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Corporate Profile: Opal Orthodontics Benjamin Lund, Editor, Orthotown Magazine

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by Benjamin Lund, Editor,
Orthotown Magazine

Opal Orthodontics is a relative new kid on the orthodontics block, but as a branch of well-known and respected Ultradent Products, Inc., the ortho supplier has a lot of support and experience under its belt. What once started out as a mere product line for its parent company, Opal Orthodontics soon became an entire division, and through its attentiveness to its clients has built a different kind of orthodontic company. Orthotown Magazine recently interviewed Jeffrey D. Smith, marketing and international sales manager for Opal Orthodontics to learn more about the company and its strong bond with its client orthodontists.




From left: Opal Orthodontics Marketing Manager Jeffrey D. Smith; Ultradent President Dan Fischer, DDS, FAGD; and Opal Orthodontics Business Development Manager Dwight Schnaitter.

Jeffrey, before we get started, can you please tell me a little about yourself?
Smith: As the son of an orthodontist, I was raised working in and around my father's practice. I was fortunate enough to be trained as an orthodontic lab technician in high school, which afforded me the opportunity to open my own lab and support my young family during college. Over the past 20 years, I've been a buyer and seller of orthodontic products, and held a variety of positions in operations, sales and marketing.

Tell me a little bit about the history of Opal Orthodontics. How would you explain Opal Orthodontics to an orthodontist meeting you for the first time?
Smith: Opal Orthodontics is a division of Ultradent Products, Inc., a leader and innovator in the dental industry. Several years ago, Ultradent began exploring opportunities to leverage its technologies and core competencies. Orthodontics was a natural option because it fits with Ultradent's vision and its emphasis on preserving both hard and soft tissues, as well as its expertise in automation. Opal Orthodontics originally began as a product line for Ultradent, but soon we realized that a separate division dedicated to the orthodontic specialist was necessary.

In 2006, Opal Orthodontics began operating as its own division, hiring key people with extensive industry experience. We organized a panel of clinical advisors from around the world to help us formulate our new strategy, not just for products but for the type of company we wanted to build. Since then, we have been singly focused on developing a full line of innovative products that meet the unique, specialized needs of orthodontists, their staff and their patients for whom quality of care is the highest concern.

We are a company that is pleasant to work with; one that places principles above profits. We invest heavily in new technologies, and seek to improve clinical efficiency and the quality of care for patients worldwide. We create new opportunities for education and are developing a team of highly experienced and trusted professionals who have dedicated their careers to the orthodontic profession.

With many other orthodontic suppliers already on the market,
why did you decide to start Opal Orthodontics?
Smith: We started our journey by talking to orthodontists around the world, consulting with practices of all shapes and sizes. As we listened, we learned that orthodontists wanted a company that would treat them fairly and honestly. We discovered that, in some cases, orthodontists felt that there was a difference between the service they received from their sales representatives and the service they received from the corporate office where they purchased their supplies. We discovered that many orthodontists felt that supply companies released products before they were fully tested, resulting in problems that affected both the practice and the patient. In the end, our mission became clear: we needed to be different. We needed to build a company around the way orthodontists want to be treated. We needed to fully test and qualify our products, not rush them to market chasing short-term sales goals at the expense of losing our integrity with customers. We needed to constantly listen to and take care of our customers. We knew we could be that company because Ultradent is founded on the same principles.

How does Opal Orthodontics benefit being a division of Ultradent?
Smith: Ultradent is a well-known and respected dental products manufacturer that continues to succeed, despite the economy's ups and downs. Ultradent provides substantial financial support and fuels R&D efforts to develop highly innovative, precision manufactured orthodontic products. It offers a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that is FDA approved and ISO certified, and gives Opal Orthodontics the operational support that a new company needs in such areas as accounting, shipping and purchasing. Ultradent supports Opal Orthodontics as a specialty division, but allows the orthodontic management team to create its own corporate brand and business strategy.

Can you please explain Opal Orthodontics' current business philosophy?
Smith: Our business philosophy is, first and foremost, to take care of orthodontists, their staff and, most importantly, their patients. We found from our marketing research that orthodontists were not looking for another company to sell them bands and brackets; they wanted a company that would handle their needs in a timely manner, that would address any problems with honesty and integrity, and that would treat them the way they treat their patients - with care and respect. Because we took the time to listen, we were able to build a business philosophy that had the best interests of the orthodontist at heart.

Given the way we do business, one might call us a doctor's company. Our founder and owner, Dr. Dan Fischer, would certainly agree. Even after 30 years of developing Ultradent into a multi-national dental products company, Dr. Fischer still sees many of the patients he treated in his early years, working alongside his daughter, Dr. Jaleena Jessop, in their Salt Lake City, Utah, dental practice. It is this kind of personal touch that Opal Orthodontics seeks to create with the orthodontists we are fortunate enough to serve.

The tagline on your Web site reads, "Daring to be Different." Exactly how does Opal set itself apart from its competition?
Smith: Ultimately, the difference between companies that are merely good and those that are great come down to small and simple things. To be refreshingly different one must focus on key areas where other companies come up a little short.

Every company tries to take care of the customer. However, Opal Orthodontics has made the commitment to build the best customer service team in the industry. For example, we only hire individuals that have an extensive working knowledge of orthodontics. The first person who picks up the phone at Opal Orthodontics is empowered to answer technical questions, offer alternative solutions and process orders in a timely, efficient manner. Today, each member of Opal Orthodontics' customer service team has more than 10 years of experience working in an orthodontic office.

Our policies are also refreshingly different. In our research, we found that many orthodontists don't like to be "nickeled and dimed." They said that they are willing to pay a fair price for good products, but they do not want to be charged small, irritating fees when products do not meet their needs. When our customers order too much product, when they order the wrong product or when they just want to return something they have not used, we take products back without charging restocking fees, and even pay for return shipping.

What do you do to help orthodontists feel at ease?
Smith: As a new company it is often challenging to get a first chance to prove that our products and services can make a difference in a doctor's practice. We take great pride in being trustworthy and progressive, which are two words that dentists use to describe our parent company, Ultradent. We are and will always be vigilant in defending our reputation as a company with integrity. The best way to feel at ease is to call and discover how easy it is to do business with Opal Orthodontics.

You use a lot of automation and robots in your manufacturing of products such as your Apex MX brackets. Why is it important that your products are touched by few, if no, human hands?
Smith: Automation brings many benefits that very few companies in dentistry, let alone orthodontics, are able to implement. With automation comes a high level of precision and accuracy that cannot be achieved with human labor. To give you an idea how important automation and robotics are to Ultradent, we have been told by vendors that we have more manufacturing robots than any company west of the Mississippi, excluding only the automotive industry.

Our manufacturing equipment for Apex MX brackets and buccal tubes is unique; the high tech, computerized milling process produces exacting dimensions on every part and offers an esthetically pleasing finish - all without ever touching human hands. Furthermore, automation allows us to compete effectively in world markets while keeping production based at our home office in South Jordan, Utah. Many of our competitors have outsourced production to compete with rising labor costs, only to create a whole new set of problems with product quality. We feel that automation is one of our core competencies and one of the keys to our long-term success.

You recently did some marketing research that discovered that customer service is as important, if not more, than the products you provide. You boast a lot of automation in the manufacturing of your products. Does any of that carry over to your customer service? How do you recruit your customer service representatives and sales staff and what do they do differently than other ortho supply companies?
Smith: Automation creates a high level of accuracy and manufacturing consistency. However, customer service cannot and should not be automated. No one enjoys listening to prerecorded messages. More than any other, the orthodontic industry requires a personal touch from a knowledgeable person on the other end of the phone. However, finding the right person for this position takes a lot of research and persistence.

When we hire a new member of our customer service team we look for experienced, energetic, positive individuals who have developed a strong reputation in the industry. Many of our team members are former chairside assistants and treatment coordinators who are returning to the workforce.

We look for field sales consultants who have built trusting relationships with orthodontic offices. Great sales people are compassionate, conscientious and treat their customers as they would a close friend.

I understand that you use a fully operational orthodontic clinic in your corporate office for research and development. Who runs the clinic? What kinds of patients does the clinician see? How does it impact clinical trials on new products?
Smith: One of the challenges to fully testing orthodontic products before their release is implementing valid research and testing protocols in vivo. In 2007 with the help of Dwight Schnaitter and Dr. Rich Tuttle, we built our three-chair orthodontic clinic with state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment within the walls of Ultradent's corporate office. Our orthodontic facility provides us with much needed clinical data, patient feedback and other information that directly feeds into our product development process. The clinic also provides a great benefit to Ultradent employees, who receive orthodontic treatment for themselves and their children at a greatly reduced cost.

Nikole Whitney, who has more than 15 years of experience in orthodontics, manages our clinic. Dr. Michael Cook, a graduate of the University of Louisville, is our staff orthodontist. His graduate thesis focused on 3D diagnosis and treatment planning, which provides an excellent background for the conebeam CT scans we obtain for all new patients as part of our documentation. Dr. Cook's expertise with Dolphin 3D software is a tremendous asset to our patients. In addition to Dr. Cook and Ms. Whitney, three staff members, who have a combined 50 years of experience working chairside, provide assistance in the clinic.

What kinds of patients use the on-site clinic?
Smith: Dr. Cook only treats employees and their dependants, but sees all types of cases and treats both adults and children. We are currently treating about 150 patients annually in a clinic that is open two days per week.

How does the on-site clinic impact clinical trials on new products?
Smith: The on-site clinic gives us the unique ability to alpha test our products under development with "light speed," which is a significant competitive advantage in shortening the time it takes to fully test our products before we introduce them to the market. Because the clinic operates with the express purpose of documenting every case during every visit, the accuracy and completeness of our clinical trials exceeds that of most traditional practices where efficiency often competes against the time it takes to thoroughly document clinical data.

What sort of continuing education programs are you offering clinicians, and how does continuing education fit into Opal Ortho's overall strategy?
Smith: Ultradent's heritage of outstanding continuing education within the dental community provides the template for our upcoming orthodontic continuing education programs. Our orthodontic programs are fact based, with an emphasis on clinical excellence. We are recruiting respected orthodontists to lead our continuing education efforts as part of our commitment to improve the quality of orthodontic education around the world.

I understand you're developing a new adhesive that contains fluoride. Can you tell me a little more about that?
Smith: Opal Seal is a revolutionary orthodontic primer and sealant that both releases and recharges fluoride. Using proprietary GI particles that recharge fluoride ions found in toothpaste and fluoride rinse, Opal Seal is the first orthodontic sealant that releases a significant amount of fluoride over the entire duration of treatment. Opal Seal contains nano-fillers that withstand the wear of brushing and ensure a tight seal over the entire surface of the tooth. We are extremely excited about this product. Helping clinicians protect their patients' enamel is a key goal that we are striving to achieve. Opal Seal may be used with any light cure adhesive, so it easily integrates into every practice. Like all Opal Adhesives, seven percent of Opal Seal sales are donated to Susan G. Komen For the Cure to help find a cure for breast cancer.

For orthodontists currently using your products, what changes and/or improvements can they expect in the near future?
Smith: We will be introducing a complete line of Apex stainless steel miniature twin and ceramic brackets at the AAO conference in Boston. One of the unique features of these appliance systems is that both metal and ceramic brackets have the same in/out relationship. This reduces the need for the clinician to make compensating bends in the archwire when using ceramic and metal brackets, and leads to more predictable outcomes. Additionally, the profile heights of our bracket systems are designed to be as low as possible using computerized, high-tech milling equipment, reducing the likelihood for occlusal interference.

In addition to Opal Seal, which could very well become the standard of care for orthodontic treatment, we are also launching a new medium viscosity adhesive, which was developed in response to advice we received from our panel of clinical advisors. Opal Bond MV complements our original Opal Bond adhesive, providing optimal viscosity and tackiness.

What sort of new products and innovations are on the horizon for Opal Ortho?
Smith: With the substantial investment in precision manufacturing, our R&D team is developing a full line of twin bracket prescriptions, a self-ligating system that integrates seamlessly with our metal and ceramic bracket systems and many more exciting innovations. With these and many more new products in the works, we are excited for the opportunity to build a company that is daring to be different and has the best interests of orthodontists and staff members at heart.

For more information, please call 888-863-5883 or visit www.opalorthodontics.com.
Orthotown Magazine
September 2025
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