*By Madison Alworth* After shipping dental implant kits and teeth aligners directly to consumers for almost 10 months, the teeth alignment company Candid Co. has opened its first retail location in New York, the start-up's largest market. The year-old teeth alignment company had prided itself on being able to reach consumers anywhere in the country, but opening a brick-and-mortar store was a clear next step, said the co-founder and CEO Nick Greenfield. "Within the first couple weeks of launching we heard from customers that they wanted to come in and touch and feel the product," Greenfield said in an interview with Cheddar. "We launched the Candid Studio with that in mind." Greenfield said that the new store will make the company's teeth alignment products more accessible to some potential customers who may be intimidated by trying something at home by themselves. "It really opens up a totally different segment, who are folks who maybe wouldn't do something at home, but they feel comfortable coming in and then having the experience in the studio," he said. "And then they can walk out and do the rest of the treatment from home." Candid works with trained orthodontists with an average of 20 years experience, according to the company. The service, which includes dental impressions, progressive sets of teeth-aligners, and fitted retainers for life, costs about $2,000. That's comparable with competitors, such as Smile Direct ($1,850 - $2,170), and less than traditional braces, which can cost up to $7,000. For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/candid-co-differentiating-itself-in-the-crowded-teeth-alignment-space).

Share:
More In Business
Starbucks’ Change Flushes Out a Debate Over Public Restroom Access
Starbucks’ decision to restrict its restrooms to paying customers has flushed out a wider problem: a patchwork of restroom use policies that varies by state and city. Starbucks announced last week a new code of conduct that says people need to make a purchase if they want to hang out or use the restroom. The coffee chain's policy change for bathroom privileges has left Americans confused and divided over who gets to go and when. The American Restroom Association, a public toilet advocacy group, was among the critics. Rules about restroom access in restaurants vary by state, city and county. The National Retail Federation says private businesses have a right to limit restroom use.
Trump Highlights Partnership Investing $500 Billion in AI
President Donald Trump is talking up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, will start building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum. While Trump has seized on similar announcements to show that his presidency is boosting the economy, there were already expectations of a massive buildout of data centers and electricity plants needed for the development of AI.
Load More