Dental Case Study: Smile One Services
How one dental service organization grew their business in the face of a global pandemic by collaborating with UV Angel to implement next-generation pathogen control technology that helps keep patients, staff, and families safe.
RESULTS AT A GLANCE:
- 25% increase in revenue compared to pre-pandemic business.
- 168% increase in average monthly new patient appointments compared to pre-pandemic monthly averages.
- 27,894 visits to the new Smile Safety Assurance page in just two months, contributing to a 158% increase in traffic compared to the previous year.
About Smile One Services
Smile One Services is a dental service organization that manages and operates over 70 dental operatories across 5 locations in the state of Michigan. Smile One Services was created to help dentists embrace technology and industry best practices without losing sight of the personal interaction with each patient. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the organization knew they would have to respond differently to be able to keep business going.
“We had a goal to raise the bar for the standard of safety in the dental profession,” said Smile One Services Founder and CEO Darren Riopelle.
And that’s exactly what they did. Dental settings are a high-risk risk environment for exposure to and spread of disease-causing pathogens, so Smile One Services set out to create a new standard for safety that would protect patients and staff not just from the current pandemic, but from any harmful pathogen in dental offices now and in the future.
“Smile One Services led the way in responding to the challenges presented in the face of a global pandemic. They researched potential solutions from a scientific perspective and evaluated available options thoroughly which led them down a path to UV Angel. The science and data clearly supports the effectiveness of our pathogen control technology. Even in the toughest environments like dental settings.” —Dr. Linda Lee
The Challenge: Responding to a global pandemic in an industry prone to pathogen exposure.
Smile One Services knew that thinking differently and finding a robust pathogen control solution was essential to keep the organization moving forward through the pandemic. While all dental facilities were in lockdown at the beginning of 2020, Smile One Services used that time to determine how they could reopen safely, and hit the ground running as soon as restrictions began to ease.
They started by looking at pathogen control solutions that would serve as the foundation for a new and improved approach to dental office safety but were met with a few initial challenges that extended beyond the pandemic itself.
Smile One Services needed a solution that could meet the following requirements:
- They needed a solution that was unobtrusive. Smile One Services is dedicated to creating comfortable, relaxing environments for patients. They wanted a solution that wouldn’t get in the way of patients or staff as they went about normal operations, and that could fit seamlessly into their existing processes.
- They needed a solution that put people’s safety first. From front desk staff to hygienists, patients, and families, every person at Smile One Services is essential. The company wanted a solution that would actively work to create a safe environment for every person in their facility. They needed protection across the entire office, not just in operatories or patient rooms.
- They needed a solution that wouldn’t bring hazardous chemicals or dangerous byproducts into their dental environments. Many pathogen treatment options available today make use of hazardous chemicals or release dangerous byproducts like ozone into the environment. Smile One Services wanted a different, safer solution.
- They needed a solution that could scale. Effective pathogen control requires more than just one approach. Smile One Services needed pathogen control technology that could create a foundation for a larger safety system, and that could scale to protect offices and operatories across the entire organization.
- They needed a solution that worked. Above all, Smile One Services was looking for pathogen control technology that worked. They were looking for technology that could effectively neutralize pathogens at the source level.
The Solution: UV Angel products that deliver effective source-level pathogen control with patented UV-C technology.
After looking at a range of available solutions, Smile One Services decided on UV Angel’s Adapt and Clean Air™ products. Installed directly into the ceiling and onto shared, high-touch surfaces, these units neutralize harmful pathogens in the air and on surfaces 24/7, 365 days a year, with patented shielded UV-C light technology.
Fast, Seamless Product Installation
UV Angel and Smile One Services collaborated to determine how many units each office would need based on space, airflow, and office layout. Based on those recommendations, UV Angel was able to install 93 UV Angel Adapt™ desktop keyboard units, and 160 UV Angel Clean Air™ ceiling-mount units in over 70 treatment locations in just days.
As a whole, installation was seamless. UV Angel Clean Air™ units install directly into ceiling tiles, and feature an LED downlight that replaces the original commercial lighting so Smile One Services didn’t see any change in treatment room lighting. UV Angel Adapt™ units install directly onto desktop keyboards, again providing safe, effective UV-C treatment, without disrupting the daily operations of patients or staff.
UV Angel’s units were installed in just days to deliver the unobtrusive, effective pathogen control that Smile One Services was looking for and provided the scalable foundation they needed to develop an entirely new Smile Safety Assurance program.
Why Smile One Services Chose UV Angel Products:
- Effective pathogen control. UV Angel’s patented, proven UV-C technology effectively neutralizes harmful pathogens like viruses, bacteria, and fungi at the source level. UV Angel Clean Air™ and Adapt™ laboratory results showed elimination rates up to 99.99%.
- Consistent, sustainable treatment. UV Angel units deliver effective UV-C treatment 24/7/365, and require little maintenance, making them a long-term, sustainable solution.
- Entire office treatment. UV Angel Clean Air units install seamlessly into any office ceiling, in any part of the office. Adapt units sit conveniently above desktop keyboards to safely and continuously monitor and treat high-touch surfaces. Installation was simple across all 70+ Smile One Services locations.
- A safe pathogen control solution. UV Angel Clean Air™ units make use of shielded UV-C, which is safe for occupied spaces. UV-C is long-studied and proven effective, and offers the added benefit of treating air and surfaces without introducing hazardous chemicals or dangerous byproducts to the environment.
- Worry-free performance. Smile One Services didn’t want to wonder if their new technology was actively working. UV Angel units all come complete with sophisticated cloud connectivity so key team members and facility managers can remotely access performance data on any unit, and see at a glance how the entire system is performing.
- Advanced analytics & a complete software platform. UV Angel’s complete software platform enables advanced analytics. The Smile One Services team uses the software to monitor organization-wide system performance, identify problem areas, and even glean usability data from operatories that may be underutilized.
UV Angel’s products met or exceeded all of Smile One Services’ needs for a sustainable, effective pathogen control solution that was safe for use in occupied spaces.
With UV Angel at the core of Smile One’s new Smile Safety Assurance, affiliate practices are now leading the charge for healthcare safety in the dental industry. This advanced approach to pathogen control, paired with Smile One Services’ robust marketing and clear communication strategies — including website, video, and text advertising — ensures Smile affiliates are able to provide patients with the confidence and peace of mind needed to successfully reopen and restore practice operations.
Let’s take a look at the results that the UV Angel and Smile One Services partnership has delivered.
The Results: Prioritizing people’s safety with next-generation pathogen control helped Smile One Services grow by 25%.
In 2020, the dental industry was down by as much or more than 20% due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the country, dental practices were in lockdown from early March through June. Smile One Services used their time in shutdown to become early adopters of UV Angel’s innovative, source-level approach to long-trusted and well-tested ultraviolet light technology, and that decision put them on top.
When dental practices were able to reopen in June of 2020, Smile One Services had implemented UV Angel’s Clean Air units across all 70+ treatment rooms, and were able to welcome staff and patients back to cleaner, safer dental offices and operatories. That decision paid off.
Keeping Patients & Staff Safe With Effective Pathogen Control
After installing UV Angel’s units, there have been no cases of COVID-19 spread in any of Smile One Services’ 70+ treatment rooms. Just 10 staff members have tested positive since reopening, and none of those positive cases were spread through Smile One Services offices or treatment rooms. This is a testament to the effectiveness of both UV Angel’s technology and Smile One Services’ dedication to raising the bar for safety in healthcare.
Smile One Services Sees 25% Revenue Increase Despite Global Pandemic
Not only did installation of UV Angel’s technology succeed in keeping patients and staff safe during this pandemic, but Smile One Services’ investment also generated positive returns. While the rest of the dental industry was down 20%, Smile One Services increased revenue by 25%. Let’s take a closer look at these results:
- 25% increase in revenue compared to prepandemic business revenue
- 169% increase in average monthly new patient appointments compared to pre-COVID patient appointment averages
- 158% increase in new user web traffic compared to the year before
- 27,894 visits to the new Smile Safety Assurance page in just two months
- Smile One Services even grew their team in the face of the global pandemic. They added: 5 dental assistants, 4 dental hygienists, and 4 doctors
Smile One Services’ investment not only worked to help them provide cleaner, safer dental environments for patients and staff, but it also contributed directly to their business’ growth.
After implementing a page on the Smile One Services website outlining their Smile Safety Assurance, the company saw a 158% increase in new user web traffic compared to the previous year, and 27,894 visits to that Smile Safety Assurance page in just two months. This data indicates that the organization’s success was largely due to their investment in UV Angel’s Clean Air technology and their new Smile Safety Assurance.
Smile One Services’ dedication to raising the bar for the standard of safety in the dental profession resonated strongly with their staff, and with patients — both existing and new. By prioritizing patient and staff safety and partnering with UV Angel, Smile One Services was able to grow significantly, even in a time of industry downturn.
The UV Angel and Smile One Services partnership is an exciting and successful one. This future-focused collaboration is sure to foster continued growth as both organizations work to raise the bar for the standards of safety and create cleaner, safer environments for all.
