Founder:

Professor Rushdi Hendricks

Trial Principal Investigator, Innovator, Maxillo-facial & Oral Surgeon 

Professor Rushdi Hendricks is a pioneering Maxillofacial and Oral Surgeon and the innovator of the BTTT device. He has dedicated his 40-year career to addressing some of healthcare’s most complex challenges. As an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Cape Town, he continues to advance surgical innovation and clinical research. Professor Hendricks is also a Fellow and Council Member of the Royal Society of South Africa. 

Revolutionary Innovation

Professor Rushdi Hendricks has developed patented medical technologies targeting obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a condition affecting around one billion adults worldwide. His novel tongue suspension device represents a paradigm shift in OSA treatment, offering a permanent, biological alternative for patients who are unable to tolerate CPAP therapy, the current gold standard. 

Key Innovation Highlights:

  • Two University of Cape Town-assigned patents for breakthrough medical devices 

  • Peer-reviewed research confirming proof-of-concept in animal models 

  • Clinical trial readiness with an established regulatory pathway 

  • Regenerative approach that stimulates natural immune system-generated solution  

Track Record of Success 

Academic Excellence: 

  • PhD in Plastic Reconstructive and Maxillofacial Surgery (UCT, 2017) 

  • Fellowship of the Royal Society of South Africa (2021) 

  • H-Index: 3 | 21+ citations | 15 peer-reviewed publications 

  • International faculty member, AO Foundation (Switzerland) 

Global Recognition: 

  •  Invited keynote speaker at 4th International Oral Diseases Conference (2025) 

  •  Invited speaker at international sleep apnoea symposiums 

  •  National Science and Technology Finalist (2011-2012) 

  •  Keynote speaker at 60th Anniversary of Danish Society of Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgeons. Copenhagen, 16 November 2012 

Beyond Innovation: A Heart for Service

Professor Hendricks believes that transformative healthcare should reach everyone, regardless of their circumstances. His four-decade commitment to underserved communities demonstrates that success is measured not just in patents and publications, but in lives transformed.

Building Communities, Transforming Lives

Co-founder, Al-Ansaar Trust (Eastern Cape)

  • Built a R7.5 million community center serving thousands

  • Provides free medical services through four volunteer doctors

  • Houses drug rehabilitation program (Families Against Drugs)

  • Operates weekly soup kitchen and refuge for abused families

  • Fully funded by family contributions—100% community-focused

Where It All Began: Crossroads, 1976

During apartheid, as a dental student, Prof. Hendricks helped establish the Noxolo School dental clinic in the Crossroads squatter camp, working without electricity, boiling instruments on gas stoves, and providing affordable care where others wouldn't venture.

The Boy Who Got His Smile Back

When 16-year-old Irchad Mohammed arrived from the Comoros Islands with a 110mm facial tumor, most saw an impossible case. Prof. Hendricks saw a young man who deserved a future. He:

  • Coordinated a pro bono surgical team

  • Secured free hospital facilities

  • Performed complex reconstructive surgery

  • Gave Irchad the ability to smile, eat, and speak again

The case garnered international media attention across Life Magazine, The Argus, Cape Times, and Sunday Times.

Ongoing Impact

  • Vision Medical Suite: Providing specialized care for mentally and physically challenged patients

  • International Training: Mentored students from 8 countries, many now leading surgeons

  • Five-year volunteer service: Lions Club of Kirstenbosch (became first Black vice-president)

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