ClearCorrect Tries to Woo Doctors Unhappy with Invisalign Proficiency Requirements

There has been a lot of talk about Invisalign's new proficiency requirements for their doctors. Your Markham Invisalign and Richmond Hill Braces orthodontist broke the story for you last week. It seems perfect timing for another company, ClearCorrect, to come out and try to take some market share. Currently, they have FDA approval, but are still waiting to get into the Canadian market.

Here is an email that was forwarded to me by a colleague:


ClearCorrect is based in Houston, Texas and according to the company, was founded by some of the biggest users of aligners. They offer two products. A two year treatment of up to 64 aligners, or a limited treatment of up to 12 aligners. The mid-course correction and refinement are included, as long as the treatment stays within the number of allotted aligners. Refinements of up to 4 sets are available for an additional cost. Their price point for doctors is about 70% that of Invisalign. Another difference to orthodontists or dentists is that one set of retainers is provided in the lab cost (may or may not make a difference to the patient cost). They are also provided with a model in case they wish to fabricate additional retainers in-office.

Although there is no literature or video published on the manufacturing process, they claim to have a similar process compared to Invisalign. All work is done in-house in Houston. They claim to cut costs by not requiring field reps in each territory. They also claim that their aligners are more clear. Online certification is available for doctors to discuss the process, and like Invisalign, does not show doctors how to move teeth. Other than that, it does not appear that there is any online continuing education. Invisalign now has over 200 hours of CE online as a part of their pathways to proficiency.

This is the second major company that has tried to compete with Invisalign. OrthoClear, started by the one of the founders of Invisalign, was bought out by Align within a very short period of time. They had promised lower prices, better service, etc for doctors unhappy with Invisalign. It caused a tremendous problem for doctors and patients who were left stranded in the middle of treatment. Invisalign took the high road and offered to continue treatment for these patients after the buyout. It is far too early in the game to see if ClearCorrect will be able to survive in this market dominated by Invisalign. From our standpoint, Markham Centre Orthodontics will not use ClearCorrect unless it is proven to be superior to Invisalign, and shows longevity in the market. Our patients deserve to be treated as over one million Invisalign patients, rather than with a company we cannot yet vouch for.

Invisalign does not seem too worried about ClearCorrect. The goal of their proficiency requirements was to prevent less experienced doctors from using their product, often incorrectly. This includes both orthodontists and GPs, resulting in claims by both doctors and patients that "Invisalign doesn't work". Many of the doctors who are upset with Invisalign are those that wish to offer it as a "bait and switch", but usually tell patients they will need alternative treatments. Invisalign seems happy to let these doctors who treat one or two patients annually, work with another company.

Remember that proper treatment planning and diagnosis is the key to successful Invisalign in Markham and braces in Unionville. To schedule your complimentary examination with your Richmond Hill orthodontist, call 905-477-7750. We look forward to the opportunity to meet you!

Markham Orthodontist Provides Details about Invisalign Proficiency

Here at Markham Centre Orthodontics, we draw Invisalign patients from all over the Greater Toronto Area, including Markham, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Unionville, Scarborough, Pickering, Ajax, Stouffville, and more. Our patients are well-educated about Invisalign and understand that they are choosing an experienced Premier Provider Invisalign orthodontist for their treatment.

While Invisalign is a fantastic way to straighten teeth without braces, it isn't as easy as taking an impression, seeing a movie, and expecting to see a result. There are many important aspects to proper Greater Toronto Invisalign treatment, requiring knowledge of how teeth move with aligners.

The parent company of Align Technologies has recognized that there is a problem with less experienced providers, including both dentists and orthodontists. As such, they have made a move to ensure a certain level of competency and experience for Invisalign providers. Interestingly, the majority of complaints about this new program are from a large number of general dentists and a smaller number of orthodontists. On a side note, this move has been applauded by the American Association of Orthodontists.


Our Markham Invisalign patients should feel assured that we met the requirements in the first month of 2009. In fact, we have far exceeded the minimal levels and are in the top 5% of Invisalign Providers in North America. We have also been the choice of Invisalign certified Markham dentists and their family members for their own Invisalign braces. You are in good hands :).

Contact us at 905-477-7750 to schedule your complimentary initial assessment for Richmond Hill Invisalign, Thornhill Invisalign Teen, and Markham Invisalign Express with your Greater Toronto Invisalign Premier Provider Orthodontist. Find out more about Invisalign here.

Press release from Invisalign:

Align Technology Announces Invisalign® Proficiency Program to Help Doctors Build Product Experience

New product proficiency baseline requires 10 case starts and 10 CE credits per year
SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 2, 2009 -- Align Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALGN) today announced that it is implementing a product proficiency program in North America to help ensure that Invisalign-trained doctors have the experience and confidence necessary to achieve high quality treatment outcomes for Invisalign patients. The Invisalign System is an evolving, skill-based procedure that requires regular usage and ongoing education to develop proficiency with the product and technique. The Invisalign proficiency initiative, along with ongoing improvements in Invisalign products, training and support, is evidence of Align’s commitment to helping Invisalign-trained doctors gain the knowledge and experience they need to be successful with Invisalign.

Effective June 1, the Invisalign product proficiency program requires every Invisalign provider in North America to start 10 Invisalign cases and complete at least 10 Invisalign-specific continuing education (CE) credits each calendar year to maintain active provider status. Doctors who do not meet the annual case start and CE requirements by the end of each calendar year, starting with December 31, 2009, will be able to continue treating any cases in-progress, but they will not be eligible to submit new Invisalign cases or to use Invisalign marketing resources. Doctors can reactivate their provider status by retaking Invisalign Clear Essentials I training and meeting the proficiency requirements during the new calendar year.

“Based on more than a million patients treated to date, we know that a doctor’s proficiency levels with Invisalign are a reflection of his or her Invisalign case experience,” said Dan Ellis, vice president North America Sales. “We are committed to helping our customers gain the product knowledge and confidence they need to achieve high quality treatment outcomes. In addition, by ensuring a baseline of experience, Align can also better support the needs of Invisalign providers by tailoring programs and services to help doctors build and maintain a working knowledge of Invisalign.”

As part of the Invisalign proficiency program, Align has created a Proficiency Pathway to ensure that doctors have the appropriate education tools and support to be successful with Invisalign. The Proficiency Pathway provides clinical educational opportunities to help doctors achieve confidence with Align Technology Inc. 881 Martin Avenue Santa Clara, CA 95050 Tel: (408) 470-1000 Fax: (408) 470-1201

Align Technology, Inc. Announces Invisalign Proficiency Program case selection and treatment planning, case submission and treatment management, as well as aspects of practice development. The pathway is divided into six milestones and under each milestone Align has identified courses or content specifically related to increasing a doctor’s knowledge and confidence based on his or her current case experience level.

Dr. Randol Womack completed Invisalign training in 1999 and has been teaching Invisalign courses since 2001. “As with any health-related service, the doctor has the obligation to become proficient in his or her proposed treatment method in order to represent a predictable resolution to the patient’s prime concern and expectation.” said Dr. Womack. “The combination of training and sufficient experience with the Invisalign System is key to ensuring the doctor has the confidence needed to provide patients with the great outcomes they expect.”

Invisalign-trained doctors now have a range of Invisalign products that provide treatment solutions for most day-to-day treatment needs. In 2008, Align introduced three new product offerings with new features, tools and delivery options to meet specific clinical demands while providing a family of end-to-end solutions for doctors. With the launch of these new products, the Invisalign product family includes: Invisalign Express for simple/limited treatment cases, Invisalign Full or Invisalign Assist for comprehensive or complex cases, Invisalign Teen for younger patients, and Vivera Retainers for post-treatment retention.