Bil Watson, founder and CEO of Brighter Image Lab (BIL,) has left an indelible mark on the dental industry. After developing an alternative solution to traditional veneers, Watson has separated himself from competitors by making the perfect smile affordable and attainable for the average person, with his direct-to-consumer removable veneers.
In 1997, the entrepreneur took the existing technology and leveraged it in an innovative way that enabled clients to redesign their smile while opting out of painful dental procedures and the mounds of debt that often accompany them. “I never planned to be a pioneer in the industry,” he said. “We just showed up first and fought some hard fights. Now here we are, 20 years later with the same name and phone number.”
The Lab Direct Process
According to the Consumer Guide to Dentistry, traditional porcelain veneers cost up to $2,500 per tooth. The process of applying conventional veneers includes grinding down each tooth in order to create a rougher surface. The dentist then places a mold to the teeth with dental cement. The dentist then places a mold to the teeth with dental cement. The process is non-reversible and has a fracture and failure rate of upwards of 40%.
Brighter Image Lab’s process uses its own Lab Direct technology and requires three steps: order your impression online or via phone, make impressions of your teeth using the Lab Direct Impression System, then receive your customized, removable veneers in the mail. This procedure separates itself from conventional dentistry, not requiring a visit to the dentist or a dental assistant on staff. With so many services moving to the virtual sphere, from grocery shopping to retail to health, Brighter Image Lab’s virtual veneer process caters to consumer purchasing behaviors providing a quality product through an easy process that takes minutes out of their day versus hours or weeks.
The technology and product were game-changing, being the first that allowed clients to take their own impressions. The veneers themselves are thin, flexible, and designed to fit the curvature and arch of each tooth as well as the gumline.
These reimagined, removable veneers cost as little as $750, and the company offers generous financing options which allow clients to make a $149 down payment, then make segmented payments with 0% interest until it is paid for.
Dental veneers, per the American Dental Association, are usually an irreversible process due to the necessity of removing a small amount of enamel from your tooth to accommodate the shell. While also extremely costly, traditional veneers are permanent, leaving your original teeth sensitive and diminishing tooth health without their veneer shells. Brighter Image Lab has provided its cost-effective, smile enhancement to over 300,000 clients, and created more than 70,000 custom designed veneers with their Lab Direct Process. “We’ve developed a process that works – for clients that are willing to work with us,” Watson said. “It’s a partnership where our clients start the job (with their impressions,) and we finish it.”
Brighter Image Lab Continues to Revolutionize
In addition to its original creation, PressOn Veneers™, the company continues to innovate with even better smile solutions, such as their upgraded BIL Veneers™ and IncrediBIL™ Veneers –both examples of their commitment to having the best smile products in the market. With each new version being thinner, more accurate, and better detailed than the last.
Watson attributes his success and evolving technology to his team. “I hear often that we’ve been lucky because our timing was good for new innovation and technology. I don’t know if any of us felt very lucky at the beginning. It was a hard fought battle in those days,” the CEO said. “And if I had to blame our success on anything, it would be that we are hard workers. I’d tell anyone that I’m a worker and that I’ve been fortunate enough to attract a team of workers with good energy and good focus.”
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