Patient impact

A patient experience upgrade for a market with little personalization

Ligatures are familiar, widely used, and often treated as interchangeable. Smileys asks how a small orthodontic detail could make treatment feel more personal.

Who Smileys helps

Designed for the people who live with braces every day

Patients and families

A more enjoyable braces experience through flavor, color, and choice.

Orthodontic practices

A differentiated patient conversation that can add excitement to routine appointments.

Future collaborators

A student-led idea designed to start better conversations about comfort, choice, and orthodontic care.

Why it matters

Small choices can make treatment feel more personal

Teen and adult patients increasingly expect healthcare products to feel more personal, more comfortable, and easier to care about. Smileys brings that lens to a category where the core product has stayed mostly functional.

Ligatures are worn throughout treatment, not just at the appointment.

Color choice is already part of the braces experience.

The idea shows how personalization can make healthcare feel more approachable.

Purple ligatures on braces close-up
A small visible part of treatment can become a stronger patient touchpoint.

What comes next

Smileys is built for learning, feedback, and responsible development

Orthodontists

Feedback on patient response, chairside workflow, and the right pilot structure.

Technical mentors

Guidance on materials validation, safety review, and responsible product development.

Reviewers and mentors

Feedback from educators, admissions readers, and people who value student-led invention.