- The MENA’s fastest-growing, direct-to-consumer clear aligner startup partners with United Arab Emirates regulators on region’s first licensed teledentistry platform
- Smileneo’s licensed, doctor-directed, clear aligner treatment provides high-quality, affordable, and convenient teeth straightening in 7 countries
With telehealth usage surging as consumers and healthcare providers are seeking ways to safely access and deliver healthcare in the pandemic, Middle East’s leading teeth straightening startup, Smileneo launches MENA’s first teledentistry platform license. To address the flood of unlicensed companies operating regionally under different rules, Smileneo is the first startup to cooperate with health authorities on direct-to-consumer teledentistry platform licensing standards to enhance the patient safety of clear aligner treatments.
By obtaining licensing from Dubai Health Authority, Smileneo is the only licensed regional teledentistry platform for direct-to-consumer teeth straightening that offers consumers a safe end-to-end online solution to achieve a smile they love. Since its launch in 2020, Smileneo has become one of the fastest-growing MENA healthtech companies serving over 35,000 applicants through a network of more than 30 affiliated orthodontists in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Pakistan, Turkey, and Qatar. Smileneo has collaborated with Dubai Healthcare Authority to license its cutting-edge teledentistry technology, available in both Arabic and English, to upgrade standards for teledentistry patient care.
“This is an urgent patient safety matter,” said Dr. Jonathan Doerr, Founder and CEO of Smileneo. “There are several aligner companies operating in the MENA with questionable patient safety and data standards. Now, more than ever, consumers need an affordable, safe, and convenient teeth straightening option. They need the confidence that comes with receiving treatment from a licensed teledentistry platform which works in partnership with the best licensed dental clinics on the ground, to ensure world-class care. Unregulated products and unclear patient data privacy practices are putting the MENA’s fledgling healthtech sector and consumers at risk.”
Smileneo’s new teledentistry platform enables orthodontist partners to customize each patient’s treatment plan and manage their patient’s care online. Treatments are prescribed, directed, and managed by affiliated, locally licensed orthodontists throughout the entire process from initial diagnosis to completion. Patients can track progress on their new smiles via online check-ins using Smileneo’s app and consult their orthodontist at the touch of a button. By increasing doctor-patient communications, Smileneo’s teledentistry platform saves patients from making frequent clinic visits and enables orthodontists to keep in closer contact with patients.
“We are at the beginning stages of addressing the enormous untapped market of MENA consumers for whom orthodontic treatment has been unattainable and unaffordable,” said Dr. Doerr. “As the only company licensed by a MENA health authority to provide clear aligner treatment through telehealth, Smileneo has voluntarily committed to a stringent protocol to ensure a safe, affordable, and quality experience for consumers. We continue to push boundaries to make orthodontic care accessible at the touch of a button, and we are pleased to have the support of a growing number of world-class regional health authorities that recognize our technology advancements and the quality of our doctor-prescribed treatment plans.”
According to Smileneo research, more than 80% of MENA consumers would feel more confident if they had a straighter smile. The leading barriers preventing consumers from straightening their teeth are cost and convenience. Priced at up to 65% less than traditional braces, with an average treatment length of only 6 months, Smileneo’s direct-to-consumer, clear aligner treatment solves these pain points.
How it Works
Smileneo users start their smile journey with a quick online assessment by uploading photos of their teeth. Approved users then book a consultation with the closest Smileneo partner clinic. Smileneo’s partner network, which includes the region’s top orthodontists, use 3D intraoral scanners and panoramic X-rays to ensure a high-quality orthodontic treatment.
A personalized treatment plan and 3D smile preview, a simulation of what the patient’s new smile will look like, are the basis for Smileneo’s treatment. Smileneo clear aligners are custom prescribed by licensed orthodontists, and they are manufactured in licensed facilities. Each clear aligner is custom-made from BPA-free plastic thermoformed onto personalized 3D-printed mouth molds. Smileneo treatment is available for a fixed price and can also be paid in interest-free installments over 3 to 6 months.
