Aalok Yashwant Shukla

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Aalok Yashwant Shukla (born 1979) is a British entrepreneur, dentist, and technology executive. He is the co-founder of Implement AI, a company that develops artificial intelligence software for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Prior to Implement AI, Shukla co-founded Straight Teeth Direct, a teledentistry platform.

Early life and education

Shukla was born in 1979 and grew up in Lancashire, where he attended Lancaster Royal Grammar School. His mother, Harsha Y. Shukla, was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2015 for services to interfaith relations and held a leadership role in the Hindu Forum of Britain.

As a youth, Shukla represented Lancashire in chess and competed in an England selection tournament. He earned a Bachelor of Dental Surgery from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry in 2003 and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Prosthodontics at King’s College London in 2013.

Career

Dental practice

After qualifying in 2003, Shukla founded Alkali Dental Studios, a private dental practice in Putney, London, in 2009. From 2011, the practice offered online consultations, an early form of teledentistry.

In 2012, Shukla launched I Love Straight Teeth, a platform providing cosmetic orthodontic consultations. He co-founded the European Society of Aesthetic Orthodontics and contributed articles on dental technology to professional publications. He sold his dental practice in 2016 to focus on health technology.

Straight Teeth Direct

In 2016, Shukla co-founded Straight Teeth Direct, a direct-to-consumer teledentistry platform offering remote teeth-straightening treatment using 3D-printed clear aligners monitored by dentists online. The company joined the Founders Factory accelerator programme in 2018 and developed automated dental assessment tools. In 2019, Straight Teeth Direct was a finalist in the Hottest HealthTech Startup category at The Europas Awards. Media outlets including British Vogue and The Times covered the company.

Instant Dentist

In October 2019, Shukla co-founded Instant Dentist, a platform providing remote dental assessments and consultations. The service offered structured oral health assessments and remote advice from dentists. In 2020, Bupa incorporated Instant Dentist assessments into its dental insurance offering.

Implement AI

Shukla co-founded Implement AI in 2023 with Piers Linney, a British entrepreneur and former investor on the BBC series Dragons' Den. Implement AI provides software to support small and medium-sized enterprises in adopting artificial intelligence technologies. The company received £250,000 in seed funding from SFC Capital in 2024 and £1.3 million in 2025 in a funding round led by Nigel Wray. As of 2024, the company had a turnover under £1 million and total assets of £218,000. Implement AI received the AI Start-Up of the Year award at the UK Startup Awards in 2025.

Public speaking and media

Shukla has spoken at conferences in the United Kingdom and Europe on artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and healthcare technology. His appearances include the NOAH Conference (2019), DSPA Insights (2023), Retail Excellence Retreat (2024), Technology for Marketing (2024), MSP Roadshow, AI Transform (2025), a Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce event (2025), and NatWest’s FutureFit conference (2026).

He co-hosts The Implement AI Podcast, which discusses AI adoption in business. He participated in a Schroders Adviser forum panel on artificial intelligence in financial advice.

Shukla has appeared on industry podcasts including Dentology, Dentaltown, and Dentistry Online. His work and companies have been covered by TechCrunch, FT Adviser, BusinessCloud, Elite Business Magazine, and UK Tech News.

Awards

2019 – Hottest HealthTech Startup finalist, The Europas Awards (Straight Teeth Direct)
2025 – AI Start-Up of the Year, UK Startup Awards (Implement AI)