A ‘Secret’ Interview(!) with Smile Direct Club – PDP115

This was the most difficult interview I ever recorded for Protrusive Dental Podcast. I was approached by a representative from Smile Direct Club to appear on the podcast. I had mixed feelings but knew this was an opportunity to ask some good questions and gain an insight into how this active and significant stakeholder in clear aligner therapy (whether we like it or not) operates. https://youtu.be/6Sjwr52_EkM Video to this episode has not been made public and only those with a link can watch it - OR on the Protrusive APP releasing for general sale next week Need to Read it? Check out the Full Episode Transcript below! Protrusive Dental Pearl: In terms of efficiency in doing your IPR, be sure to plan your IPR and your ClinCheck so that a lot of the IPR happens in one go when the contact is more aligned.  https://youtu.be/x6K2o9tS0GU The highlight of this episode: 10:13 Current market trends for clear aligners 12:59 Animosity Between Smile Direct Club and Dentists 17:19 Patients that are suitable for Smile Direct Club 19:33 Smile Direct Club’s Workflow/Patient Concern 30:32 Patient Education about Direct Smile Club 33:44 SDC’s 'Lifetime' Aligners? 37:11 SDC’s Night Time Aligners?! 43:20 SDC’s pop up shop within Dental Practice 46:55 Dental Boards vs Smile Direct Club 53:16 Patient Support Network? If you enjoyed this episode, you will also like GDP Alignment vs Specialist Orthodontics Click below for full episode transcript: Opening Snippet: Carrying out orthodontics is radiographs, temporomandibular joint assessment, Periodontal probing, periodontal diagnosis. Where is that in the workflow? So essentially what I'm asking Dr. Ataii is if someone doesn't see you and goes to perhaps to one, the pop up shops in the street, what is the workflow? And do you think there's something that should be improved in the workflow and let's learn about the workflow first I think before we can then as dentist be critique that. Jaz's Introduction:Hello, Protruserati. I'm Jaz Gulati and welcome back to the most difficult interview I've ever had to do. When the opportunity first came to discuss with a representative from Smile Direct Club, you can imagine my initial thought I was like no way, I'm not giving them any airtime, right? That was the initial thought. And then I just pause and I thought okay, this is an opportunity. So I posted this about this invitation to our group on Facebook Protrusive Dental Community and oh my god, you guys are hilarious. The amount of stuff you guys came out with saying do this, do that, ask him this some real tough questions or whatnot. And then Jonathan Doron, one of my buddies, one of the Protruserati, he made an awesome comment, right? And he got me thinking, okay, so amongst all of them on there, read his comment out it says, "If you think Smile Direct Club are doing something wrong, as most dentists do, then why not have them on and debate it. They're already here and providing the treatment whether you do or not. It would be an interesting break from the usual format, which you know, I love already. And it would genuinely like to see them come on and have a discussion in good faith." And that was the most beautiful thing. So Jonathan, thank you so much, because that really helped me and it was a guiding comment for me in terms of how I'm going to approach this interview. Because look, I'm gonna be straight up with you all. A) I don't want to get sued. Okay, I want this podcast and I want to be able to feed my family in the future as a dentist, so I don't want to get sued by anyone for any kind of thing, defamation, right? So I came and approached this podcast in a sensitive way. And I feel as though would I have asked certain questions in a different way. Had I seen Dr. Ataii, Dr. Payam Ataii, our guests and he was lovely. So thanks so much for being so lovely, Dr. Payam Ataii. So had, I would have asked him in a different way?