What Impressions does

Impressions is an at-home clear aligner orthodontic treatment system operated as a service line of Blue Ridge Orthodontics, a dental practice founded in 2007 by Dr. T. Luke Roberts, D.M.D., M.S.D. in Asheville, North Carolina. The Impressions brand was launched to deliver safe, effective, and lower-cost alternatives to traditional braces and full Invisalign treatment, targeting adults and older teenagers with mild-to-moderate alignment issues (crowding, spacing, overbite, underbite). The product line consists of two tiers: Impressions, the base treatment requiring only three office visits, and Impressions+, a premium offering for more severe cases that includes six visits and tooth-colored attachments.

Treatment is initiated through a 3D iTero digital scan performed at one of three ImpressionsHubs in Western North Carolina (Asheville, Hendersonville, Brevard) or via virtual consultation. Aligners are manufactured using the Invisalign system from Align Technology, with all treatment plans authored by Diamond-level Invisalign providers. Aligners are then shipped directly to the patient's home, and treatment typically completes in 6–9 months — roughly half the duration of traditional Invisalign (18 months) or metal braces (24 months).

Impressions generates revenue primarily through a one-time treatment fee of $3,480, priced at approximately half the cost of traditional Invisalign. Payment flexibility includes split payments, an extended monthly payment plan with no interest and no credit check, and third-party financing through CareCredit and LoanHero. The company is private, founder-owned, operates with 11–50 employees, and serves patients across all 50 U.S. states despite its physical footprint being concentrated in North Carolina.

Name

Impressions

Legal name

Impressions

Website

https://impressionsmile.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Orthodontic Services (Clear Aligner Treatment)

NAICS

Offices of Dentists (62121)

SIC

Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

Clear Aligner Orthodontics (HLABABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intraoral Optical Scanning & Digital Impression Centers (HLABAIAE), Orthodontic Group Practices (HLABAKAC)

Keywords

• At-home orthodontics
• Clear aligner treatment
• Invisalign alternative
• Teeth straightening
• Orthodontic services

Headquarters

HQ city

Asheville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Impressions Clear Aligner Treatment: One-time payment for at-home clear aligner treatment. Base Impressions costs half the price of traditional Invisalign. Impressions+ costs approximately 20% less than traditional Invisalign. Payment options include one-time payment, split payment, and extended payment plans with no credit check required.
2. Extended Payment Plans: Monthly payment plans allowing patients to spread costs over time with no interest charges. Initial down payment required.
3. Third-Party Financing: Partnership with CareCredit and LoanHero for healthcare financing options, allowing patients to pay over 6-12 months with special financing terms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Impressions is an at-home clear aligner orthodontic treatment system that delivers custom-made, nearly invisible aligners directly to patients' homes. Treatment starts with a 3D iTero scan at one of three ImpressionsHubs in Western North Carolina and uses the Invisalign system for treatment planning and aligner manufacturing, all overseen by Diamond-level Invisalign providers. The base Impressions product requires only 3 in-office appointments, while the Impressions+ premium tier includes 6 office visits and attachments for more severe cases.

Product overview

Impressions offers an at-home clear aligner orthodontic treatment system consisting of two main products: Impressions (base treatment) and Impressions+ (premium upgrade). Both use the Invisalign system for treatment planning and manufacturing, supervised by Diamond-level Invisalign providers. Impressions requires only 3 office appointments with the rest completed at home, while Impressions+ includes 6 appointments and attachments for more severe cases. Treatment typically takes 6-9 months. Patients can add complimentary whitening gel, and virtual consultations are available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Impressions+: VIP upgrade to the original Impressions treatment; includes six appointments and attachments for treating more severe orthodontic issues; approximately 20% less than traditional Invisalign.
• ImpressionsHub

Products and services

• Impressions (Base Clear Aligner Treatment) At-home clear aligner orthodontic treatment starts with a 3D iTero scan at one of three ImpressionsHubs and uses the Invisalign system for treatment planning and manufacturing. Treatment is supervised by a Diamond-level Invisalign provider, requires only 3 in-office appointments, and the remaining aligners and materials are mailed to the patient's home. Designed for adults with mild-to-moderate crowding, spacing, overbite, or underbite; treatment typically completes in 6-9 months and includes complimentary whitening gel.
• Impressions+ (Premium Clear Aligner Treatment) Premium-tier upgrade to the base Impressions treatment that includes 6 in-office visits and tooth-colored attachment buttons capable of treating more severe conditions such as overbites, underbites, overlap, and spacing that typically require traditional braces or full Invisalign. Priced approximately 20% less than traditional Invisalign.
• ImpressionsHub (In-Office Consultation & Scan Service) In-office consultation and 3D iTero scanning service delivered through three ImpressionsHub locations in Asheville, Hendersonville, and Brevard, North Carolina. Serves as the required in-office touchpoint for base Impressions (and additional touchpoints for Impressions+) and the single physical hub where initial scans and evaluations take place before aligners are mailed to patients' homes.
• Virtual Consultation Remote orthodontic consultation delivered online or by phone, lasting approximately 30 minutes, used to evaluate candidacy, discuss treatment options, and review financing for the Impressions system. Enables nationwide patient access without requiring a visit to a physical ImpressionsHub.
• Free Whitening Gel Add-On Complimentary teeth-whitening gel bundled into Impressions treatment kits and shipped with aligners. Designed as an add-on that lets patients whiten their teeth during aligner wear to enhance the cosmetic outcome of treatment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most people complete treatment within 6-9 months (vs. 24 months for metal braces and 18 months for traditional Invisalign)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Align Technology (Invisalign)coreTechnology or IntegrationImpressions uses the actual Invisalign system developed by Align Technology to create treatment plans and manufacture aligners. This ensures patients receive the same quality materials and manufacturing as traditional Invisalign treatment.
• iTerocoreTechnology or IntegrationImpressions uses 3D iTero digital intraoral scanning technology for accurate digital models of patients' teeth and jaw structure, enabling precise treatment planning.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SmileDirectClub: The original direct-to-consumer clear aligner company, founded in 2014 and operated through a network of SmileShops plus home impression kits. It is the closest historical analogue to Impressions' hub-plus-DTC model, though it lacked the Diamond-level Invisalign provider oversight that Impressions leans on. SmileDirectClub's 2023 bankruptcy has reshaped the entire DTC aligner category.
• Byte (Dentsply Sirona): DTC clear aligner brand originally acquired by Dentsply Sirona in 2020; competes head-to-head with Impressions on home-delivered aligners and aggressive consumer marketing. Uses its own manufacturing and doctor network rather than Invisalign's, and represents the most-funded scaled competitor Impressions faces in the DTC category.
• Candid: DTC clear aligner company that combined remote orthodontist oversight with in-studio 3D scans, similarly positioned to Impressions' hub-plus-DTC approach before ceasing operations. Notable as a direct peer model of combining clinical oversight with at-home treatment before its wind-down.

Broad incumbents

• Align Technology (Invisalign): The manufacturer of the Invisalign system and iTero scanners that Impressions depends on for treatment planning and aligner fabrication. As the dominant incumbent in the clear-aligner category, Align both enables Impressions' value proposition and represents the largest strategic threat if it tightens DTC channel terms.
• SureSmile (Dentsply Sirona): Dentsply Sirona's flagship clear aligner brand, distributed primarily through orthodontic and dental practices rather than DTC. Comparable to Impressions on the aligner-product side and a competitor for the same orthodontic provider community that supplies Impressions' clinical authority.
• 3M Clarity Aligners: Clear aligner system from 3M sold through dental and orthodontic channels. Competes with Impressions for the same pool of orthodontic cases and represents an alternative preferred-provider technology that consumers may be cross-sold during in-office consultations.

Emerging players

• OrthoFX: Emerging clear aligner company that combines a hybrid DTC + in-practice model similar to Impressions, including subscription-based retainer programs. Comparable in go-to-market approach and target customer (adults seeking mild-to-moderate correction) and a relevant emerging peer for share-of-voice benchmarking.
• Strayt: Direct-to-consumer aligner brand offering treatment through a hybrid at-home and in-network model. Targets the same mild-to-moderate adult orthodontic segment as Impressions at a comparable price point, positioning it as a younger emerging competitor in the DTC aligner space.
• NewSmile: Lower-priced DTC clear aligner brand competing on affordability with Impressions' value proposition. Targets a similar adult, mild-correction segment and represents the bottom-of-funnel pricing pressure Impressions faces from digital-first competitors.
• AlignerCo: DTC clear aligner company competing aggressively on price in the at-home aligner category. Targets the same cost-conscious adult consumer as Impressions and is relevant as an emerging player whose pricing actions could compress Impressions' $3,480 price-point advantage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/impressionsmile
• Instagraminstagram.com/impressionsmile
• Xx.com/ImpressionSmile
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/impressionsmile

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Impressions