Next generation process leverages patented laser technology to improve comfort
Robust automations improve manufacturing productivity and efficiency
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SmileDirectClub, Inc. (Nasdaq: SDC), the next-generation oral care company with the first medtech platform for straightening teeth, today announced the full transition of its second generation of retainer manufacturing technology at the company’s FDA-registered Smile Labs, based in Antioch, Tennessee.
The company’s enhanced retainer manufacturing lines feature patented laser technology and automations that are leveraged to produce SmileDirectClub’s Comfort Sense™ aligners. Laser technology results in precision-cut retainers that fit more comfortably while helping maintain proper tooth alignment and healthy positioning, and manufacturing automations continue to increase company efficiency and productivity. Thanks to this advanced technology, Smile Labs can now produce twice as many aligners and retainers with approximately 1/3 the labor, effectively increasing productivity by 225 percent.
“SmileDirectClub has made strategic investments in state-of-the-art manufacturing technology to elevate the quality of aligner and retainer products, improve efficiency and productivity, and invent superior next-generation products,” said David Katzman, CEO and President of SmileDirectClub. . “Thanks to the many advancements and engineering feats within Smile Labs, we have achieved a massive increase in productivity and manufacturing efficiency as we focus on developing more comfortable and effective aligners and retainers.”
SmileDirectClub’s cutting-edge manufacturing technology is a competency within the company’s innovation portfolio, helping SmileDirectClub create more comfortable and effective aligners. Over the past year, the Company has utilized a team of experts including Ph.D. materials scientists and engineers to investigate force application and alternative alignment materials and manufacturing technologies.
Since its launch in the US in 2014, SmileDirectClub has become one of the fastest growing health technology companies, serving more than 1.8 million customers worldwide and saving them more than $5 billion combined on the cost of traditional braces.
*Source: Calculated using SinglePay price for SmileDirectClub aligners as of 04/20/2022 vs. average rates (including in-person exams and diagnosis) for treatment of mild to moderate malocclusion with braces as reported in a orthodontist survey.
About Smile Direct Club
SmileDirectClub, Inc. (Nasdaq: SDC) (“SmileDirectClub”) is an oral care company and creator of the first medical technology platform for straightening teeth. Through its cutting-edge telehealth technology and vertically integrated model, SmileDirectClub is revolutionizing the oral care industry. SmileDirectClub’s mission is to democratize access to a smile that everyone loves by making it affordable and convenient for everyone. SmileDirectClub is based in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit SmileDirectClub.com.
Contact:
SmileDirectClub Media Relations: [email protected]
SmileDirectClub Investor Relations: [email protected]
