Dental startup sales jump by 1,000% during the pandemic

Sales of Byte startup, which offers dental alignment systems without having to visit an orthodontist, grew by 1000% in the first quarter of 2020, Bloomberg said citing the company. According to the startup’s forecast, its revenue for the year will grow to $ 100 million, and the number of orders - to 100,000. In January, the company reported 10,000 orders.

Byte was founded in 2017. It produces transparent plastic mouth guards for tooth alignment. Unlike braces, such mouthguards do not need to be glued to the teeth. Before the pandemic, Byte worked remotely with its customers. For $ 95, it sells kits, with which the buyer can make a dental impression on his own at home. The buyer sends this cast to the company, and receives his cap in four to six weeks. Byte also provides clients with consultations with orthodontists by e-mail or telephone.

The cost of Byte cap is $ 1895, which is comparable to the prices of its competitors: Align Technology and SmileDirectClub. However, their position in the pandemic has staggered, Bloomberg writes: Align Technology quarterly sales are forecast to fall by 47%, while SmileDirectClub shares fell by almost 70%. Unlike Byte, companies' programs include visits to orthodontists, the agency said.

source: bloomberg.com