New York (CNN Business)Teens misplacing their dental aligners may not be the most pressing concern in these tumultuous times. But SmileDirectClub has a solution for the careless kids and their parents who are shelling out big money for teeth straighteners — Bluetooth-enabled carrying cases.
SmileDirectClub (SDC) will announce the launch of a new line of its aligners on Wednesday. The feature was specifically implemented for teens who will now be able to track the location of a case from a cell phone. The cases will feature Bluetooth tracking from tech company Tile.”This was about us listening to customers,” Josh Chapman, chief global brand officer for SmileDirectClub, said in an interview with CNN Business.
Surely some teens will balk at the notion that their nosy parents can keep tabs on them by tracking the location of their aligner case. But Chapman said that when the company first explored the idea of starting a line of teeth aligners for teens, many parents — and even their kids — said they liked the idea of having an easy way to find lost aligners.
SmileDirectClub signs exclusive deal to sell dental care at WalmartThat’s especially true for parents, considering that the average SmileDirectClub treatment costs $1,895 — or $85 a month for two years of treatment plus a $250 down payment. (That’s still cheaper than the average price of $6,000 to $8,000 for more traditional braces, though.)Read MoreThe company’s customers valued affordability, convenience and accountability most when figuring out dental options for their kids, Chapman said.With that in mind, he said one of the services that comes with the company’s new SmileDirectClub Teen product — which will be available starting August 4 — lets patients have free virtual appointments with dentists and orthodontists through video chats on a phone or other mobile device. The company is also allowing teens and their parents to set up notification alerts so they know when to change their aligners.The high tech aligners could help give SmileDirectClub a leg up on rivals like Align Technology (ALGN), a larger, profitable firm in the S&P 500 that makes Invisalign braces for teens and adults, as well as from numerous privately-held upstarts such as Candid and Byte.
SmileDirectClub investors could use some good news. The company is losing money, mainly due to the fact that the company is spending a lot on marketing. The stock has been a dud since its initial public offering last September.Shares are down nearly 63% from their offering price of $23. Meanwhile, the stock of Align Technology, which makes aligners but doesn’t sell them directly to consumers, has surged almost 70% since the SmileDirectClub IPO.
Source: edition.cnn.com