Cherie Le Penske, founder & chief executive officer, Armor Dental Corp.
Some of the most transformative ideas in any industry don’t come from boardrooms or research labs. They come from someone who grew up in the room where the work actually happens and never stopped asking why.
For Cherie Le Penske, that journey began at just 7 years old, cleaning instruments in her mother’s dental office. By age 14, she was working as a dental assistant, gaining firsthand experience with the tools, workflows, and patient interactions that define clinical care. She continued working as a surgical dental assistant throughout college, developing a deep understanding of dentistry from the inside out.
What she noticed then and what she couldn’t stop noticing was that so much of the discomfort, friction, and inefficiency came down to the instruments themselves. Hard where they should be soft. Rigid where flexibility would serve better. Designed for function, but not always for people.
That observation became a lifelong pursuit. And in 2017, it became Armor Dental Corp.
A seasoned entrepreneur with more than 25 years of business experience, Le Penske didn’t simply launch a company—she created an entirely new category of dental instruments in dentistry. Armor Dental is the pioneer and global leader in soft retraction and isolation, developing a patented portfolio of soft, bendable, and non-reflective instruments that are transforming both the clinician and patient experience.
The company’s growing intellectual property portfolio includes 12 utility patents worldwide and innovations such as Scan Mate, Mouth Mate, Tongue Guide, Comfort Soft—the first safe, non-reflective soft retractor for laser dentistry and MirroSoft, the first soft, bendable dental mirror.
These aren’t incremental improvements. They represent a reimagining of how instruments interact with the human body and with the clinicians who depend on them every day.
Initially adopted through word of mouth, Armor Dental’s innovations are now used in dental and veterinary practices worldwide. Every product is developed around workflow efficiency, patient comfort, clinical control, and ease of use. The result is a growing portfolio of solutions that improve access, reduce tissue trauma, and strengthen the connection between clinicians and the patients they serve.
Today, Armor Dental continues to expand across dental, veterinary, and personal-use applications, guided by the same principle that inspired its founding: if it’s easier on people, it’s a better design.
Beyond Armor Dental, Le Penske is passionate about mentoring entrepreneurs and advising early-stage startups. She enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, traveling, and competing in triathlons.
Her story is proof that the most meaningful innovations often come from those who know a profession best. From holding instruments to inventing them, Cherie Le Penske has spent a lifetime rethinking how dentistry can feel—and helping lead the soft revolution in dental care.
For more information, visit armor-dental.com.
