented circumstances to ensure their safety and well-being.

Corporate History

Formation

We were originally organized on July 7, 2016 in Wyoming as Corrective BioTechnologies, Inc. On September 6, 2016, we changed our name from Corrective BioTechnologies, Inc. to Vivos BioTechnologies, Inc. On March 2, 2018, we changed our name from Vivos BioTechnologies, Inc. to Vivos Therapeutics, Inc. During our formation in 2016, we issued an aggregate of 933,334 shares of common stock to a group of our founders, including Summit Capital USA (now Upeva, Inc., 666,667 shares), Regal Capital Venture Partners LLC (166,667 shares) and Thomas P. Madden (100,000 shares) at a purchase price of $0.0003 per share (for an aggregate of $280 of proceeds).

Acquisition of BioModeling Solutions, Inc. and First Vivos, Inc.

In August and September 2016, we completed, by way of share exchange, an agreement to acquire the business and operations of (1) BMS (now a wholly-owned subsidiary), which was engaged in the manufacture and sale of our patented DNA appliance^® and FDA cleared mRNA appliance^® (collectively with special proprietary treatment protocols comprises the Vivos System), and (2) First Vivos, Inc., a Texas corporation (or First Vivos), which proposed to develop and operate a retail chain of Vivos Centers with specially trained dentists that offer the Vivos System and corroborating physicians. In connection with the share exchange with BMS, we issued 3,333,334 shares of common stock to the shareholders of BMS (including, but not limited to, Dr. G. Dave Singh, our founder and Chief Medical Officer, who received 3,219,705 shares) in exchange for 12,423,500 shares of BMS, which constitutes 100% ownership interest in BMS. In connection with the share exchange with First Vivos, we issued 3,333,334 shares of common stock to the shareholders of First Vivos (including, but not limited to, R. Kirk Huntsman, our co-founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, who received 1,833,334 shares) in exchange for 5,000 shares of First Vivos, which constitutes 100% ownership interest in First Vivos.

The transaction was accounted for as a reverse acquisition and recapitalization, with BMS as the acquirer for financial reporting and accounting purposes. Upon the consummation of the acquisition, the historical financial statements of BMS became our historical financial statements and continued to be recorded at their historical carrying amounts.

Rescission Offering in 2018

On January 26, 2018, we offered fifteen (15) investors who invested from January 4, 2018 to February 9, 2018 a right to rescind their purchase of shares of common stock during such period and to receive a refund of the full purchase price paid for such shares due to inadvertent non-disclosure of our receipt of a Warning Letter from the FDA on January 12, 2018 requesting that we take prompt action to correct the violations discussed in the Warning Letter, and noting that our failure to do so may result in regulatory action being initiated by the FDA. See “FDA Regulatory Status” above for further information on FDA matter. None of such investors elected to rescind their purchase of such shares.

Issuance of Common Stock and Convertible Promissory Note in Connection with Acquisition of Orem Vivos Center and Empowered Dental Lab

On July 1, 2018, we issued 93,334 shares of common stock with a value of $7.50 per share (an aggregate value of $700,000) and a 6% convertible promissory note in the principal amount of $525,000 to a third party to acquire his dentistry clinic in Orem, Utah (total consideration of $1,225,000). On November 6, 2018, we entered into an asset purchase agreement with Empowered Dental Lab, LLC, a Utah limited liability company, under which we agreed to purchase certain inventory and assets from Empowered Dental Lab in exchange for consideration of 6,667 shares of common stock and a 6% convertible promissory note for $25,000, for total consideration of $75,000.

Adoption of Stock and Option Award Plan

On April 18, 2019, our stockholders approved the adoption of a stock and option award plan (the “2019 Plan”), under which 333,334 shares were reserved for future issuance for options, restricted stock awards and other equity awards. On June 18, 2020, our stockholders approved an amendment and restatement of the 2019 Plan to increase the number shares or our common stock available for issuance thereunder by 833,333 share of common stock such that, after amendment and restatement of the 2019 Plan, 1,166,667 shares of common stock will be available for issuance under the 2019 Plan. The 2019 Plan permits grants of equity awards to employees, directors, consultants and other independent contractors.

Approval of Transfer of Corporate Domicile and Reverse Stock Split

On April 18, 2019, our stockholders voted to authorize our board of directors to recapitalize our common stock by way of reverse stock split at a ratio of up to one for three. In addition, on such date, our shareholders also authorized our board of directors to transfer our corporate domicile from Wyoming to another U.S. state. Our board of directors elected not to implement the reverse stock split transfer of corporate domicile at that time.

Effective August 12, 2020, we transferred our corporate domicile and became a Delaware corporation pursuant to Section 17-16-1720 of the Wyoming Business Corporation Act and Section 265 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. As a result of the transfer of corporate domicile, each share of capital stock of Vivos Wyoming became a share of capital stock of Vivos Delaware on a one-to-one basis, and such shares shall carry the same terms in all material respects as the shares of Vivos Wyoming . The transfer of corporate domicile has heretofore been approved by the board of directors and majority shareholders of Vivos Wyoming.

On July 30, 2020, prior to the transfer of our corporate domicile from Wyoming to Delaware, Vivos Wyoming we implemented a one-for-three reverse stock split of our outstanding common stock pursuant to which holders of Vivos Wyoming’s outstanding common stock received one share of common stock for every three shares of common stock held. Unless the context expressly dictates otherwise, all references to share and per share amounts referred to in this Annual Report reflect the reverse stock split.

Segment Information

We manage our business within one reportable segment. Segment information is consistent with how management reviews our business, makes investing and resource allocation decisions, and assesses our operating performance.

Seasonality

We believe that the patient volumes of our VIPs will be sensitive to seasonal fluctuations in urgent care and primary care activity. Typically, winter months see a higher occurrence of influenza, bronchitis, pneumonia and similar illnesses; however, the timing and severity of these outbreaks vary dramatically. Additionally, as consumers shift toward high deductible insurance plans, they are responsible for a greater percentage of their bill, particularly in the early months of the year before other healthcare spending has occurred, which may lead to lower than expected patient volume or an increase in bad debt expense during that period. Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate significantly in the future depending on these and other factors.

Corporate Information

Our principal offices are located at 9137 Ridgeline Boulevard, Suite 135, Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80129, and our telephone number is (866) 908-4867. Our website is www.vivoslife.com. Our website and the information on or that can be accessed through such website are not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We were originally organized on July 7, 2016 as a Wyoming corporation under the name as Corrective BioTechnologies, Inc. On September 6, 2016, we changed our name from Corrective BioTechnologies, Inc. to Vivos BioTechnologies, Inc., and on March 2, 2018, we changed our name from Vivos BioTechnologies, Inc. to Vivos Therapeutics, Inc. Effective August 12, 2020, we transferred our corporate domicile from Wyoming to Delaware.

Available Information

We maintain a website at www.vivoslife.com. You may access our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act with the SEC free of charge at our website as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The reference to our website address does not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained on our website, and you should not consider the contents of our website in making an investment decision with respect to our common stock.

Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Investing in our common stock is highly speculative and involves a significant degree of risk. Before you invest in our securities, you should give careful consideration to the following risk factors, in addition to the other information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our financial statements and related notes, before deciding whether to invest in our securities. The occurrence of any of the adverse developments described in the following risk factors could materially and adversely harm our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects. In that case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

Our business has a limited operating history on which you can evaluate our past performance and future prospects.

Our business was formed only in 2016, and therefore you have limited historical data on which to evaluate our company. This is particularly true because our current VIP-focused business model was only commenced in mid-2018. Therefore, you have even more limited historical operating data on which to evaluate the results of and prospects for our current business model.

We have a history of operating losses and may never achieve cash flow positive or profitable results of operations.

Since our inception, we have not been profitable and have incurred significant losses and cash flow deficits. For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we reported net losses of $12,056,877 and $10,754,319 respectively, and negative cash flow from operating activities of $5,680,294 and $5,340,480, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, we had an aggregate accumulated deficit of $35,334,728. We anticipate that we will continue to report losses and negative cash flow. There is therefore a risk that we will be unable to operate our business in a manner that generate positive cash flow or profit, and our failure to operate our business profitably would damage our reputation and stock price. Our independent auditors issued an audit opinion with respect to our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019 that indicated that there was a substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, and this may occur again if we do not achieve positive results of operations in the future.

We will need to raise additional capital to fund and grow our business. Such funding, even if obtained, could result in substantial dilution or significant debt service obligations. We may not be able to obtain additional capital on commercially reasonable terms in a timely manner, which could adversely affect our liquidity, financial position, and ability to continue operations.

In order to fund and grow our business, we will need to obtain additional financing, either through borrowings, private offerings, public offerings, or some type of business combination, such as a merger, or buyout, and there can be no assurance that we will be successful in such pursuits. We may be unable to acquire the additional funding necessary to fund our growth or to continue operating. Accordingly, if we are unable to generate adequate cash from operations, and if we are unable to find sources of funding, it may be necessary for us to sell one or more lines of business or all or a portion of our assets, enter into a business combination, or reduce or eliminate operations. These possibilities, to the extent available, may be on terms that result in significant dilution to our shareholders or that result in our investors losing all of their investment in our company.

If we are able to raise additional capital, we do not know what the terms of any such capital raising would be. In addition, any future sale of our equity securities would dilute the ownership and control of your shares and could be at prices substantially below prices at which our shares currently trade. Our inability to raise capital, coupled with our inability to generate adequate cash from operations, could require us to significantly curtail or terminate our operations. We may seek to increase our cash reserves through the sale of additional equity or debt securities. The sale of convertible debt securities or additional equity securities could result in additional and potentially substantial dilution to our shareholders. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased debt service obligations and could result in operating and financing covenants that would restrict our operations and liquidity and ability to pay dividends. In addition, our ability to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms is subject to a variety of uncertainties. We cannot assure you that financing will be available in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all. Any failure to raise additional funds on favorable terms could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity and financial condition.

We have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting.

Prior to our initial public offering in December 2020, we were a private company and had limited accounting and financial reporting personnel and other resources with which to address our internal controls and related procedures. In connection with the audit of our consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we and our independent registered public accounting firm identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting (see Item 9A of this report for further information)). A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weakness in our case arose from an accumulation of significant deficiencies which amounted to a material weakness in internal controls. Such significant deficiencies identified included insufficient supporting documentation and inadequate review of certain journal entries, segregation of duties, and inadequate application of accounting guidance. If we are unable to remedy our material weakness, or if we generally fail to establish and maintain effective internal controls appropriate for a public company, we may be unable to produce timely and accurate financial statements, and we may conclude that our internal control over financial reporting is not effective, which could adversely impact our investors’ confidence and our stock price.

We will not be successful if our Vivos System is not sufficiently adopted by the medical and dental communities, including independent practitioners and dental service organizations (DSOs) for the treatment of craniofacial deficiencies that are often associated with SDB and mild-to-moderate OSA.

We believe that the Vivos System is the first commercially available product based on our proprietary technology for the treatment of craniofacial deficiencies that are often associated with SDB and mild-to-moderate OSA. Our success depends both on the sufficient acceptance and adoption by the medical/dental community of our Vivos System as a non-invasive treatment for the treatment of craniofacial deficiencies that are often associated with SDB and mild-to-moderate OSA, and heightening public awareness of the prevalence of mild-to-moderate OSA to increase the number of undiagnosed patients with SDB and mild-to-moderate OSA who seek treatment. Currently, a relatively limited number of dentists and other medical clinicians provide treatment with the Vivos System. We cannot predict how quickly, if at all, the medical/dental community will accept our Vivos System, or, if accepted, the extent of its use. For us to be successful:

Studies have shown that a significant percentage of people who have SDB or OSA remain undiagnosed and therefore do not seek treatment, or those who are diagnosed with SDB or OSA may be reluctant to seek treatment or incur significant costs of treatment given the less severe nature of their condition, the potentially negative lifestyle effects of traditional treatments, and the lack of awareness of new treatment options. If we are unable to increase public awareness of the prevalence of SDB or OSA due to untreated craniofacial deficiencies or if the medical/dental community is slow to adopt, or fails to adopt, the Vivos System as a treatment for individuals with SDB or mild-to-moderate OSA, we would suffer a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our VIP program is a relatively new business model for us, and management has limited experience operating this model.

Our VIP program is a relatively new business model for us, and members of our management team have limited experience operating our company through this model. As a result, our historical financial results may not be comparable to future results. Also, we are subject to many risks associated with this new business model that we are unable to presently identify, such as pricing, competition, marketing and regulatory risks. Moreover, our ability to onboard new VIPs may be impeded by the investments VIPs must make in adapting their practices to the use of the Vivos System. We cannot assure you that management will be able to recruit and adopt new VIPs. Any such failure may have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We expect to derive a substantial portion of our future revenue from sales of a single product (the Vivos System) through our VIPs and the offering of related services, which leaves us reliant on the commercial viability of the Vivos System.

Currently, our primary product is our Vivos System. Our secondary source of revenue is our clinical training and practice support programs, including Billing Intelligence Services, Airway Intelligence System, AireO² and VivoScore. We expect that sales of our Vivos System and our services to our VIPs related to the use of such product will account for a significant majority of our revenue for the foreseeable future. We currently market and sell our Vivos System primarily in the United States and Canada, with a very limited presence a in very few select countries such as South Korea, Australia, Japan and India. Because the Vivos System is different from current surgical and non-surgical treatments for SDB or OSA, we cannot assure you that dentists in corroboration with physicians will use the Vivos System or become VIPs, and demand for our Vivos System may decline or may not increase as quickly as we expect. Also, we cannot assure you that the Vivos System will compete effectively as a treatment alternative to other more well-known and well-established therapies, such as CPAP, mandibular advancement, or palatal surgical procedures. Since our Vivos System and other oral appliances currently represent our only products, and since our VIP program is our primary means of commercialization, we are significantly reliant on the level of recurring sales of the Vivos System and other oral appliances, and decreased or lower than expected sales or recruitment and maintenance of new VIPs would cause us to lose all or substantially all of our revenue.

We face risks relating to public health conditions such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which could adversely affect our dentist customers, our business and our results of operations.

Our business and prospects has been and could be materially adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic or recurrences of COVID-19 (such as has occurred in the fall of 2020) or any other similar diseases in the future. Material adverse effects from COVID-19 and similar diseases could result in numerous known and currently unknown ways including from quarantines and lockdowns which impair our marketing and sales efforts to dentists or other medical professionals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, dental offices throughout the U.S. and Canada shut down for extended periods of time (and may be shut down again due to recurrences of COVID-19), thus negatively impacting our product revenues. The pandemic and reactions to the pandemic or future outbreaks of COVID-19 could also impair the timing of obtaining necessary consents and approvals from the FDA, as its employees could also be under such quarantines and lockdowns and their time could be mandatorily required to be allocated to more immediate global and domestic concerns relating to COVID-19. In addition, we purchase materials for our products from suppliers located in affected areas, and we may not be able to procure required components or secure manufacturing capability. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have also placed travel restrictions on us and our VIPs, as well as temporary closures of the facilities of our suppliers and our VIPs as non-essential medical and dental procedures have been limited, which could also adversely impact our business. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic downturn that could reduce the demand for our products and impair our business prospects including as a result of being unable to raise additional capital on acceptable terms to us, if at all.

We may not be able to successfully implement our growth strategy for our VIPs on a timely basis or at all, which could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The growth of our VIP base depends on our ability to execute our plan to recruit and enroll new VIPs. Our ability to recruit and enroll VIPs depends on many factors, including our ability to:

Further, applicable laws, rules and regulations (including licensure requirements) could negatively impact our ability to recruit and enroll VIPs.

Accordingly, we may not be able to achieve our planned growth or, even if we are able to grow our VIP base as planned, any new VIPs may not be profitable or otherwise perform as planned. Failure to successfully implement our growth strategy would likely have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The long-term success of our VIP program is highly dependent on our ability to successfully identify, recruit and enroll target dental practices.

To achieve our growth strategy, we will need to identify, recruit and enroll new VIPs and have them operate on a profitable basis. We take into account numerous factors in identifying target markets where we can enter or expand.

The number and timing of new VIPs enrolled during any given period may be negatively impacted by a number of factors including, without limitation:

If we are unable to find and onboard attractive VIPs in existing markets or new markets, our revenue and profitability may be harmed, we may not be able to implement our growth strategy and our financial results may be negatively affected.

Our future operating results are difficult to predict and may vary significantly from quarter to quarter, which may adversely affect the price of our common stock.

Our limited history of sales of our Vivos System, together with our history of losses, make prediction of future operating results difficult. You should not rely on our past revenue growth as any indication of future growth rates or operating results. Our valuation and the price of our securities likely will fall in the event our operating results do not meet the expectations of analysts and investors. Comparisons of our quarterly operating results are an unreliable indication of our future performance because they are likely to vary significantly based on many factors, including:

Therefore, you should expect that our results of operations will be difficult to predict, which will make an investment in our company uncertain.

Our MID program is a new business offering for us, and it may not perform as anticipated or may take longer than expected to gain acceptance.

Begun only in 2020, our MID is a new business offering for us, and the model is yet unproven. As a result, actual results may be lower than expected from lower than expected referrals. Also, we are subject to many risks associated with this new business model that we are unable to presently identify, such as pricing, competition, marketing and regulatory risks. Any such failure may have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

VivoScore is a new technology which may not be utilized by VIPs to the degree anticipated.

VivoScore is a relatively new technology. New technologies often take longer to gain acceptance within the medical and dental communities. As a result, our financial results may be lower than expected. Also, we are subject to many risks associated with this new technology that we are unable to presently identify, such as pricing, competition, marketing and regulatory risks. Any such failure may have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may not be able to respond in a timely and cost-effective manner to changes in consumer preferences.

The Vivos System is subject to changing consumer preferences. A shift in consumer preferences away from the product we offer would result in significantly reduced revenue. Our future success depends in part on our ability to anticipate and respond to changes in consumer preferences. Failure to anticipate and respond to changing consumer preferences in the products we market could lead to, among other things, lower sales of products, significant markdowns or write-offs of inventory, increased product returns and lower margins. If we are not successful in anticipating and responding to changes in consumer preferences, our results of operations in future periods will be materially adversely impacted.

Further clinical studies of our Vivos System may adversely impact our ability to generate revenue if they do not demonstrate that our Vivos System is clinically effective for currently specified or expanded indications or if they are not completed in a timely manner.

We have conducted, and continue to conduct, a number of clinical studies of the use of our Vivos System and other Vivos oral appliances to treat patients with SDB or mild-to-moderate OSA due to craniofacial deficiencies in the United States and Canada. We are involved in a number of ongoing clinical studies evaluating clinical outcomes from the use of the Vivos System and other Vivos oral appliances, including prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled studies, as well as clinical studies that are structured to obtain additional clearances from the FDA for expanded clinical indications for use of our Vivos System.

We cannot assure you that these clinical studies will continue to demonstrate that our Vivos System provides clinical effectiveness for individuals diagnosed with SDB or mild-to-moderate OSA, nor can we assure you that the use of our Vivos System will prove to be safe and effective in clinical studies under United States or international regulatory guidelines for any expanded indications. Additional clinical studies of our Vivos System may identify significant clinical, technical or other obstacles that will have to be overcome prior to obtaining clearance from the applicable regulatory bodies to market our Vivos System for such expanded indications. If further studies of our Vivos System indicate that the Vivos System is not a safe and effective treatment of SDB or mild-to-moderate OSA, our ability to market our Vivos System, and generate substantial revenue from additional sales of our Vivos Systems, may be materially limited.

Individuals selected to participate in these further clinical studies must meet certain anatomical and other criteria to participate. We cannot assure you that an adequate number of individuals can be enrolled in clinical studies on a timely basis. Further, we cannot assure you that the clinical studies will be completed as planned. A delay in the analysis and publication of the positive outcomes data from these clinical studies, or the presentation or publication of negative outcomes data from these clinical studies, including data related to approval of our Vivos System for expanded indications, may materially impact our ability to increase revenue through sales and negatively impact our stock price.

Our business and results of operations may be impacted by the extent to which patients using the Vivos System achieve adequate levels of third-party insurance reimbursement.

Whenever practical, the Vivos System is paid for primarily out-of-pocket by patients, with any available health insurance coverage being reimbursed if and as paid at a later date, where the patient is being treated for SDB or mild-to-moderate OSA.

The cost of treatments for SDB or OSA, such as CPAP, and most surgical procedures generally are covered and reimbursed in whole or part by third-party healthcare insurers. The Vivos System is a customized and highly specialized combination of oral appliances and clinical protocols, some of which currently qualify for reimbursement for the treatment of mild-to-moderate OSA and SDB. Our ability to generate revenue from additional sales of our Vivos System for the treatment of SDB or OSA may be materially limited by the extent to which reimbursement of the Vivos System for the treatment of mild-to-moderate OSA and SDB is available in the future. In addition, third-party healthcare insurers are increasingly challenging the prices charged for medical products and procedures. In the event that we are successful in our efforts to obtain reimbursement for the Vivos System, any changes in this reimbursement system could materially affect our ability to continue to grow our business.

Reimbursement and healthcare payment systems in international markets vary significantly by country and reimbursement for the Vivos System may not be available at all under either government or private reimbursement systems. If we are unable to achieve reimbursement approvals in international markets, it could have a negative impact on market acceptance of our Vivos System and potential revenue growth in the markets in which these approvals are sought.

Our products and third-party contract manufacturing activities are subject to extensive governmental regulation that could prevent us from selling our Vivos System or introducing new and/or improved products in the United States or internationally.

Our products and third-party contract manufacturing activities are subject to extensive regulation by a number of governmental agencies, including the FDA and comparable international regulatory bodies. We are required to:

Compliance with the rules and regulations of these various regulatory bodies may delay or prevent us from introducing any new models of our Vivos System or other new products. In addition, government regulations may be adopted that could prevent, delay, modify or rescind regulatory clearance or approval of our products.

Our manufacturing partners are further required to demonstrate compliance with the FDA’s quality system regulations. The FDA enforce their quality system regulations through pre-approval and periodic post-approval inspections by representatives from the FDA. These regulations relate to product testing, vendor qualification, design control and quality assurance, as well as the maintenance of records and documentation. If we fail to conform to these regulations, the FDA may take actions that could seriously harm our business. These actions include sanctions, including temporary or permanent suspension of our operations, product recalls and marketing restrictions. A recall or other regulatory action could substantially increase our costs, damage our reputation and materially affect our operating results.

Our products are currently not recommended by most pulmonologists, who are integral to the diagnosis and treatment of sleep breathing disorders.

The majority of patients being treated today for SDB or OSA, domestically and internationally, are initially referred to pulmonologists by their primary care physicians. Pulmonologists typically administer a polysomnogram, or overnight sleep study, to diagnose the presence and severity of SDB or OSA. If an individual is diagnosed with SDB or OSA by a pulmonologist, the pulmonologist typically prescribes CPAP as the therapy of choice. Although we offer the Vivos System through our VIPs, our domestic sales organization does not generally call on pulmonologists or third-party sleep centers to sell our Vivos System, and we do not believe that most pulmonologists today would recommend the Vivos System to their patients with SDB or mild-to-moderate OSA. We cannot predict the extent to which pulmonologists will, in the future, endorse or recommend the Vivos System to their SDB or mild-to-moderate OSA patients, even for those patients who are unwilling or unable to comply with CPAP therapy.

We face significant competition in the rapidly changing market for treating sleep breathing disorders, and we may be unable to manage competitive pressures.

The market for treating sleep disordered breathing, including sleep apnea in people of all ages, is highly competitive and evolving rapidly. We compete as a second-line therapy in the OSA treatment market for patients with mild to moderate OSA. According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, over 100 different oral appliances are FDA cleared for the treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. The Vivos System must compete with more established products, treatments and surgical procedures, which may limit our growth and negatively affect our business. Many of our competitors have an established presence in the field of treating SDB and have established relationships with pulmonologists, sleep clinics and ear, nose and throat specialists, which play a significant role in determining which product, treatment or procedure is recommended to the patient. We believe certain of our competitors are attempting to develop innovative approaches and new products for diagnosing and treating SDB or OSA and other sleep disordered breathing conditions. We cannot predict the extent to which ENTs, oral maxillofacial surgeons, primary care physicians or pulmonologists would or will recommend our Vivos System over new or other established devices, treatments or procedures.

Moreover, we are in the early stages of implementing our business plan and have limited resources with which to market, develop and sell our Vivos System. Many of our competitors have substantially greater financial and other resources than we do, including larger research and development staffs who have more experience and capability in conducting research and development activities, testing products in clinical trials, obtaining regulatory approvals and manufacturing, marketing, selling and distributing products. Some of our competitors may achieve patent protection, regulatory approval or product commercialization more quickly than we do, which may decrease our ability to compete. If we are unable to be competitive in the market for OSA and SDB, our revenue will decline, which would negatively affect our results of operations.

Our Vivos System may become obsolete if we are unable to anticipate and adapt to rapidly changing technology.

The medical device industry is subject to rapid technological innovation and, consequently, the life cycle of any particular product can be short. Alternative products, procedures or other discoveries and developments to treat SDB and OSA may render our Vivos System obsolete. Furthermore, the greater financial and other resources of many of our competitors may permit them to respond more rapidly than we can to technological advances. If we fail to develop new technologies, products or procedures to upgrade or improve our existing Vivos System to respond to a changing market before our competitors are able to do so, our ability to market our products and generate substantial revenue may be limited.

Our international sales are subject to a number of risks that could seriously harm our ability to successfully commercialize our Vivos System in international markets.

We do not have significant international sales outside of Canada, although we hope to more broadly introduce our Vivos Systems into international markets. Our ability to generate international sales is subject to several risks, including:

The occurrence of any of these events could seriously harm our future international sales and our ability to successfully commercialize our products in international markets, thereby limiting our growth and revenue.

There are risks associated with outsourced production that may result in a decrease in profit to us.

We outsource the manufacture of substantially all of our products to third-party manufacturers on a case-by-case basis. By law, the selection of the manufacturer is at the sole discretion of the treating dentist. However, we select our approved and certified manufacturers by training and screening them in advance based on their capabilities, supply capacity, reputation, regulatory registration and compliance, and other relevant traits. Most of these manufacturers are located in the U.S., but at least one important manufacturer is located in South Korea, and other smaller manufacturers are located in Canada. Nonetheless, the possibility of delivery delays, product defects, import or customs blockages, and other production-side risks stemming from outsourcers cannot be eliminated. In particular, inadequate production capacity among outsourced manufacturers could result in our being unable to supply enough product amid periods of high product demand, the opportunity costs of which could be substantial.

We do not have any long-term contracts with manufacturers, suppliers or other service providers for our products. Our business would be harmed if manufacturers and service providers are unable to deliver products or provide services in a timely and cost-effective manner, or if we are unable to timely fulfill orders.

We do not have any long-term contracts with manufacturers, suppliers or other service providers for our products. We do not anticipate that this will change. As a result, if any manufacturer or supplier is unable, either temporarily or permanently, to manufacture or deliver products or provide services to us in a timely and cost-effective manner, it could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Our ability to provide effective customer service and efficiently fulfill orders for merchandise depends, to a large degree, on the efficient and uninterrupted operation of the manufacturing and related call centers, distribution centers, and management information systems, some of which are run by third parties. Any material disruption or slowdown in manufacturing, order processing or fulfillment systems resulting from strikes or labor disputes, telephone down times, electrical outages, mechanical problems, human error or accidents, fire, natural disasters, adverse weather conditions or comparable events could cause delays in our ability to receive and fulfill orders and may cause orders to be lost or to be shipped or delivered late. As a result, these disruptions could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations in future periods.

The failure of large U.S. customers or Dental Service Organizations (DSO) to pay for their purchases of Vivos System products and services on a timely basis could reduce our future sales revenue and negatively impact our liquidity.

The timing and extent of our future growth in sales revenue depends, in part, on our ability to continue to increase the number of U.S. dentists using the Vivos System, as well as expanding the number of Vivos Systems used by these physicians/dentists. To the extent one or more of our large U.S. dentist customers or DSO groups fails to pay us for Vivos Systems on a timely basis, we may be required to discontinue selling to these organizations and find new customers, which could reduce our future sales revenue and negatively impact our liquidity.

We depend on our patents and proprietary technology, which we may not be able to protect.

Our success depends, in part, on our ability to obtain and maintain patent protection for our Vivos System components and the confidentiality of proprietary clinical protocols. Our success further depends on our ability to obtain and maintain trademark protection for our name and mark; to preserve our trade secrets and know-how; and to operate without infringing the intellectual property rights of others.

We cannot assure investors that we will continue to innovate and file new patent applications, or that if filed any future patent applications will result in granted patents We cannot assure you that any of our patents pending will result in issued patents, that any current or future patents will not be challenged, invalidated or circumvented, that the scope of any of our patents will exclude competitors or that the patent rights granted to us will provide us any competitive advantage or protect our products. The patent position of device companies, including ours, is generally uncertain and involves complex legal and factual considerations and, therefore, validity and enforceability cannot be predicted with certainty. Patents may be challenged, deemed unenforceable, invalidated or circumvented. We will be able to protect our proprietary rights from unauthorized use by third parties only to the extent that our proprietary technologies, protocols and any future products are covered by valid and enforceable patents or are effectively maintained as trade secrets.

Any patents we have obtained or do obtain may be challenged by re-examination or otherwise invalidated or eventually found unenforceable. Both the patent application process and the process of managing patent disputes can be time consuming and expensive. If we were to initiate legal proceedings against a third party to enforce a patent related to one of our products, the defendant in such litigation could counterclaim that our patent is invalid and/or unenforceable. In patent litigation in the U.S., defendant counterclaims alleging invalidity and/or unenforceability are commonplace, as are validity challenges by the defendant against the subject patent or other patents before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (or USPTO). Grounds for a validity challenge could be an alleged failure to meet any of several statutory requirements, including lack of novelty, obviousness or non-enablement, failure to meet the written description requirement, indefiniteness, and/or failure to claim patent eligible subject matter. Grounds for an unenforceability assertion could be an allegation that someone connected with prosecution of the patent intentionally withheld material information from the USPTO, or made a misleading statement, during prosecution. Additional grounds for an unenforceability assertion include an allegation of misuse or anticompetitive use of patent rights, and an allegation of incorrect inventorship with deceptive intent. Third parties may also raise similar claims before the USPTO even outside the context of litigation. The outcome is unpredictable following legal assertions of invalidity and unenforceability. With respect to the validity question, for example, we cannot be certain that no invalidating prior art existed of which we and the patent examiner were unaware during prosecution. These assertions may also be based on information known to us or the USPTO. If a defendant or third party were to prevail on a legal assertion of invalidity and/or unenforceability, we would lose at least part, and perhaps all, of the claims of the challenged patent. Such a loss of patent protection would or could have a material adverse impact on our business.

The standards that the USPTO (and foreign equivalents) use to grant patents are not always applied predictably or uniformly and can change. There is also no uniform, worldwide policy regarding the subject matter and scope of claims granted or allowable in device patents. Accordingly, we do not know the degree of future protection for our proprietary rights or the breadth of claims that will be allowed in any patents issued to us or to others.

However, there can be no assurance that our technology will not be found in the future to infringe upon the rights of others or be infringed upon by others. Moreover, patent applications are in some cases maintained in secrecy until patents are issued. The publication of discoveries in the scientific or patent literature frequently occurs substantially later than the date on which the underlying discoveries were made and patent applications were filed. Because patents can take many years to issue, there may be currently pending applications of which we are unaware that may later result in issued patents that our products or product candidates infringe. For example, pending applications may exist that provide support or can be amended to provide support for a claim that results in an issued patent that our product infringes. In such a case, others may assert infringement claims against us, and should we be found to infringe upon their patents, or otherwise impermissibly utilize their intellectual property, we might be forced to pay damages, potentially including treble damages, if we are found to have willfully infringed on such parties’ patent rights. In addition to any damages we might have to pay, we may be required to obtain licenses from the holders of this intellectual property. We may fail to obtain any of these licenses or intellectual property rights on commercially reasonable terms. Even if we are able to obtain a license, it may be non-exclusive, thereby giving our competitors access to the same technologies licensed to us. In that event, we may be required to expend significant time and resources to develop or license replacement technology. If we are unable to do so, we may be unable to develop or commercialize the affected products, which could materially harm our business and the third parties owning such intellectual property rights could seek either an injunction prohibiting our sales, or, with respect to our sales, an obligation on our part to pay royalties and/or other forms of compensation. Conversely, we may not always be able to successfully pursue our claims against others that infringe upon our technology. Thus, the proprietary nature of our technology or technology licensed by us may not provide adequate protection against competitors.

In addition to patents, we rely on trademarks to protect the recognition of our company and product in the marketplace. We also rely on trade secrets, know-how, and proprietary knowledge that we seek to protect, in part, through confidentiality agreements with employees, consultants and others. We cannot assure you that our proprietary information will not be shared, our confidentiality agreements will not be breached, that we will have adequate remedies for any breach, or that our trade secrets will not otherwise become known to or independently developed by competitors.

Confidentiality agreements with employees and others may not adequately prevent disclosure of trade secrets and other proprietary information and disclosure of our trade secrets or proprietary information could compromise any competitive advantage that we have, which could have a materially adverse effect on our business.

Our success depends, in part, on our ability to protect our proprietary rights to the technologies used in our products and our proprietary clinical protocols. We depend heavily upon confidentiality agreements with our officers, employees, consultants and subcontractors to maintain the proprietary nature of our technology and our proprietary clinical protocols. These measures may not afford us complete or even sufficient protection, and may not afford an adequate remedy in the event of an unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. If we fail to protect and/or maintain our intellectual property, third parties may be able to compete more effectively against us, we may lose our technological or competitive advantage, and/or we may incur substantial litigation costs in our attempts to recover or restrict use of our intellectual property. In addition, others may independently develop technology similar to ours, otherwise avoiding the confidentiality agreements, or produce patents that would materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations in which event and you could lose all of your investment.

We may face intellectual property infringement claims that would be costly to resolve.

There has been substantial litigation regarding patent and other intellectual property rights in the medical device industry, and our competitors and others may initiate intellectual property litigation, including as a means of competition. Intellectual property litigation is complex and expensive, and outcomes are difficult to predict. We cannot assure you that we will not become subject to patent infringement claims or litigation, or interference proceedings, to determine the priority of inventions. Litigation or regulatory proceedings also may be necessary to enforce our patent or other intellectual property rights. We may not always have the financial resources to assert patent infringement suits or to defend ourselves from claims. An adverse result in any litigation could subject us to liabilities, or require us to seek licenses from or pay royalties to others that may be substantial. Furthermore, we cannot predict the extent to which the necessary licenses would be available to us on satisfactory terms, if at all.

Our failure to secure trademark registrations could adversely affect our ability to market our products and operate our business.

Our trademark applications in the United States and any other jurisdictions where we may file may not be allowed registration, and we may not be able to maintain or enforce our registered trademarks. During trademark registration proceedings, we may receive rejections. Although we are given an opportunity to respond to those rejections, we may be unable to overcome such rejections. In addition, in the USPTO and in corresponding foreign agencies, third parties are given an opportunity to oppose pending trademark applications and to seek to cancel registered trademarks. Opposition or cancellation proceedings may be filed against our applications and/or registrations, and our applications and/or registrations may not survive such proceedings. Failure to secure such trademark registrations in the United States and in foreign jurisdictions could adversely affect our ability to market our products and our business.

We may be subject to claims that our employees have wrongfully used or disclosed alleged trade secrets of their former employers.

As is common in the medical device industry, we may employ individuals who were previously employed at other companies similar to ours, including our competitors or potential competitors. We may become subject to claims that these employees or we have inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed trade secrets or other proprietary information of their former employers. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims. Even if we are successful in defending against these claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management.

We face the risk of product liability claims that could be expensive, divert management’s attention and harm our reputation and business.

Our business exposes us to the risk of product liability claims that are inherent in the testing, manufacturing and marketing of medical devices. This risk exists even if a device is cleared or approved for commercial sale by the FDA and manufactured in facilities licensed and regulated by the FDA or an applicable foreign regulatory authority. Our Vivos System is designed to affect, and any future products will be designed to affect, important bodily functions and processes. Any side effects, manufacturing defects, misuse or abuse associated with our Vivos System could result in patient injury or death. The medical device industry has historically been subject to extensive litigation over product liability claims, and we cannot offer any assurance that we will not face product liability suits. We may be subject to product liability claims if our Vivos System causes, or merely appears to have caused, patient injury or death. In addition, an injury that is caused by the activities of our suppliers, such as those who provide us with components and raw materials, may be the basis for a claim against us. Product liability claims may be brought against us by patients, healthcare providers or others selling or otherwise coming into contact with our Vivos System, among others. If we cannot successfully defend ourselves against product liability claims, we will incur substantial liabilities and reputational harm. In addition, regardless of merit or eventual outcome, product liability claims may result in:

Any recall or market withdrawal of our products may delay the supply of those products to our customers and may impact our reputation. We can provide no assurance that we will be successful in initiating appropriate market recall or market withdrawal efforts that may be required in the future or that these efforts will have the intended effect of preventing product malfunctions and the accompanying product liability that may result. Such recalls and withdrawals may also be used by our competitors to harm our reputation for safety or be perceived by patients as a safety risk when considering the use of our products, either of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may not be able to maintain adequate product liability insurance.

Our product liability and clinical study liability insurance is subject to deductibles and coverage limitations. Our product liability insurance may not continue to be available to us on acceptable terms, if at all, and, if available, coverage may not be adequate to protect us against any future product liability claims. If we are unable to obtain insurance at an acceptable cost or on acceptable terms or otherwise protect against potential product liability claims, we could be exposed to significant liabilities. A product liability claim, recall or other claim with respect to uninsured liabilities or for amounts in excess of insured liabilities could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We bear the risk of warranty claims on the Vivos System.

We bear the risk of warranty claims on our Vivos System. We may not be successful in claiming recovery under any warranty or indemnity provided to us by our suppliers or vendors in the event of a successful warranty claim against us by a customer or that any recovery from such vendor or supplier would be adequate. In addition, warranty claims brought by our customers related to third-party components may arise after our ability to bring corresponding warranty claims against such suppliers expires, which could result in costs to us.

We depend on a few suppliers for key components, making us vulnerable to supply shortages and price fluctuation.

We purchase components for our Vivos System from a variety of vendors on a purchase order basis; we have no long-term supply contracts with any of our vendors. While it is our goal to have multiple sources to procure certain key components, in some cases it is not economically practical or feasible to do so. To mitigate this risk, we maintain an awareness of alternate supply sources that could provide our currently single-sourced components with minimal or no modification to the current version of our Vivos System, practice supply chain management, maintain safety stocks of critical components and have arrangements with our key vendors to manage the availability of critical components. Despite these efforts, if our vendors are unable to provide us with an adequate supply of components in a timely manner, or if we are unable to locate qualified alternate vendors for components at a reasonable cost, the cost of our products would increase, the availability of our products to our customers would decrease and our ability to generate revenue could be materially limited.

Our sales and marketing efforts may not be successful.

We currently market and sell our Vivos System to a limited number of licensed professionals, primarily general dentists. Less than 1% of the general dentists in the U.S. have been trained and certified in the Vivos System. The commercial success of our Vivos System ultimately depends upon a number of factors, including the number of dentists who use the Vivos System, the number of Vivos Systems used by these dentists, the number of patients who become aware of the Vivos System by self-referral or referrals by their primary care physicians, the number of patients who elect to use the Vivos System, and the number of patients who, having successfully used the Vivos System, endorse and refer the Vivos System to other potential patients. The Vivos System may not gain significant increased market acceptance among physicians/dentists who use it or who refer their patients, other patients, third-party healthcare insurers and managed care providers. We believe that primary care physicians typically elect to refer individuals with SDB to pulmonologists or other physicians who treat sleep disordered breathing, and these physicians may not recommend the Vivos System to patients for any number of reasons, including safety and clinical efficacy, the availability of alternative procedures and treatment options, or inadequate levels of reimbursement. In addition, while positive patient experiences can be a significant driver of future sales, it is impossible to influence the manner in which this information is transmitted and received, the choices potential patients may make and the recommendations that treating physicians make to their patients.

Although we sell our product directly to our corporate-owned and partner clinics, our experience in marketing and selling our Vivos System or VIP program through a direct sales organization in the United States is limited. We may not be able to maintain a suitable sales force in the United States or train up a suitable number of VIPs, or enter into or maintain satisfactory marketing and distribution arrangements with others. Our marketing and sales efforts may not be successful in increasing awareness and sales of our Vivos System. Other marketing efforts like MID and VivoScore may not increase revenue as we anticipate.

The failure to educate or train a sufficient number of physicians and dentists in the use of our Vivos System could reduce the market acceptance of our Vivos System and reduce our revenue.

It is critical to the success of our sales efforts that there is an increasing number of dentists familiar with, trained in, and proficient in the use of our Vivos System. Currently, dentists learn to use the Vivos System through hands-on, on-site training or virtual training by our representatives. However, to receive this training, dentists must be aware of the Vivos System as a treatment option for SDB or mild-to-moderate OSA and be interested in using the Vivos System in their practice. We cannot predict the extent to which dentists will dedicate the time and energy necessary for adequate training in the use of our Vivos System, have the knowledge of or experience in the clinical outcomes of the Vivos System or feel comfortable enough using the Vivos System to recommend it to their patients. Even if a dentist is well versed in the Vivos System, he or she may be unwilling to require patients to pay for the Vivos System out-of-pocket. If dentists do not continue to accept and recommend the Vivos System, our revenue could be materially and adversely affected.

We rely on third-party suppliers and contract manufacturers for the manufacture and assembly of our products, and a loss or degradation in performance of these suppliers and contract manufacturers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We rely on third-party suppliers and contract manufacturers for the raw materials and components used in our Vivos System and to manufacture and assemble our products. Any of our other suppliers or our third-party contract manufacturers may be unwilling or unable to supply the necessary materials and components or manufacture and assemble our products reliably and at the levels we anticipate or that are required by the market. Our ability to supply our products commercially and to develop any future products depends, in part, on our ability to obtain these materials, components and products in accordance with regulatory requirements and in sufficient quantities for commercialization and clinical testing. While our suppliers and contract manufacturers have generally met our demand for their products and services on a timely basis in the past, we cannot guarantee that they will in the future be able to meet our demand for their products, either because of acts of nature, the nature of our agreements with those manufacturers or our relative importance to them as a customer, and our manufacturers may decide in the future to discontinue or reduce the level of business they conduct with us. If we are required to change contract manufacturers due to any change in or termination of our relationships with these third parties, or if our manufacturers are unable to obtain the materials they need to produce our products at consistent prices or at all, we may lose sales, experience manufacturing or other delays, incur increased costs or otherwise experience impairment to our customer relationships. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to establish alternative relationships on similar terms, without delay or at all.

Establishing additional or replacement suppliers for any of these materials, components or services, if required, could be time-consuming and expensive, may result in interruptions in our operations and product delivery, may affect the performance specifications of our Vivos System or could require that we modify its design. Even if we are able to find replacement suppliers or third-party contract manufacturers, we will be required to verify that the new supplier or third-party manufacturer maintains facilities, procedures and operations that comply with our quality expectations and applicable regulatory requirements.

If our third-party suppliers fail to deliver the required commercial quantities of materials on a timely basis and at commercially reasonable prices, and we are unable to find one or more replacement suppliers capable of production at a substantially equivalent cost in substantially equivalent volumes and quality on a timely basis, the continued commercialization of our Vivos System, the supply of our products to customers and the development of any future products will be delayed, limited or prevented, which could have material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Damage to our reputation or our brand could negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We must grow the value of our brand to be successful. We intend to develop a reputation based on the high quality of our products and services, trained clinic personnel, as well as on our particular culture and the experience of our patients with our VIPs. If we do not make investments in areas such as marketing and advertising, as well as personnel training, the value of our brand may not increase or may be diminished. Any incident, real or perceived, regardless of merit or outcome, that adversely affects our brand, such as, but not limited to, patient disability or death due to malpractice or allegations of malpractice, failure to comply with federal, state, or local regulations, including allegations or perceptions of non-compliance or failure to comply with ethical and operational standards, could significantly reduce the value of our brand, expose us to negative publicity and damage our overall business and reputation.

Our marketing activities may not be successful.

We incur costs and expend other resources in our marketing efforts to attract and retain VIPs. Our marketing activities are principally focused on increasing brand awareness in the communities in which we provide services. As we onboard VIP providers, we expect to undertake aggressive marketing campaigns to increase community awareness about our presence and our service capabilities. We conduct our targeted marketing efforts in neighborhoods through channels such as direct mail, billboards, radio advertisements, physician open houses, community sponsorships and various social media. If we are not successful in these efforts, we will have incurred expenses without materially increasing revenue.

The SDB and OSA market is highly competitive, including competition for patients, strategic relationships, and commercial payor contracts.

The market for providing treatment for SDB and OSA is highly competitive. Our VIP offices and our VIPs face competition from existing facilities providing treatment for SDB and OSA, depending on the type of patient and geographic market. Our VIPs compete on the basis of our product (the Vivos System), quality, price, accessibility, and overall experience. We compete with national, regional, and local enterprises, many of which have greater financial and other resources available to them, greater access to dentists and physicians or greater access to potential patients. We also compete on the basis of our multistate, regional footprint, which we believe will be of value to both employers and third-party payors. As a result of the differing competitive factors within the markets in which we operate and will operate, the individual results of our VIP offices may be volatile. If we are unable to compete effectively with any of these entities or groups, or we are unable to implement our business strategies, there could be a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.

We have limited clinical evidence to support patient compliance with the use our products is superior to competitive products.

We believe based on our experiences to date that our non-surgical treatment of limited duration is preferable relative to CPAP or other oral appliance or surgical therapies, resulting in improved patient compliance. However, we have limited clinical evidence to support our beliefs that patient compliance in the use of our products is superior to competitive products. If actual patient compliance as studied in a clinical trial (should we conduct one) proves less than what we had anticipated, the acceptance of the Vivos System in the marketplace, and our revenues and overall results of operations, may be adversely impacted.

Government healthcare programs may reduce reimbursement rates, which could adversely affect sales of the Vivos System and demand for dental practitioners from becoming or remaining VIPs.

In recent years, new legislation has been proposed and adopted at both the federal and state level that is effecting major changes in the healthcare system. Any change in the laws, regulations, or policies governing the healthcare system could adversely affect reimbursement rates, which could adversely affect sales of the Vivos System and thus adversely affect our operations and financial condition. Enacted in 2010, the Affordable Care Act (or ACA) seeks to expand healthcare coverage, while increasing quality and limiting costs. The ACA substantially changes the way healthcare is financed by both governmental and commercial payors. As a result of the ACA or the adoption of additional federal and state healthcare reforms measures there could be limits to the amounts that federal and state governments will pay for healthcare services, which could result in reduced demand for, or profitability of, the Vivos System and for dental practitioners from becoming or remaining VIPs.

Significant uncertainty exists as to the reimbursement status of healthcare products. The regulations that govern marketing approvals, pricing and reimbursement for medical devices vary widely from country to country. In the United States, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010, is significantly changing the way healthcare is financed by both governmental and private insurers. While we cannot predict what impact on federal reimbursement policies this law or any amendment to it will continue to have in general or specifically on the Vivos System or any product that we commercialize, the ACA or any such amendment may result in downward pressure on reimbursements, which could negatively affect market acceptance of the Vivos System. In addition, although the United States Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of most of the ACA, several states have not implemented certain sections of the ACA, including 19 that have rejected the expansion of Medicaid eligibility for low income citizens, and some members of the U.S. Congress are still working to repeal the ACA. In addition, the United States Supreme Court has recently determined to hear another case challenging the constitutionality of the ACA. President Trump and the Republican majority in the U.S. Senate have also been seeking to repeal or replace all or portions of the ACA but to date they have been unable to agree on any such legislation.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 includes a provision repealing, effective January 1, 2019, the tax-based shared responsibility payment imposed by the ACA on certain individuals who fail to maintain qualifying health coverage for all or part of a year that is commonly referred to as the “individual mandate”. Additionally, on January 22, 2018, President Trump signed a continuing resolution on appropriations for fiscal year 2018 that delayed the implementation of certain fees mandated by the ACA, including the so-called “Cadillac” tax on certain high cost employer- sponsored insurance plans, the annual fee imposed on certain health insurance providers based on market share, and the medical device excise tax on non-exempt medical devices. The Cadillac tax was repealed in 2019 and is no longer simply delayed. Congress may still consider other legislation to repeal and replace elements of the ACA. We expect that the ACA, as currently enacted or as it may be amended or repealed in the future, and other healthcare reform measures that may be adopted in the future, could have a material adverse effect on our industry generally and on our ability to successfully commercialize our products. We cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action, either in the United States or abroad. If we are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the adoption of new requirements or policies, or if we or our collaborators are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, our products may lose any regulatory approval that may have been obtained and we may not achieve or sustain profitability, which would adversely affect our business.

If payments from commercial or governmental payors are significantly delayed, reduced or eliminated, our business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.

We will depend upon revenue from sales of the Vivos System, and in turn on reimbursement from third-party payors for the Vivos System. The amount that our VIPs receive in payment for the Vivos System may be adversely affected by factors we do not control, including federal or state regulatory or legislative changes, cost-containment decisions and changes in reimbursement schedules of third-party payors. Any reduction or elimination of these payments could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.

Additionally, the reimbursement process is complex and can involve lengthy delays. Also, third-party payors may reject, in whole or in part, requests for reimbursement based on determinations that certain amounts are not reimbursable under plan coverage, that services provided were not medically necessary, that additional supporting documentation is necessary, or for other reasons. Retroactive adjustments by third-party payors may be difficult or cost prohibitive to appeal, and such changes could materially reduce the actual amount we receive from our VIPs. Delays and uncertainties in the reimbursement process may be out of our control and may adversely affect our business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.

Significant changes in our payor mix resulting from fluctuations in the types of patients seen by our VIPs could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.

Our results may change from period to period due to fluctuations in our VIPs’ payor mix. Payor mix refers to the relative amounts we receive from the mix of persons or entities that pay or reimburse our VIPs for healthcare services. Because we believe that our VIPs will receive a higher payment rate from commercial payors than from governmental payors or self-pay patients, a significant shift in our payor mix toward a higher percentage of self-pay or patients whose treatment is paid in whole or part by a governmental payor, could occur for reasons beyond our control and could lessen demand for the Vivos System, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.

Failure by our Billing Intelligence Service to bill timely or accurately for billable services rendered by participating VIP providers could have a negative impact on our revenue and cash flow.

Billing for medical services rendered in connection with the Vivos System treatment is often complex and time consuming. The practice of providing dental or medical services in advance of payment or prior to assessing a patient’s ability to pay for such services may have a significant negative impact on a VIP provider’s patient service revenue, bad debt expense and cash flow. Not all of our VIPs subscribe to our Billing Intelligence Service program. For VIPs who do subscribe, we bill numerous payors, including various forms of commercial health insurance providers on their behalf. Billing requirements that must be met prior to receiving payment for services rendered often vary by payor. Self-pay patients and third-party payors may fail to pay for services even if they have been properly billed. Reimbursement is typically dependent on providing the proper procedure and diagnosis codes, supportive documentation to show medical necessity. Medical insurance is never a guarantee of payment.

Additional factors that could affect our ability to collect from insurers for the services rendered by our participating VIP providers include:

The complexity associated with billing for our services may lead to delays in cash collections by our VIPs, resulting in increased carrying costs associated with the aging of our accounts receivable as well as the increased potential for bad debt expense.

We may incur costs resulting from security risks in connection with the electronic data processing by our partner banks.

Because we accept electronic payment cards for payments at our facilities and the facilities of our VIPs, we may incur costs resulting from related security risks in connection with the electronic processing of confidential information by our partner banks. Recently, several large national banks have experienced potential or actual breaches in which similar data has been or may have been stolen. Such occurrences could cause patient dissatisfaction resulting in decreased visits or could also distract our management team from the management of the day-to-day operations.

Our relationships with VIPs, other healthcare providers, and third-party payors will be subject, directly or indirectly, to federal and state healthcare fraud and abuse laws, false claims laws, health information privacy and security laws, and other healthcare laws and regulations. If we are unable to comply, or have not fully complied, with such laws, we could face substantial penalties.

Healthcare providers (including our VIPs), physicians and third-party payors in the United States and elsewhere will play a primary role in the recommendation of the Vivos System. Our current and future arrangements with healthcare professionals, principal investigators, consultants, customers and third-party payors may subject us to various federal and state fraud and abuse laws and other health care laws, including, without limitation, the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, the federal civil and criminal false claims laws and the law commonly referred to as the Physician Payments Sunshine Act and regulations. These laws will impact, among other things, our clinical research, sales, marketing and educational programs. In addition, we may be subject to patient privacy laws by both the federal government and the states in which we conduct or may conduct our business. The laws that will affect our operations include, but are not limited to:

Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of the statutory exceptions and safe harbors available, it is possible that some of our business activities could be subject to challenge under one or more of such laws.

It is possible that governmental authorities will conclude that our business practices may not comply with current or future statutes, regulations or case law involving applicable fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws and regulations. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of these laws or any other governmental regulations that may apply to us, we may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, imprisonment, exclusion of our products from government funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, additional reporting requirements and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations.

The risk of our being found in violation of these laws is increased by the fact that many of them have not been fully interpreted by the regulatory authorities or the courts, and their provisions are open to a variety of interpretations. Efforts to ensure that our business arrangements with third parties will comply with applicable healthcare laws and regulations will involve substantial costs. Any action against us for violation of these laws, even if we successfully defend against it, could cause us to incur significant legal expenses and divert our management’s attention from the operation of our business. The shifting compliance environment and the need to build and maintain robust and expandable systems to comply with multiple jurisdictions with different compliance and/or reporting requirements increases the possibility that a healthcare company may run afoul of one or more of the requirements.

The misuse or off-label use of the Vivos System may harm our reputation in the marketplace, result in injuries that lead to product liability suits or result in costly investigations, fines or sanctions by regulatory bodies if we are deemed to have engaged in the promotion of these uses, any of which could be costly to our business.

We train our marketing personnel and direct sales force to not promote the Vivos System for uses outside of the FDA-cleared indications for use, known as off-label uses. We cannot, however, prevent a medical professional from using the Vivos System off label when, in their independent professional medical judgment, he or she deems it appropriate. There may be increased risk of injury or other side effects to patients if physicians attempt to use the Vivos System off-label. Furthermore, the use of the Vivos System for indications other than those cleared by the FDA or cleared by any foreign regulatory body may not effectively treat such conditions, which could harm our reputation in the marketplace among physicians and patients.

Given that we are aware that, notwithstanding our training guidelines, our VIPs may use our DNA device off-label, there is a risk that we could face regulatory scrutiny as a result of such use. If the FDA or any foreign regulatory body determines that our promotional materials or training constitute promotion of an off-label use, it could request that we modify our training or promotional materials or subject us to regulatory or enforcement actions, including the issuance or imposition of an untitled letter, which is used for violations that do not necessitate a warning letter, injunction, seizure, civil fine or criminal penalties. It is also possible that other federal, state or foreign enforcement authorities might take action under other regulatory authority, such as false claims laws, if they consider our business activities to constitute promotion of an off-label use, which could result in significant penalties, including, but not limited to, criminal, civil and administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs and the curtailment of our operations.

In addition, dentists may misuse our Vivos System or use improper techniques if they are not adequately trained, potentially leading to injury and an increased risk of product liability. If our Vivos System is misused or used with improper technique, we may become subject to costly litigation by our customers or their patients. Similarly, in an effort to decrease costs, physicians may also reuse our Vivos System despite it being intended for a single use or may purchase reprocessed Vivos Systems from third-party processors in lieu of purchasing a new Vivos System from us, which could result in product failure and liability. Product liability claims could divert management’s attention from our core business, be expensive to defend and result in sizeable damage awards against us that may not be covered by insurance.

We may pursue acquisitions of complementary businesses or technologies, which could divert the attention of management and which may not be integrated successfully into our existing business.

We may pursue acquisitions or licenses of technology to, among other things, expand the scope of products services we provide. We cannot guarantee that we will identify suitable acquisition candidates, that acquisitions will be completed on acceptable terms or that we will be able to integrate successfully the operations of any acquired business into our existing business. The acquisitions could be of significant size and involve operations in multiple jurisdictions. The acquisition and integration of another business or technology would divert management attention from other business activities, including our core business. This diversion, together with other difficulties we may incur in integrating an acquired business or technology, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we may borrow money or issue capital stock to finance acquisitions. Such borrowings might not be available on terms as favorable to us as our current borrowing terms and may increase our leverage, and the issuance of capital stock could dilute the interests of our stockholders.

Our business is seasonal, which impacts our results of operations.

We believe that the patient volumes of our VIPs will be sensitive to seasonal fluctuations in urgent care and primary care activity. Typically, winter months see a higher occurrence of influenza, bronchitis, pneumonia and similar illnesses; however, the timing and severity of these outbreaks vary dramatically. Additionally, as consumers shift toward high deductible insurance plans, they are responsible for a greater percentage of their bill, particularly in the early months of the year before other healthcare spending has occurred, which may lead to lower than expected patient volume or an increase in bad debt expense during that period. Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate significantly in the future depending on these and other factors.

We could be subject to lawsuits for which we are not fully insured.

Healthcare providers have become subject to an increasing number of lawsuits alleging malpractice and related legal theories such as negligent hiring, supervision and credentialing. Some of these lawsuits involve large claim amounts and substantial defense costs. We generally procure professional liability insurance coverage for our affiliated medical professionals and professional and corporate entities. We are currently insured under policies in amounts management deems appropriate, based upon the nature and risk of our business. Our medical professionals are also required to provide their own medical malpractice insurance coverages. Nevertheless, there are exclusions and exceptions to coverage under each insurance policy that may make coverage for any claim unavailable, future claims could exceed the limits of available insurance coverage, existing insurers could become insolvent and fail to meet their obligations to provide coverage for such claims, and such coverage may not always be available with sufficient limits and at reasonable cost to insure us adequately and economically in the future. One or more successful claims against us not covered by, or exceeding the coverage of, our insurance could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition. Moreover, in the normal course of our business, we may be involved in other types of lawsuits, claims, audits and investigations, including those arising out of our billing and marketing practices, employment disputes, contractual claims and other business disputes for which we may have no insurance coverage. Furthermore, for our losses that are insured or reinsured through commercial insurance providers, we are subject to the financial viability of those insurance companies. Although we believe our commercial insurance providers are currently creditworthy, they may not remain so in the future. The outcome of these matters could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

We depend on certain key personnel.

We substantially rely on the efforts of our current senior management, including our founder and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. G. Dave Singh, our co-founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, R. Kirk Huntsman and our Chief Financial Officer, Brad Amman. Our business would be impeded or harmed if we were to lose their services. In addition, if we are unable to attract, train and retain highly skilled technical, managerial, product development, sales and marketing personnel, we may be at a competitive disadvantage and unable to develop new products or increase revenue. The failure to attract, train, retain and effectively manage employees could negatively impact our research and development, sales and marketing and reimbursement efforts. In particular, the loss of sales personnel could lead to lost sales opportunities as it can take several months to hire and train replacement sales personnel. Uncertainty created by turnover of key employees could adversely affect our business.

Members of our board of directors and our executive officers will have other business interests and obligations to other entities.

Neither our directors nor our executive officers will be required to manage our business as their sole and exclusive function and they may have other business interests and may engage in other activities in addition to those relating to us, provided that such activities do not compete with the business of our company or otherwise breach their agreements with us. We are dependent on our directors and executive officers to successfully operate our company. Their other business interests and activities could divert time and attention from operating our business.

We will need to carefully manage our expanding operations to achieve sustainable growth.

To achieve increased revenue levels, complete clinical studies and develop future products, we believe that we will be required to periodically expand our operations, particularly in the areas of sales and marketing, clinical research, reimbursement, research and development, manufacturing and quality assurance. As we expand our operations in these areas, management will face new and increased responsibilities. To accommodate any growth and compete effectively, we must continue to upgrade and improve our information systems, as well as our procedures and controls across our business, and expand, train, motivate and manage our work force. Our future success will depend significantly on the ability of our current and future management to operate effectively. Our personnel, systems, procedures and controls may not be adequate to support our future operations. If we are unable to effectively manage our expected growth, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We could be adversely affected by violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar worldwide anti-bribery and anti-kickback laws with respect to our activities outside the United States.

We distribute our products to locations within and outside the United States in Canada. Our business plan also anticipates VIP offices outside the United States and Canada. The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and other similar anti-bribery and anti-kickback laws and regulations, generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to non-U.S. officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. As we expect to expand our international operations in the future, we will become increasingly subjected to these laws and regulations. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in preventing our agents from taking actions in violation of these laws or regulations. Such violations, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt our business and result in a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

There is no guarantee that our PPP loan will be forgiven in whole or in part.

In May 2020, we received loan proceeds in the amount of approximately $1,265,000 under the Paycheck Protection Program (or PPP), established as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provides economic relief to businesses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The loan and accrued interest are forgivable after 24 weeks as long as we use the loan proceeds for eligible purposes, including payroll, benefits, rent and utilities, and our employee head count remains consistent with our baseline period over the 24-week period after the loan was received. The amount of loan forgiveness will be reduced if we terminate employees or reduce salaries during the 24-week period. The unforgiven portion of the PPP loan is payable over two years at an interest rate of 1%, with a deferral of payments for the first six months. While we believe that our use of the loan proceeds will meet the conditions for forgiveness of the loan, there is a risk that the loan will not be forgiven or that we will take actions that could cause us to be ineligible for forgiveness of the loan, there is a risk that (i) the loan will not be forgiven, in whole or in part, (ii) we will take actions that could cause us to be ineligible for forgiveness of the loan, in whole or in part or (iii) we may be required to repay the loan, in whole or in part, upon event of default under the loan or upon a breach of applicable PPP regulations (including upon a change of ownership in our company that may have occurred as a result of our initial public offering).

Risks Related to Our Products and Regulation

We depend in large part on our Vivos System technology, and the loss of access to this technology would terminate or delay the further development of our products, injure our reputation or force us to pay higher fees.

We depend, in large part, on our Vivos System technology. The loss of this key technology would seriously impair our business and future viability, and could result in delays in developing, introducing or maintaining our products until equivalent technology, if available, is identified, licensed and integrated. In addition, any defects in the Vivos System technology or other technologies we gain access to in the future could prevent the implementation or impair the functionality of our products, delay new product introductions or injure our reputation. If we are required to acquire or enter into license agreements with third parties for replacement technologies, we could be subject to higher fees, milestone or royalty payments, assuming we could access such technologies at all.

Our failure to obtain government approvals, including required FDA approvals, or to comply with ongoing governmental regulations relating to our technologies and products could delay or limit introduction of our products and result in failure to achieve revenue or maintain our ongoing business.

Our development activities and the manufacture and marketing of the Vivos System are subject to extensive regulation for safety, efficacy and quality by numerous government authorities in the United States and abroad. Before receiving FDA or foreign regulatory clearance to market our products which are not presently approved, we will have to demonstrate that these products are safe and effective in the patient population and for the diseases that are to be treated. Clinical trials, manufacturing and marketing of medical devices are subject to the rigorous testing and approval process of the FDA and equivalent foreign regulatory authorities. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and other federal, state and foreign statutes and regulations govern and influence the testing, manufacture, labeling, advertising, distribution and promotion of medical devices. As a result, regulatory approvals for our products not yet approved or that we may develop in the future can take a number of years or longer to accomplish and require the expenditure of substantial financial, managerial and other resources.

Clinical trials that may be required to support regulatory submissions in the United States are expensive. We cannot assure that we will be able to complete any required clinical trial programs successfully within any specific time period, and if such clinical trials take longer to complete than we project, our ability to execute our current business strategy will be adversely affected.

Conducting clinical trials is a lengthy, time-consuming and expensive process. Before obtaining regulatory approvals for the commercial sale of any products, we must demonstrate through clinical trials the safety and effectiveness of our products. We have incurred, and we will continue to incur, substantial expense for, and devote a significant amount of time to, product development, pilot trial testing, clinical trials and regulated, compliant manufacturing processes.

Even if completed, we do not know if these trials will produce statistically significant or clinically meaningful results sufficient to support an application for marketing approval. If and how quickly we complete clinical trials is dependent in part upon the rate at which we are able to advance the rate of patient enrollment, and the rate to collect, clean, lock and analyze the clinical trial database.

Patient enrollment in trials is a function of many factors. These include the design of the protocol; the size of the patient population; the proximity of patients to and availability of clinical sites; the eligibility criteria for the study; the perceived risks and benefits of the product candidate under study; the medical investigators’ efforts to facilitate timely enrollment in clinical trials; the patient referral practices of local physicians; the existence of competitive clinical trials; and whether other investigational, existing or new products are available or cleared for the indication. If we experience delays in patient enrollment and/or completion of our clinical trial programs, we may incur additional costs and delays in our development programs and may not be able to complete our clinical trials on a cost-effective or timely basis. Accordingly, we may not be able to complete the clinical trials within an acceptable time frame, if at all. If we fail to enroll and maintain the number of patients for which the clinical trial was designed, the statistical power of that clinical trial may be reduced, which would make it harder to demonstrate that the product candidate being tested in such clinical trial is safe and effective. Further, if we or any third party have difficulty enrolling a sufficient number of patients in a timely or cost-effective manner to conduct clinical trials as planned, or if enrolled patients do not complete the trial as planned, we or a third party may need to delay or terminate ongoing clinical trials, which could negatively affect our business.

The results of our clinical trials may not support either further clinical development or the commercialization of any new product candidates or modifications to existing products.

Even if our ongoing or contemplated clinical trials are completed as planned, their results may not support either the further clinical development or the commercialization of any new product candidates or modifications of existing products. The FDA or government authorities may not agree with our conclusions regarding the results of our clinical trials. Success in preclinical testing and early clinical trials does not ensure that later clinical trials will be successful, and the results from any later clinical trials may not replicate the results of prior clinical trials and pre-clinical testing. The clinical trial process may fail to demonstrate that our product candidates are safe and effective for indicated uses. This failure would cause us to abandon a product candidate or a modification to any existing product and may delay development of other product candidates. Any delay in, or termination of, our clinical trials will delay the filing of our 510(k)’s and, ultimately, our ability to commercialize our product candidates and generate product revenue. Each Class I and Class II medical device marketed in the U.S. must receive a 510(k) clearance from the FDA. A 510(k) is a premarket submission made to FDA to demonstrate that the device to be marketed is at least as safe and effective, that is, substantially equivalent (or SE), to a legally marketed device. Companies must compare their device to one or more similar legally marketed devices, commonly known as “predicates”, and make and support their substantial equivalency claims. The submitting company may not proceed with product marketing until it receives an order from the FDA declaring a device substantially equivalent. The substantially equivalent determination is usually made within 90 days, based on the information submitted by the applicant.

In addition, we or the FDA may suspend our clinical trials at any time if it appears that we are exposing participants to unacceptable health risks or if the FDA finds deficiencies in the conduct of these trials. A number of companies in the medical technology industry have suffered significant setbacks in advanced clinical trials despite promising results in earlier trials. In the end, we may be unable to develop marketable products.

Modifications to the Vivos System may require additional FDA approvals which, if not obtained, could force us to cease marketing and/or recall the modified device until we obtain new approvals.

After a device receives a 510(k) clearance, any modification that could significantly affect its safety or effectiveness, or that would constitute a major change in its intended use, requires a new 510(k) clearance or could require a Premarket approval (or PMA). PMA is the FDA process of scientific and regulatory review to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Class III medical devices. Class III devices are those that support or sustain human life, are of substantial importance in preventing impairment of human health, or which present a potential, unreasonable risk of illness or injury. Currently we do not market devices within this Class III category nor do we intend to in the foreseeable future. However, the FDA requires each manufacturer to make this determination in the first instance, but the FDA can review any decision. If the FDA disagrees with a manufacturer’s decision not to seek a new 510(k) clearance, the agency may retroactively require the manufacturer to seek 510(k) clearance or PMA approval. The FDA also can require the manufacturer to cease marketing and/or recall the modified devices until 510(k) clearance or PMA approval is obtained. We cannot assure you that the FDA would agree with any of our decisions not to seek 510(k) clearance or PMA approval. If the FDA requires us to seek 510(k) clearance or PMA approval for any modification, we also may be required to cease marketing and/or recall the modified device until we obtain a new 510(k) clearance or PMA approval.

Our DNA appliance® currently has a pending 510(k) application to include additional indications of use for the treatment of mild-to-moderate OSA, snoring, and SDB in adults. This use would require the DNA appliance^® to be registered as a Class II device. We have validated this 510(k) request with retrospective clinical data. This DNA appliance® 510(k) review and approval process is expected to take another three to six months, meaning we would expect to hear from the FDA in 2021. However, it is possible that we may not receive this FDA additional clearance.

Also, in February 2021, we submitted a 510(k) for Class II clearance to the FDA for our mmRNA device with indications to treat mild-to-moderate OSA, SDB and Snoring in adults. We cannot assure you that the FDA will approve our 510(k) Class II approval or we will receive PMA approval. Further, we cannot assure you that our mmRNA appliance^® will be added to the CMS Medicare list of approved sleep appliances , both in general and in the event that Class II approval is not obtained for the mmRNA device (which is a prerequisite for inclusion in the CMS Medicare list of approved sleep appliances).

We are subject to inspection and market surveillance by the FDA to determine compliance with regulatory requirements. If the FDA finds that we have failed to comply, the agency can institute a wide variety of enforcement actions which may materially affect our business operations.

We are subject to inspection and market surveillance by the FDA to determine compliance with regulatory requirements. If the FDA finds that we have failed to comply, the agency can institute a wide variety of enforcement actions, ranging from a public warning letter to more severe sanctions such as:

We have received an FDA warning letter in the past when such a letter was received by our subsidiary BioModeling Solutions, Inc. (“BioModeling” or “BMS”) in January 2018 following a routine FDA audit. In its letter, the FDA noted matters such as inadequate documentation of certain FDA-required procedures, not keeping certain records and materials in paper format and in triplicate, and using certain descriptive words and phrases on its website and in marketing materials that were unapproved in advance by FDA. While we believe these issues have been resolved, to date the FDA has made no definitive statement that the matters raised by such letter have been satisfactorily resolved.

The FDA also has the authority to request repair, replacement or refund of the cost of any medical device manufactured or distributed by us. Our failure to comply with applicable requirements could lead to an enforcement action that may have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Treatment with the Vivos System has only been available for a relatively limited time, and we do not know whether there will be significant post-treatment regression or relapse.

Patient treatment using the FDA registered DNA appliance began in 2009, while treatment for mild-to-moderate OSA using the FDA cleared mRNA appliance began in 2014. Both began under the prior business model of our predecessor (and now subsidiary) BMS, and well before our formation. Under the BMS model, the independent treating dentists generated and maintained all records of treatment and ordered their appliances directly from one of the BMS designated labs. Thus, with the exception of specific patients who participated in studies, clinical trials or case reports, we have had limited visibility into patient records which might contain data on this subject. Therefore, we have limited empirical data to support our view that the risk of post treatment regression or relapse is not significant. To the extent a material number of patients who were treated with the Vivos System were to be found to experience post-treatment relapse or regression, it could pose a significant risk to our brand, the willingness or ability of physicians to prescribe and dentists to use our products and the willingness of patients to engage in treatment with our products and could thus have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

We are subject to potential risks associated with the need to comply with state or other dental support organization laws.

Our core VIP business model does not involve any form of joint ownership, operational control, or employment of licensed professionals by our company. Thus, we are not typically regarded as a “dental support organization” (or DSO) under the laws of the various states within the United States or in Canada, in which we conduct most of our business. However, we do operate two retail treatment clinics in Colorado wherein we do employ dentists under a provider network model consistent with Colorado law. In that respect, for Colorado only, we may be regarded as a DSO. Nevertheless, if we were deemed to be a DSO in any jurisdiction, it could make it difficult or impossible for us to recruit and retain qualified dentists as VIPs, as some state dental boards are sometimes adverse to corporate DSOs operating in their states. Moreover, where such DSO-provider relationships are permitted, such regulations may impose significant constraints on the structure and financial arrangements that are permissible between us and our affiliated dentists in a particular state.

In jurisdictions where laws allow DSOs to operate (which includes almost all U.S. states and Canada), a growing number of dentists are affiliating with corporate DSOs. In those cases, the DSO may not allow their affiliated dentists to offer our products and services or to become VIPs. Thus, the overall number of dentists who are prospects to become VIPs and utilize our products and services may be reduced, which would impair our ability to generate revenue from our core VIP business model.

Our new Medical Integration Division business line may implicate federal and state laws involving the practice of medicine and related anti-kickback and similar laws.

Our MID was launched in 2020 to assist VIP practices in establishing clinical collaboration ties to local primary care physicians, sleep specialists, ENTs, pediatricians and other healthcare professionals who routinely see or treat patients with sleep and breathing disorders. The primary objective of our MID is to promote the Vivos System to the medical profession and thus facilitate more patients being able to receive a treatment with the Vivos System. There is a risk, however, that our MID may implicate legal or regulatory compliance issues that may arise in the course of our activities, including various Federal healthcare statutes such as the Stark and anti-kickback laws as well as state-by-state regulations pertaining to inter-disciplinary ownership of professional corporations or other legal entities. We have conducted research, including obtaining advice from outside legal counsel, regarding the implications of these laws and regulations to MID and believe the MID’s operations will be in compliance with or will not implicate these laws and regulations. However, there is a risk that such laws and regulations (or similar laws and regulations adopted in the future) might be interpreted, reinterpreted, or modified in the future in such a way so as to impede or prevent us from continuing to develop or manage our MID, which could lead to our having to discontinue the MID and could leave us subject to regulatory scrutiny and sanction. No advice of counsel has been obtained with respect any potential operations of the MID in Canada.

We may not be able to prohibit or limit our dentists, physicians and other healthcare professionals from competing with us in our local markets.

In certain states in which we operate or intend to operate, non-compete, non-solicitation, and other negative covenants applicable to employment or ownership are judicially or statutorily limited in their effectiveness or are entirely unenforceable against dentists, physicians and other healthcare professionals. As a result, we may not be able to retain our provider relationships or protect our market share, operational processes or procedures, or limit insiders or VIPs from using competitive information against us or competing with us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and ability to remain competitive as our arrangements with our VIPs do not contain competitive restrictions.

Risks Related to Our Securities Generally

The market for our common stock is new and may not develop to provide investors with adequate liquidity.

We only recently conducted our initial public offering in December 2020. Therefore, the market for our common stock is new, and we cannot assure you that an active trading market for our common stock will develop, or if it does develop, it may not be maintained. You may not be able to sell your common stock quickly or at the market price if trading in our securities is not active.

The market price of our common stock may be highly volatile, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

The market price of our common stock is likely to be volatile. This volatility may prevent you from being able to sell your securities at or above the price you paid for your securities. Our stock price could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to a variety of factors, which include:

In addition, the stock market in general, and the stock of publicly-traded medical technology companies in particular, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of these companies. Broad market and industry factors may negatively affect the market price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance.

There is a risk of significant future sales by our stockholders that are currently subject to lock-up agreements which expire in June 2021. Such sales could cause the price of our stock price to fall considerably and may adversely impact our ability to raise funds in new stock offerings. Other future sales of other shares of our common stock could have a similar adverse effect on us.

Approximately 6,986,620 shares of common stock (or approximately 38% of our currently outstanding shares) held by pre-initial public offering stockholders of our company were registered with the SEC pursuant to a resale prospectus included as part of our initial public offering registration statement. The holders of such shares have entered into “lock-up” agreements in favor of the representative of the underwriters of our initial public offering, and such lock-ups will expire on June 15, 2021. As such, following the expiration of such lock-ups, such holders will be free to sell their shares in the market. Such sales, should they occur in large volume and over a short period of time, could cause the price of our public stock to fall considerably, leading to losses by our investors and a potential inability of to raise funds in new stock offering.

Furthermore, options to purchase up to 2,319,001 shares of our common stock with a weighted average exercise price of $4.86 are outstanding, and we also have outstanding (i) a warrant issued to the representative of the underwriters of our initial public offering (exercisable for 402,500 shares of common stock), (ii) warrants associated with our previous Series B Preferred Stock (exercisable for 1,199,195 shares of common stock); and (iii) 325,000 warrants issued to certain shareholders in November 2020 (see “Management—2020 Derivative Demand and Settlement”). The exercise or conversion of any of these securities would result in additional dilution, and the sale of the shares issuable upon exercise or conversion of these securities could also lower the market price of our common stock.

We may also acquire or license other technologies or finance strategic alliances by issuing equity, which may result in additional dilution to our stockholders, and the sale of such securities could adversely affect the market price for our common stock.

Our failure to meet the continuing listing requirements of The Nasdaq Capital Market could result in a de-listing of our securities.

If we fail to satisfy the continuing listing requirements of Nasdaq, such as the corporate governance, stockholders equity or minimum closing bid price requirements, Nasdaq may take steps to delist our common stock. Such a delisting would likely have a negative effect on the price of our common stock and would impair your ability to sell or purchase our common stock when you wish to do so. In the event of a delisting, we would likely take actions to restore our compliance with Nasdaq’s listing requirements, but we can provide no assurance that any such action taken by us would allow our common stock to become listed again, stabilize the market price or improve the liquidity of our securities, prevent our common stock from dropping below the Nasdaq minimum bid price requirement or prevent future non-compliance with Nasdaq’s listing requirements.

If our shares of common stock become subject to the penny stock rules, it would become more difficult to trade our shares.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (or SEC) has adopted rules that regulate broker-dealer practices in connection with transactions in penny stocks. Penny stocks are generally equity securities with a price of less than $5.00, other than securities registered on certain national securities exchanges or authorized for quotation on certain automated quotation systems, provided that current price and volume information with respect to transactions in such securities is provided by the exchange or system. If we do not obtain or retain a listing on Nasdaq and if the price of our common stock is less than $5.00, our common stock will be deemed a penny stock. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, before a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from those rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document containing specified information. In addition, the penny stock rules require that before effecting any transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from those rules, a broker-dealer must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive (i) the purchaser’s written acknowledgment of the receipt of a risk disclosure statement; (ii) a written agreement to transactions involving penny stocks; and (iii) a signed and dated copy of a written suitability statement. These disclosure requirements may have the effect of reducing the trading activity in the secondary market for our common stock, and therefore stockholders may have difficulty selling their shares. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” for further information on the foregoing transactions with Dr. Singh.

There can be no assurance that we will ever provide liquidity to our investors through a sale of our company.

While acquisitions of medical technology companies like ours are not uncommon, potential investors are cautioned that no assurances can be given that any form of merger, combination, or sale of our company will take place relating to our company, or that any merger, combination, or sale, even if consummated, would provide liquidity or a profit for our investors. You should not invest in our company with the expectation that we will be able to sell the business in order to provide liquidity or a profit for our investors.

Our officers and directors may have the ability to exert significant influence over our affairs, including the outcome of matters requiring stockholder approval.

Our officers and directors and their affiliates (primarily Kirk Huntsman and Dr. G. Dave Singh) currently own shares, in the aggregate, representing approximately 29% of our outstanding voting capital stock. As a result, if these stockholders were to choose to act together, they have and will continue to be able to exert significant control over certain matters submitted to our stockholders for approval by having the ability to block certain proposals. For example, these persons, if they choose to act collectively, would have the ability to vote against and block a proposed merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets. This concentration of voting power could delay or prevent an acquisition of our company on terms that other stockholders may desire.

In addition, this concentration of voting power was evidenced in April 2020, when Mr. Huntsman, Dr. Singh and a small group of additional shareholders acted to remove three independent members of our board of directors and appoint new members of our board of directors. These shareholders could continue to exert this voting power.

Actions of activist shareholders could be disruptive and potentially costly and the possibility that activist shareholders may seek changes that conflict with our strategic direction could cause uncertainty about the strategic direction of our business.

Activist investors or other stockholders who disagree with our management may attempt to effect changes in our strategic direction and how our company is governed or may seek to acquire control over our company. Some investors (commonly known as “activist investors”) seek to increase short-term stockholder value by advocating corporate actions such as financial restructuring, increased borrowing, special dividends, stock repurchases, or even sales of assets or the entire company. Activist campaigns can also seek to change the composition of our board of directors, and campaigns that contest or conflict with our strategic direction could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition as responding to proxy contests and other actions by activist shareholders can disrupt our operations, be costly and time-consuming, and divert the attention of our board of directors and senior management from the pursuit of our business strategies. In addition, perceived uncertainties as to our future direction that can arise from potential changes to the composition of our board of directors sought by activists may lead to the perception of a change in the direction of the business, instability or lack of continuity which may be exploited by our competitors, may cause concern to our current or potential customers or other partners, may result in the loss of potential business opportunities and may make it more difficult to attract and retain qualified personnel and business partners. These types of actions could divert our management’s attention from our business or cause significant fluctuations in our stock price based on temporary or speculative market perceptions or other factors that do not necessarily reflect the underlying fundamentals and prospects of our business, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our company.

We are an “emerging growth company,” and the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies may make our common stock less attractive to investors.

We are an “emerging growth company,” or EGC, as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. We will remain an EGC until the earlier of: (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenue of $1.07 billion or more; (ii) the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of our initial public offering; (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in nonconvertible debt during the previous three years; or (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the SEC. For so long as we remain an EGC, we are permitted and intend to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. These exemptions include:

We may choose to take advantage of some, but not all, of the available exemptions. We have taken advantage of reduced reporting burdens in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In particular, we have not included all of the executive compensation information that would be required if we were not an EGC. We cannot predict whether investors will find our common stock less attractive if we rely on certain or all of these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile.

We will incur increased costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management will be required to devote substantial time to new compliance initiatives.

As a newly public company, and particularly after we are no longer an EGC, we will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and rules subsequently implemented by the SEC and Nasdaq have imposed various requirements on public companies, including establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and corporate governance practices. Our management and other personnel will need to devote a substantial amount of time to these compliance initiatives. Moreover, these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly. For example, we expect that these rules and regulations may make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance.

Pursuant to Section 404, we will be required to furnish a report by our management on our internal control over financial reporting, including an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by our independent registered public accounting firm. However, while we remain an EGC, we will not be required to include an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by our independent registered public accounting firm. To achieve compliance with Section 404 within the prescribed period, we will be engaged in a process to document and evaluate our internal control over financial reporting, which is both costly and challenging. In this regard, we will need to continue to dedicate internal resources, potentially engage outside consultants and adopt a detailed work plan to assess and document the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting, continue steps to improve control processes as appropriate, validate through testing that controls are functioning as documented and implement a continuous reporting and improvement process for internal control over financial reporting. Despite our efforts, there is a risk that neither we nor our independent registered public accounting firm will be able to conclude within the prescribed timeframe that our internal control over financial reporting is effective as required by Section 404. This could result in an adverse reaction in the financial markets due to a loss of confidence in the reliability of our financial statements.

Certain provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation may make it more difficult for a third party to effect a change-of-control.

Our certificate of incorporation authorizes the Board of Directors to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock. The preferred stock may be issued in one or more series, the terms of which may be determined at the time of issuance by the Board of Directors without further action by the stockholders. These terms may include preferences as to dividends and liquidation, conversion rights, redemption rights and sinking fund provisions. The issuance of any preferred stock could diminish the rights of holders of our common stock, and therefore could reduce the value of such common stock. In addition, specific rights granted to future holders of preferred stock could be used to restrict our ability to merge with, or sell assets to, a third party. The ability of the Board of Directors to issue preferred stock could make it more difficult, delay, discourage, prevent or make it more costly to acquire or effect a change-in-control, which in turn could prevent our stockholders from recognizing a gain in the event that a favorable offer is extended and could materially and negatively affect the market price of our common stock.

Our bylaws designate certain courts as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or employees.

Our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) will be the exclusive forum for: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company; (ii) any action asserting a claim for breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee, or agent of ours to us or our stockholders; (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or the bylaws; and (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine (the “Delaware Forum Provision”). Our bylaws further provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the sole and exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act (the “Federal Forum Provision”). In addition, our bylaws provide that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our common stock is deemed to have notice of and consented to the Delaware Forum Provision and the Federal Forum Provision.

Section 27 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the Delaware Forum Provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. We note, however, that there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce this provision and that investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

We recognize that the Delaware Forum Provision and the Federal Forum Provision in our bylaws may impose additional litigation costs on stockholders in pursuing any such claims, particularly if the stockholders do not reside in or near the State of Delaware. Additionally, the Delaware Forum Provision and the Federal Forum Provision may limit our stockholders’ ability to bring a claim in a forum that they find favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and employees even though an action, if successful, might benefit our stockholders. In addition, while the Delaware Supreme Court ruled in March 2020 that federal forum selection provisions purporting to require claims under the Securities Act be brought in federal court were “facially valid” under Delaware law, there is uncertainty as to whether other courts will enforce the Federal Forum Provision. If the Federal Forum Provision is found to be unenforceable, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters. The Federal Forum Provision may also impose additional litigation costs on stockholders who assert that the provision is not enforceable or invalid. The Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware and the United States District Court may also reach different judgments or results than would other courts, including courts where a stockholder considering an action may be located or would otherwise choose to bring the action, and such judgments may be more or less favorable to us than our stockholders.

Limitations on director and officer liability and indemnification of our officers and directors by us may discourage stockholders from bringing suit against an officer or director.

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, as it presently exists or may be amended from time to time, a director shall not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director. Under Delaware law, this limitation of liability does not extend to, among other things, acts or omissions which involve intentional misconduct, fraud or knowing violation of law, or unlawful payments of dividends. These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing suit against a director or officer for breach of fiduciary duty and may reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation brought by stockholders on our behalf against a director or officer.

We are responsible for the indemnification of our officers and directors.

Should our officers and/or directors require us to contribute to their defense, we may be required to spend significant amounts of our capital. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws also provide for the indemnification of our directors, officers, employees, and agents, under certain circumstances, against attorney’s fees and other expenses incurred by them in any litigation to which they become a party arising from their association with or activities on behalf of our company. This indemnification policy could result in substantial expenditures, which we may be unable to recoup. If these expenditures are significant or involve issues which result in significant liability for our key personnel, we may be unable to continue operating as a going concern.

Our ability to use our net operating losses and research and development credit carryforwards to offset future taxable income may be subject to certain limitations.

In general, under Sections 382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or the Code), a corporation that undergoes an “ownership change,” generally defined as a greater than 50% change by value in its equity ownership over a three-year period, is subject to limitations on its ability to utilize its pre-change net operating losses, or NOLs, and its research and development credit carryforwards to offset future taxable income. Our existing NOLs and research and development credit carryforwards may be subject to limitations arising from previous ownership changes, and if we undergo an ownership change, our ability to utilize NOLs and research and development credit carryforwards could be further limited by Sections 382 and 383 of the Code. In addition, our ability to deduct net interest expense may be limited if we have insufficient taxable income for the year during which the interest is incurred, and any carryovers of such disallowed interest would be subject to the limitation rules similar to those applicable to NOLs and other attributes. Future changes in our stock ownership, some of which might be beyond our control, could result in an ownership change under Section 382 of the Code. For these reasons, in the event we experience a change of control, we may not be able to utilize a material portion of the NOLs, research and development credit carryforwards or disallowed interest expense carryovers, even if we attain profitability.

The financial and operational projections that we may make from time to time are subject to inherent risks.

The projections that our management may provide from time to time (including, but not limited to, those relating to market sizes and other financial or operational matters) reflect numerous assumptions made by management, including assumptions with respect to our specific as well as general business, economic, market and financial conditions and other matters, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Accordingly, there is a risk that the assumptions made in preparing the projections, or the projections themselves, will prove inaccurate. There will be differences between actual and projected results, and actual results may be materially different from those contained in the projections. The inclusion of the projections in this Annual Report should not be regarded as an indication that we or our management or representatives considered or consider the projections to be a reliable prediction of future events, and the projections should not be relied upon as such.

If we were to dissolve, the holders of our securities may lose all or substantial amounts of their investments.

If we were to dissolve as a corporation, as part of ceasing to do business or otherwise, we may be required to pay all amounts owed to any creditors before distributing any assets to the investors. There is a risk that in the event of such a dissolution, there will be insufficient funds to repay amounts owed to holders of any of our indebtedness and insufficient assets to distribute to our other investors, in which case investors could lose their entire investment.

An investment in our company may involve tax implications, and you are encouraged to consult your own advisors as neither we nor any related party is offering any tax assurances or guidance regarding our company or your investment.

The formation of our company and our financings, as well as an investment in our company generally, involves complex federal, state and local income tax considerations. Neither the Internal Revenue Service nor any state or local taxing authority has reviewed the transactions described herein, and may take different positions than the ones contemplated by management. You are strongly urged to consult your own tax and other advisors prior to investing, as neither we nor any of our officers, directors or related parties is offering you tax or similar advice, nor are any such persons making any representations and warranties regarding such matters.

Because we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our capital stock in the foreseeable future, capital appreciation, if any, will be your sole source of gain.

We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain all of our future earnings, if any, to finance the growth and development of our business. This means that it is very unlikely that we will pay dividends on our shares of common stock. In addition, the terms of any future debt agreements may preclude us from paying dividends. As a result, capital appreciation, if any, of our common stock will be your sole source of gain for the foreseeable future.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish or cease publishing research or reports about us, our business or our market, or if they change their recommendations regarding our common stock adversely, the price of our common stock and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock may be influenced by the research and reports that securities or industry analysts may publish about us, our business, our market or our competitors. If any of the analysts who may cover us change their recommendation regarding our common stock adversely, or provide more favorable relative recommendations about our competitors, the price of our common stock would likely decline. If any analyst who may cover us was to cease coverage of our company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause the price of our common stock or trading volume to decline.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.

None.

Item 2. Properties

We lease approximately 3,231 rentable square feet of office space from an unaffiliated third party for our corporate office located at 9137 Ridgeline Boulevard, Suite 135, Highlands Ranch, Colorado. This lease expires on in May 2022. Terms of the office lease currently provide for a base rent payment of $4,712 per month. We also lease approximately 2,220 rentable square feet of space from an unaffiliated third party for one of our Vivos Centers located at 4795 Larimer Parkway, Johnstown, Colorado. This lease expires in February 2025. Terms of the office lease provide for a base rent payment of $3,608 per month and a share of the buildings operating expenses such as taxes and maintenance of $2,035 per month. We also lease 3,643 rentable square feet of space from an unaffiliated third party for our Vivos Center located at 9135 Ridgeline Boulevard, Highlands Ranch, Colorado. This lease expires in January 2029. Terms of the office provide for a base rent payment of $5,465 per month and a share of the building’s operating expenses such as taxes and maintenance of $3,273 per month. Effective May 20, 2019, we entered into a lease at 7001 Tower Road, Denver, Colorado for 14,732 rentable square feet for the Institute for Craniofacial Sleep Medicine. This facility is being built as a training facility where our VIPs will be trained. We believe that these facilities are adequate for our current and near-term future needs.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

From time to time, we are involved in various claims and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business.

On June 5, 2020, we filed suit against Ortho-Tain, Inc. in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado seeking relief from certain false, threatening, and defamatory statements to our business affiliate, Benco Dental. We believe such statements have interfered with our business relationship and contract, causing us harm to our reputation, loss of goodwill, and unspecified monetary damages. On February 12, 2021, we amended our complaint to add claims for false advertising and unfair business practices, as well as additional variants of the original claims to address Ortho-Tain’s false advertising campaign against us in the fall of 2020. We are in the process of pursuing discovery for the expanded claims. Our complaint seeks permanent injunctive relief to prevent the defendant’s continued illegal defamatory statements and interference with our business relationships. We further seek declaratory relief to refute the defendant’s false allegations, as well as monetary damages to compensate us for harm caused by the defendant. Prior to filing suit, we worked collaboratively with legal counsel at Benco Dental to address and reasonably resolve this matter. Such efforts were unsuccessful. On February 26, 2021, Ortho-Tain, Inc. filed a Motion to Dismiss the amended complaint we filed against it in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado. While we are still evaluating the Motion to Dismiss, we believe such arguments made by Ortho-Tain, Inc. in the Motion to Dismiss lack merit.

On July 22, 2020 Ortho-Tain, Inc. filed a Complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois naming Vivos, along with our Chief Executive Officer, R. Kirk Huntsman, Benco Dental Supply Co., Dr. Brian Kraft, Dr. Ben Miraglia, and Dr. Mark Musso. The Ortho-Tain complaint addresses the same events as the suit we filed against Ortho-Tain, Inc. in June 2020 as described above. The Ortho-Tain complaint alleges violation of the Lanham Act and an alleged civil conspiracy among the defendants to violate the Lanham Act by an alleged false designation of origin related to a presentation given by Dr. Brian Kraft at an event sponsored by us and Benco Dental. Ortho-Tain also alleges that the actions of the defendants, including our company, diverted sales from Ortho-Tain, deprived Ortho-Tain of advertising value and resulted in a loss of goodwill to Ortho-Tain. However, Ortho-Tain does not attempt to measure any such damages or clearly articulate its losses, short of the broad allegations contained in its complaint. Ortho-Tain also alleges two separate breach of contract actions against Dr. Brian Kraft and our Chief Executive Officer, R. Kirk Huntsman. Ortho-Tain’s allegation of breach of contract against Mr. Huntsman, relates to a Non-Disclosure Agreement entered into in October 2013 with Mr. Huntsman’s prior entity, Xenith Practices, LLC, which Non-Disclosure Agreement expired pursuant to its terms in October 2016. We continue to evaluate the allegations, although we believe they lack merit and Ortho-Tain will be unable to establish actionable damages. On September 9, 2020, we moved to dismiss the claims against us. On October 23, 2020, we filed a motion requesting, in the alternative, that if the case is not dismissed, it be transferred to the Colorado action described above or stayed. Both motions are pending before the Court. If either motion is unsuccessful, we will defend the claims alleged by Ortho-Tain vigorously, and we do not believe that Ortho-Tain’s claims would materially impact our operations, nor would they amount to any material damages should Otho-Tain prevail.

There are no other legal proceedings currently pending against us, or known to be contemplated by any governmental agency, which we believe would have a material effect on our business, financial position or results of operations.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not applicable.

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

Market Information

Our common stock began trading on Nasdaq under the symbol “VVOS” on December 11, 2020. Prior to that date, there was no established public trading market for our common stock.

Holders

As of March 18, 2021, there were approximately 551 holders of record of our common stock. This number does not include stockholders who are beneficial owners, but whose shares are held in street name by brokers and other nominees. This number of holders of record also does not include stockholders whose shares may be held in trust by other entities.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

None.

Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans

The following table provides information as of December 31, 2020, regarding our common stock that may be issued under the Company’s 2017 stock and option award plan (the “2017 Plan”), and the 2019 stock and option award plan (the “2019 Plan”).

Dividend Policy

As of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we have not paid any cash dividends to stockholders. The declaration of any future cash dividend will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon our earnings, if any, our capital requirements and financial position, the general economic conditions, and other pertinent conditions. It is our present intention not to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future, but rather to reinvest earnings, if any, in our business operations.

Use of Proceeds from Initial Public Offering

On December 11, 2020, we completed our initial public offering by issuing 4,025,000 common shares at a price of $6.00 per share, for net proceeds of approximately $21.6 million, after deducting underwriter discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by us. Following our initial public offering, we made payments of $2.0 million to our founder and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. G. Dave Singh to redeem a portion of our then outstanding Series A Preferred Stock held by Dr. Singh. In early January 2021, we paid an additional $1.5 million to Dr. Singh to redeem all remaining outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock. Additionally, we plan to spend approximately $3.95 million for working capital and general corporate purposes, $3.3 million on settlement expense (see “October 2020 Derivative Demand and Settlement”), $0.9 million for sales and support staff, $0.3 for sales and marketing expenses and $0.1 million for software development including enterprise resource planning implementation.

The proceeds used in working capital and general corporate purposes, include payments to investment banking firms we previously had engagements with, comprised of $175,000 to Weild & Co., a FINRA member broker-dealer and $30,000 to Maxim Group, LLC, a FINRA member broker-dealer.

The foregoing expected use of net proceeds from our initial public offering represents our intentions based upon our current plans and business conditions. However, the nature, amounts and timing of our actual expenditures may vary significantly depending on numerous factors. For example, we may also elect to use proceeds from this offering to acquire complimentary technologies, products or businesses, although we are not a party to any letters of intent or definitive agreements for any such acquisition. As a result, our management has and will retain broad discretion over the allocation of the net proceeds. We may find it necessary or advisable to use the net proceeds for other purposes, and we will have broad discretion in the application of net proceeds. Additionally, we intend to invest the net proceeds in a variety of capital preservation investments, including short-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing instruments and U.S. government securities.

Item 6. Reserved.

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and the related notes to those statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition to historical financial information, the following discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Some of the numbers included herein have been rounded for the convenience of presentation. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including those discussed under Part I. “Item 1A. Risk Factors’’ and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Overview

We are a revenue stage medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of a highly differentiated technology offering a clinically effective non-surgical, non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical, and low-cost solution for patients with SDB, including mild-to-moderate OSA. We offer novel and proprietary alternatives for treating mild-to-moderate OSA as well as certain craniofacial and anatomical anomalies known to be associated with OSA. We believe our products and technology represent a significant improvement in the treatment of mild-to-moderate OSA versus other treatments such as CPAP.

Our treatment for mild-to-moderate OSA involves specially designed and customized oral appliances and treatment protocols that we call the Vivos System. We believe the Vivos System technology represents the first non-surgical, non-invasive and cost-effective solution that normally does not require lifetime use of intervention for the hundreds of millions of people globally who suffer from mild-to-moderate OSA. We intend to more rapidly expand the use of the Vivos System by actively recruiting dentists and training them about OSA and the use and application of our products and technology to treat mild-to-moderate OSA. Our oral appliances have proven effective (within the scope of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (or FDA) cleared uses as described below) in over 15,000 patients treated worldwide by more than 1,200 trained dentists.

On December 11, 2020, we completed our initial public offering by issuing 4,025,000 shares of common stock, at a public offering price of $6.00 per share, for net proceeds of approximately $21.6 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by us.

Impact of COVID-19

The early 2020 outbreak of COVID-19 and its development into a pandemic in March 2020 has resulted in significant economic disruption globally. Actions taken by various governmental authorities, individuals and companies around the world to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through social distancing have restricted travel, many business operations, public gatherings and the overall level of individual movement and in-person interaction across the globe. This has significantly reduced global economic activity and resulted in a decline in demand across many industries.

Many of our VIPs and potential VIPs closed their offices for periods of time during 2020 as a result of COVID-19, although some remained open to specifically provide patients with our appliances and VIPs were deemed an essential business for health considerations in many jurisdictions. In the face of the pandemic and the potential for revenue reduction, we worked diligently to reduce expenses and maintain revenues during 2020. While revenue growth flattened in March and April 2020, expenses were reduced, and we aggressively expanded our network of healthcare providers familiar with our products by offering online continuing education courses which introduced many in the medical and dental communities to our product line. As a result, we determined no triggering events had occurred indicating no impairment needed as of December 31, 2020. However, even as we take action to face the challenges of the pandemic, since the situation with COVID-19 remains uncertain, we cannot predict with certainty the impact of the pandemic or local outbreaks thereof will have on our near- and longer-term results of operations.

Results of Operations

Year Ended December 31, 2020 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2019

Revenue

Revenue increased $1.7 million, or 15%, to $13.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019. This increase was related to revenue from our VIP program along with the increase in the number of oral appliances sold. During the year ended December 31, 2020, we enrolled 248 VIPs for a total of $7,540,718. During the year ended December 31, 2019, we enrolled 204 VIPs for a total of $6,742,283. Additionally, BIS service revenues increased from $256,415 for the year ended December 31, 2019 to $620,094 for the year ended December 31, 2020. During the year ended December 31, 2020 we sold 8,135 total oral appliance arches for a total of $4,547,883 and for the year ended December 31, 2019 we sold 4,696 total oral appliance arches for a total of $2,917,095. The increase in appliance revenue is due to both volume and price increases.

Cost of Goods Sold and Gross Margin

Cost of goods sold decreased $0.1 million, on increased sales of $1.7 million. COVID-19 impacted our sales mix as many dental offices were closed for a good portion of April and May, resulting in having higher margin service revenues represent a larger portion of our overall revenues than our product revenues for the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses decreased $0.1 million, for the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019. As a percentage of revenues, general and administrative expenses decreased to 123% of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2020 from 143% of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2019. This decrease as a percent of revenues was achieved as a result of scaling operations as our revenues grew and reducing payroll and travel expenses during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Sales and Marketing

Sales and marketing expense was flat for the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019. The primary reason for this decrease was the postponement until 2021 of our annual conference for VIPs due to the COVID-19 outbreak combined with the increase in revenues that drives sales and marketing expenses.

Settlement Expense

Settlement expense in 2020 resulted from the settlement of a shareholder demand in the fourth quarter of 2020. We issued 300,000 shares of common stock and 325,000 warrants to purchase common shares as a result of this settlement.

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expense decreased approximately $33,000 for the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019, due primarily to the sale of one of our Vivos Centers in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Interest Expense

Interest expense decreased by approximately $41,000, for the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019 as a result of the convertible notes being exchanged into Series B Preferred Stock throughout 2020.

Interest Income

Interest income increased by approximately $58,000 for the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019 primarily due to interest on our note receivable related to the sale of one of our Vivos Centers in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Net Loss

We incurred a net loss of $12.1 million during the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to a net loss of $10.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The $1.3 million additional loss was primarily due to the settlement expense of $3.3 million offset by $1.8 million higher gross margin in 2020.

Year Ended December 31, 2019 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2018

Revenue

Our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2019 increased $7,601,016, or 200%, to $11,393,277 from $3,792,261 for the year ended December 31, 2018. This increase was related to revenue from our VIP program that began during 2019 along with the increase in the number of oral appliances sold. During the year ended December 31, 2019, we enrolled 204 VIPs for a total of $6,742,283. During the year ended December 31, 2018, we enrolled 67 VIPs for a total of $1,251,679. During the year ended December 31, 2019 we sold 4,696 total oral appliance arches for a total of $2,917,095 and for the year ended December 31, 2018 we sold 2,201 total oral appliance arches for a total of $695,250. The increase in appliance revenue is due to both volume and price increases.

Cost of Sales

Cost of sales for the year ended December 31, 2019 increased $1,654,393, or 153%, to $2,736,034 from $1,081,641 for the year ended December 31, 2018 due to the relative increase in revenue. As a percentage of revenue, cost of sales was 24% for the year ended December 31, 2019 and 29% for the year ended December 31, 2018. The decrease in cost as percentage of revenue was due to a greater mix of higher margin VIP program revenue during the year ended December 31, 2019 over year ended December 31, 2018.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses increased $6,899,615, or 74%, for the year ended December 31, 2019 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2018. This increase relates primarily to payroll and benefits, consultants, travel and other costs associated with the growth of our business.

Sales and Marketing

Sales and marketing increased $1,147,504, or 99%, for the year ended December 31, 2019 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2018. The primary reason for this increase were additional commissions related to the increased service and product revenues, which increased 200%.

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expense increased $140,555 for the year ended December 31, 2019 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2018, due almost entirely to the full year’s depreciation on furniture and equipment and leasehold improvements at the Vivos Centers in 2019 versus a partial year in 2018.

Interest Expense

Interest expense increased $34,902 for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the year ended December 31, 2018, primarily as a result of a convertible note offering that commenced in April 2019.

Net Loss

We incurred a net loss of $10,754,319 during the year ended December 31, 2019 as compared to $8,439,156 of net loss for the year ended December 31, 2018. A higher gross margin of $5,946,623 was offset by higher sales and marketing expenses and general and administrative expenses.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of December 31, 2020, we had cash and cash equivalents of $18,205,860 compared to cash and cash equivalents of $469,353 at December 31, 2019. In January 2020, we commenced a private placement offering that authorized the issuance of up to $15,000,000 of newly designated Series B Preferred Stock to accredited investors. As of October 1, 2020, we closed our Series B Preferred Stock offering after having received approximately $2,450,000 from the issuance of Series B Preferred Stock and exchanging approximately $2,944,000 in accrued principal and interest from our 2019 convertible notes into Series B Preferred Stock, whereas other 2019 convertible note holders elected to convert their notes into common stock. All Series B Preferred Stock converted into common stock in December 2020 in connection with the initial public offering.

In May 2020, we secured funding of $1,265,067 under the Paycheck Protection Program that was signed into law as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The promissory note contains an interest rate of 1.0% per year. Payments will be deferred for the first six months of the loan, then we must pay principal and interest monthly based on the unforgiven portion of the loan balance plus all accrued interest, beginning seven months from the month the note is dated. We anticipate seeking forgiveness of a significant portion of the loan amount under the provisions of the program as the amount borrowed has been used to pay compensation, rent and utilities. While we believe that our use of the loan proceeds will meet the conditions for forgiveness of the loan, there is a risk that the loan will not be forgiven or that we will take actions that could cause us to be ineligible for forgiveness of the loan, in whole or in part.

On December 11, 2020, we completed our initial public offering by issuing 4,025,000 common shares at a price of $6.00 per share, for net proceeds of approximately $21.6 million, after deducting underwriter discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by us. Following our initial public offering, we made payments of $2.0 million to our founder and chief medical officer to redeem a portion of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock. In early January, we paid an additional $1.5 million to our founder and chief medical officer to redeem all outstanding remaining Series A Preferred Stock.

We believe that our existing cash resources will be sufficient to meet our capital requirements and fund our operations for at least the next 12 months. We may also seek liquidity through additional securities offerings or through borrowings under a new credit facility.

Cash Flows

The following table presents a summary of our cash flow for the periods indicated:

Net cash used in operations was $5,680,294 for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to net cash used of $5,340,480 for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in cash used from operating activities was primarily driven by the increase in our net loss of $1.2 million.

Net cash used in investing activities consists of capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment and increased by approximately $206,000 from the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to cash provided by investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2019. For the year ended December 31, 2019, $250,000 in proceeds from the sale of a business were included in investing activities.

Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 consisted of the more than $22.3 million in net proceeds from our initial public offering plus $2.5 million in proceeds from the sale of Series B Preferred Stock and $1.3 million in proceeds from the PPP loan offset by $2.2 million in redemptions on the Series A Preferred Stock. For the year ended December 31, 2019, $1.2 million was received from the issuance of common stock and $3.8 million was received from the proceeds of our convertible debt offering that was offset by $0.4 million in redemptions on Series A Preferred Stock.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined by applicable regulations of the SEC, that are reasonably likely to have a current or future material effect on our financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources.

Critical Accounting Policies Involving Management Estimates and Assumptions

Basis of Presentation and Consolidation

Our consolidated financial statements included as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, which include the accounts of our company and our wholly owned subsidiaries (BMS and First Vivos), are prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP and the rules and regulations of the SEC related to annual and quarterly reports. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to those rules and regulations. The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2019 included in this report has been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements. The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the annual audited consolidated financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all material adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation of the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements. The information presented throughout this report, as of and for the periods ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, is unaudited.

Use of Estimates

To prepare financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP, management must make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Concentration of Credit Risk and Significant Customers

Financial instruments, which potentially subject us to concentrations of credit risk, consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents and accounts receivable. We limit our exposure to credit loss by placing our cash with high credit quality financial institutions. Additionally, we have a diverse customer base and no single customer represented greater than ten percent of sales or accounts receivable for the years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019.

Accounts Receivable, Net

The accounts receivable in the accompanying consolidated financial statements are stated at the amounts management expects to collect. We perform credit evaluations of our customers’ financial condition and may require a prepayment for a portion of the services to be performed. We reduce accounts receivable by estimating an allowance that may become uncollectible in the future. Management determines the estimated allowance for uncollectible amounts based on its judgements in evaluating the aging of the receivables and the financial condition of our clients. Allowance for uncollectible receivables was $507,347 and $180,852 as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Intangible Assets, Net

Intangible assets consist of assets acquired from First Vivos and costs paid to third parties for work related to our patents. The identified intangible assets acquired from First Vivos are amortized using the straight-line method over the estimated life of the assets, which approximates 5 years. The costs paid to third parties for our assets are amortized using the straight-line method over the life of the underlying patents, which approximates 15 years commencing at which time the patent has been granted. We determined the fair value of the intangible assets using a discounted cash flow approach.

Goodwill

Goodwill is the excess of acquisition cost of an acquired entity over the fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired. Goodwill is not amortized, but tested for impairment annually or whenever indicators of impairment exist. These indicators may include a significant change in the business climate, legal factors, operating performance indicators, competition, sale or disposition of a significant portion of the business or other factors. We test for impairment annually after the close of the year. There was no impairment of goodwill recognized at December 31, 2020 or 2019.

Long-lived Asset Policy

We review and evaluate the recoverability of long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that an asset’s carrying amount may not be recoverable. Such circumstances could include, but are not limited to (1) a significant decrease in the market value of an asset, (2) a significant adverse change in the extent or manner in which an asset is used, or (3) an adverse action or assessment by a regulator. We measure the carrying amount of the asset against the estimated undiscounted future cash flows associated with it. Should the sum of the expected future net cash flows be less than the carrying value of the asset being evaluated, an impairment loss would be recognized. The impairment loss would be calculated as the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds its fair value. The fair value is measured based on quoted market prices, if available. If quoted market prices are not available, the estimate of fair value is based on various valuation techniques, including the discounted value of estimated future cash flows. The evaluation of asset impairment requires us to make assumptions about future cash flows over the life of the asset being evaluated. These assumptions require significant judgment and actual results may differ from assumed and estimated amounts. Our evaluation of long-lived assets completed for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 resulted in no impairment loss.

Notes Receivable, Net

The notes receivable in the accompanying financial statements are stated at the amount management expects to collect. The current portion is what the Company expects to collect in the next twelve months and the long-term portion consists of the portion the Company expects to collect beyond twelve months. Periodically throughout the year, management evaluates the collectability of the note receivable based on its judgements of the operations and financial strength of underlying practice. The Company reduced notes receivable by estimating a discount based on market rates. The discount on notes receivable was $68,101 and $93,421 as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Accretion on the discount and interest on the note is recorded in interest income.

Revenue Recognition

We adopted Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 (Topic 606) titled, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” as of January 1, 2019 and relied upon transitional guidance provided for in 606-10- 65-1(f)(3) and do not disclose the transaction price allocated to the remaining performance obligations or an explanation of when we expect to recognize that amount as revenue.

We generate revenue from the sale of products and services. Revenue is recognized when control of the products or services is transferred to our customers in a way that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for those products and services.

We determine revenue recognition through the following five-step model, which entails:

Service revenue

Service revenue is recognized when the underlying training or other services are performed. Unearned revenue reported on the balance sheet as contract liability represents the portion of fees paid by customers for services that have not yet been performed as of the reporting date and are recorded as the service is rendered. We recognize this revenue over the twelve-month life of the contract. Provisions for discounts are provided in the same period that the related revenue from the products and/or services is recorded.

We enter into programs that may provide for multiple element deliverables. Commencing in 2018, we began enrolling medical and dental professionals in a one-year program which includes training in a highly personalized, deep immersion workshop format which provides the dentist access to an onboarding team who is dedicated to creating a successful integrated practice. The key topics covered in training include case selection, clinical diagnosis, appliance design, adjunctive therapies, instructions on ordering our products, guidance on pricing, instruction on insurance reimbursement protocols and interacting with our proprietary software system and the many features on our website. The initial training and educational workshop is typically provided in the first month that a VIP enrolls. Since VIPs are able to begin generating revenue after the first training workshop, we recognize 50% of the service revenue in the second month of enrollment and the remaining 50% pro-rata throughout the following eleven months of the service contract. Ongoing support and additional training are provided throughout the year and include access to our proprietary Airway Intelligence Service (or AIS) which provides VIPs with resources to help simplify the diagnostic and treatment planning process. AIS is provided as part of the price of each appliance and is not a separate revenue stream. Following the year of training and support, a VIP may pay for seminars and training courses that meet the VIP’s needs on a subscription or a course by course basis. In addition to enrollment service revenue, we have more recently launched an additional service on a monthly subscription basis: Billing Intelligence Service (or BIS). Revenue for this service is recognized monthly during the month the service is rendered.

We identify all goods and services that are delivered separately under a sales arrangement and allocates revenue to each deliverable based on relative fair values. Fair values are generally established based on the relevant service period which approximates the prices for relevant training that would be charged if those services were sold separately. In general, revenues are separated between durable medical equipment (product revenue) and education and training services (service revenue). The allocated revenue for each deliverable is then recognized ratably based on relative fair values of the components of the sale. Revenue from training is recognized over the relevant service period (i.e., as we satisfy our performance obligations and creates value for the VIP). We also evaluate the impact of undelivered items on the functionality of delivered items for each sales transaction and, where appropriate, defer revenue on delivered items when that functionality has been affected. Functionality is determined to be met if the delivered products or services represent a separate earnings process.

From time to time we offer various discounts to our customers. These include the following:

The amount of the discount is determined up front prior to the sale. Accordingly, measurement is determined before the sale occurs and revenue is recognized based on the terms agreed upon between us and the VIP over the performance period. In rare circumstances, a discount has been given after the sale during a conference which is offering a discount to full price. In this situation revenue is measured and the change in transaction price is allocated over the remaining performance obligation.

The amount of consideration can vary by customer due to promotions and discounts authorized to incentivize a sale. Prior to the sale, the customer and us agree upon the amount of consideration that the customer will pay in exchange for the services we provide. The net consideration that the customer has agreed to pay is the expected value that is recognized as revenue over the service period. Any overpayments are refunded during the reporting period so that no refund liability is recognized. At the end of each reporting period, we update the transaction price to represent the circumstances present at the end of the reporting period and any changes in circumstances during the reporting period.

Product revenue

In addition to revenue from services, we also generate revenue from the sale of our patented oral devices and preformed guides, known as appliances or systems to our customer, the VIP. Revenue from the appliance sale is recognized when control of product is transferred to the VIP in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for those products. The VIP in turn charges the VIP’s patient and/or patient’s insurance a fee for the appliance and for his or her professional services in measuring, fitting, installing the appliance and educating the patient as to its use. We are contracted with the VIP for the sale of the appliance and are not involved in the sale of the products and services from the VIP to the VIP’s patient.

Our appliances are visually similar to a retainer that is worn after braces are removed. Each appliance is specifically fitted to each patient. We utilize our network of certified VIPs throughout the country to sell the appliances to their customers as well as in two centers that we operate. We utilize third party contract manufacturers or labs to produce each appliance and preformed Guide. The manufacturer designated by us (of which there are several) produces the appliance in strict adherence to our patents, design files, protocols, processes and procedures and under the direction and specific instruction of us. The manufacturer then ships the appliance to the VIP who ordered the appliance from us. All of our contract manufacturers are required to follow our master design files in production of appliances or the lab will be in violation of the FDA’s rules and regulations. We performed an analysis under ASC Topic 606-10-55-36 through 55-40 and concluded it is the principal in the transaction and is reporting revenue gross. We bill the VIP provider the contracted price for the appliance which is recorded as product revenue. Product revenue is recognized once the appliance ships to the VIP provider under our direction.

Beginning in 2018, we operated three centers in Colorado and Utah. Effective October 1, 2019, we sold our center in Utah (see Note 4 to the financial statements included as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K). Within each center, we utilize a team of medical professionals to measure, order and fit each appliance. Upon scheduling the patient (which is our customer in this case), the center takes a deposit and reviews the patient’s insurance coverage. Revenue is recognized differently for our owned centers than for our VIPs. We recognize revenue in the centers after the appliance is received from the manufacturer and once the appliance is fitted and provided to the patient.

We offer our clinical advisors (who help our VIPs with technical aspects of our products) discounts from our standard VIP pricing. This is done to help encourage our clinical advisors to purchase our products for their own practices. In addition, from time to time, we offer buy one, get one offers and other credits to incentivize our VIPs to embrace our products and increase volume within their practices.

Stock-Based Compensation

Our board of directors (or the compensation committee thereof) grants share-based payments to employees under our equity incentive plans described below. Historically, this is has come in the form of options to purchase shares of our common stock. Since November 2018, all stock options have been granted with an exercise price of $7.50 per share on post-reverse split basis. Exercise price of such stock options has been consistent with the price offered to private investors in the Company’s private placements during this period, which our board of directors or its compensation committee deemed to be the fair value of the underlying common stock.

From an accounting perspective, we account for share-based payments to employees by recognizing compensation expense based upon the estimated fair value of the awards on the date of grant. Absent a publicly traded market for our stock, we use the price paid for our stock in the most recent sales to third parties as the stock price input into our valuation model as of the date of grant. We determine the estimated grant fair value using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and recognize compensation costs ratably over the requisite service period which approximates the vesting period using the straight-line method. For options issued to consultants, we recognize the estimated fair value of options issued using the Black-Scholes option pricing model at the time the services are rendered.

The Black-Scholes model requires the input of certain subjective assumptions and the application of judgment in determining the fair value of the awards. The most significant assumptions and judgments include the expected volatility, risk-free interest rate, the expected dividend yield, and the expected term of the awards. The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur.

The assumptions used in our option pricing model represent management’s best estimates. If factors change and different assumptions are used, our equity-based compensation expense could be materially different in the future. The key assumptions included in the model are as follows:

In 2017, our board of directors and shareholders approved the adoption of a stock and option award plan (the “2017 Plan”), under which shares were reserved for future issuance for options, restricted stock awards and other equity awards. The 2017 Plan permits grants of equity awards to employees, directors, consultants and other independent contractors. Our board of directors and shareholders have approved a total reserve of 1,333,333 shares for issuance under the 2017 Plan.

In 2019, our board of directors and shareholders approved the adoption of a stock and option award plan (the “2019 Plan”), under which shares were reserved for future issuance for options, restricted stock awards and other equity awards. The 2019 Plan permits grants of equity awards to employees, directors, consultants and other independent contractors. Our board of directors and shareholders have approved a total reserve of 333,334 shares for issuance under the 2019 Plan. On June 18, 2020, our shareholders approved an amendment and restatement of the 2019 Plan to increase the number shares or our common stock available for issuance thereunder by 833,333 share of common stock such that, after amendment and restatement of the 2019 Plan, and prior to any grants, 1,166,667 shares of common stock were available under the 2019 Plan.

Basic and Diluted Net Loss Per Share

Basic net loss per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per common share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding and the weighted average dilutive potential common shares outstanding using the treasury stock method. However, for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, diluted net loss per share is the same as basic net loss per share as the inclusion of weighted average shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants and stock options would be anti-dilutive. The numerator in the basic and diluted net loss per share calculation is the net loss attributable to common stockholders, which is the net loss for the year increased by the current year preferred stock dividends accrued.

The holder of our outstanding Series A Preferred Stock (Dr. G. Dave Singh, our founder and Chief Medical Officer) was entitled to participate in common stock dividends, if and when declared, on a one-to-one per-share basis. Accordingly, in periods in which we have net income, earnings per share will be computed using the two-class method whereby the pro rata dividends distributable to the holder of our Series A Preferred Stock will be deducted from earnings applicable to common stockholders, regardless of whether a dividend is declared for such undistributed earnings. For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we incurred a net loss and, accordingly, there were no undistributed earnings to allocate under the two-class method.

The following table summarizes outstanding common stock securities not included in the computation of diluted net loss per common share as their inclusion would be anti-dilutive: