Top Oral Care Thought Leader Joins Company’s Partner Network And Mission To Create A More Equitable Oral Care Industry
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SmileDirectClub, Inc. (Nasdaq: SDC), the next generation oral care company with the first medtech platform for teeth straightening, today announced Dr. Amira Ogunleye, a cosmetic dentist and oral care thought leader based in Miami, FL, will partner with the Company to advocate for increased access to affordable, safe, and effective dental care. In a partnership that is the first of its kind for SmileDirectClub, Dr. Amira will also work to educate patients and colleagues about the innovative telehealth platform.
As a passionate advocate for equity-building in the dental industry, Dr. Amira, in partnership with SmileDirectClub, will educate professionals and consumers on the barriers marginalized communities face in dental care through social media and digital advocacy, using the platform she has built from her practice and her celebrity patients, including LeBron James, Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child, and Dwyane Wade.
“SmileDirectClub believes everyone deserves a smile that they love, and we created our innovative telehealth platform for teeth straightening to bridge the gaps of access, affordability, and convenience,” said John Sheldon, Chief Marketing Officer, SmileDirectClub. “We know minority communities are disproportionately impacted by these barriers, and by teaming up with Dr. Amira we can shed light on these inequities and find solutions to address the fundamental issues, while also providing an affordable teeth straightening solution to her patients.”
“I’m thrilled to partner with SmileDirectClub as we share a deeply rooted value and purpose-driven passion for increasing access to quality dental care, in addition to a desire to create more diversity in the dental industry,” said Dr. Amira. “As a graduate of Howard University, leading dental professional and mentor, I know how much representation in the industry matters, as well as how important it is for ensuring equitable access to care. I look forward to making a difference with SmileDirectClub.”
Dr. Amira’s practice Beautiful Smiles is the latest to join the SmileDirectClub Partner Network, which has grown to include 735 active or pending training dental partner locations across the U.S.
This partnership builds on the Company’s commitment to help underrepresented dental practitioners and underserved communities of color. Earlier this year, SmileDirectClub partnered with the National Dental Association (NDA) to create a new scholarship program for African American oral health professionals, awarding a total of $210,000 to 28 deserving students. The scholarship recipients will be announced by the NDA in December 2021, providing financial support to the next generation of African American oral health professionals to remove barriers, so everyone has access to safe, effective, and high-quality oral care.
Since its launch in the U.S. in 2014, SmileDirectClub has become one of the fastest-growing health technology companies in the world and is the leading telehealth platform for orthodontia. SmileDirectClub has straightened smiles for over 1.5 million customers around the world.
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, offering consumers the ability to get clinically safe and effective treatment but without the 3x markup. 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 and operates in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Singapore, Spain, France and Mexico. For more information, please visit SmileDirectClub.com.
Contact: SmileDirectClub Media Relations: Press@SmileDirectClub.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eff5e056-1f23-4cb9-815b-61189850c7ab
