SmileDirectClub Introduces New Retainer Manufacturing Technology
Next Generation Process Leverages Patented Laser Technology To Enhance 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 teeth straightening, today announced the complete transition of its second-generation retainer manufacturing technology in the Company’s FDA-registered Smile Labs based in Antioch, Tennessee.
The Company’s upgraded retainer manufacturing lines feature the patented laser technology and automations that are leveraged to produce SmileDirectClub’s Comfort Sense™ aligners. The laser technology results in precision-cut retainers that fit more comfortably while helping to maintain proper tooth alignment and healthy positioning, and the manufacturing automations continue to increase the Company’s efficiency and productivity. Thanks to this advanced technology, the Smile Labs can now produce twice as many aligners and retainers with approximately 1/3 of the manpower, effectively increasing productivity by 225 percent.
“SmileDirectClub has made strategic investments in state-of-the-art manufacturing technology to elevate aligner and retainer product quality, improve efficiency and productivity, and invent superior next generation products,” said David Katzman, CEO and Chairman, SmileDirectClub. “Thanks to the numerous advancements and engineering feats within our Smile Labs, we have realized a massive increase in manufacturing productivity and efficiency while focusing on developing more comfortable and effective aligners and retainers.”
SmileDirectClub’s cutting-edge manufacturing technology is one 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 research force application and alternative aligner materials and manufacturing technologies.
Since launching in the U.S. in 2014, SmileDirectClub has become one of the fastest-growing health technology companies, enabling care to more than 1.8 million customers around the world while saving them more than $5 billion collectively over the cost of traditional braces.
*Source: Calculated using the SinglePay price for SmileDirectClub aligners as of 4/20/2022 vs. average fees (including diagnostics and in-person exams) for treatment of mild-to-moderate malocclusion with braces as reported in a survey of orthodontists.
About SmileDirectClub
SmileDirectClub, Inc. (Nasdaq: SDC) (“SmileDirectClub”) is an oral care company and creator of the first medtech platform for teeth straightening. 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 each and every person loves by making it affordable and convenient for everyone. SmileDirectClub is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. For more information, please visit SmileDirectClub.com.
Contact:
SmileDirectClub Media Relations: Press@SmileDirectClub.com
SmileDirectClub Investor Relations: InvestorRelations@smiledirectclub.com
