2016 is ringing-out with a bang, especially for StraightSmile Solutions®. The aligner and short-term orthodontics markets are rapidly evolving and we are seeing more clients and prospective patients than ever requesting alternative aligner products.

Invisalign® is the fluffy and fabulous “Kleenex®” of the orthodontic industry, but it’s not for everyone. There’s a lot of pushback, especially relating to their latest pricing increase this past summer. Also, doctors are increasingly frustrated with the poor communication and customer support from the outsourced and off-shored Provider Customer Service Team. An increasing number of doctors and patients alike, are also frustrated that the Invisalign® product as a whole, is no longer made in the USA.

Invisalign® is recognized as THE expert-branded, high-value aligner product, but this is often an undesirable feature for many consumers and practitioners. They are simply looking for the best facial tissue. I often recommend the Clear-Correct® product as an alternative solution. It’s a simple, straight-forward, aligner product that’s fully fabricated and supported in the United States. The technicians are personable and easy to communicate with. Their aligners all come with retainers, so there is no additional lab fee accessed at the end of the case. With the Unlimited product, there are actually no hidden fees at all for lost aligners, revisions or additional aligners.

With a comprehensive savings at around $600-700 a case, once you factor in the free retainers, this is an enormous savings overtime. Their digital technology is similar to Invisalign®, but Align Technology® does have more efficient attachments and can more effectively, efficiently and ideally move the more complex extraction or malocclusion cases.

Given that most GP’s refer-out their orthognathic and complex comprehensive cases, most General Dentists should be able to ideally treat the bulk of their in-house patients with the ClearCorrect® system. The integration of a coaching system, like StraightSmile Solutions®, can ensure General Dentists with making the best selection for each patient and are able to obtain ideal outcomes on each case.

StraightSmile Solutions® is the future of orthodontic coaching. We are the first online portal to provide a doctor-to-doctor consulting service that will allow GP’s and their teams to access the knowledge and expertise of an industry expert, in order to enhance information sharing and efficiency in problem solving. I hope to revolutionize orthodontic coaching. As compared to other orthodontic coaching service providers, StraightSmile Solutions® is a full-time business. We are independent and not run alongside a clinical practice. We commit our full energy to coaching, and YOU reap the benefits! We pride ourselves on lightning-fast service and responsiveness. StraightSmile Solutions® is time and cost-efficient. Our services are available exclusively online. Of the over 128,000 general dentists in the U.S., most have little to no formal educational training in orthodontics. Those who do seek training often have to resort to expensive and time-consuming weekend services. You learn on the job through trial and error, but those errors can be expensive and unfortunate for both patients and doctors. We aim to fill the gap in the market for quality and efficient coaching to provide valuable solutions for doctors and their teams, and subsequent positive outcomes in the quality of patient care.