MedTech • Consumer Health

SmileDirectClub

Reimagining the smile journey with
AI-powered design

SmileDirectClub launched SmileMaker, an AI-powered app that let customers scan their teeth and preview a new smile in minutes. The challenge: turn cutting-edge tech into a seamless, trustworthy experience across multiple entry points and shifting business goals.

As Lead Product Designer and DesignOps lead, I mapped complex user journeys, prototyped flows, and designed fallback paths to reduce drop-offs. I also built systems to streamline design-to-dev handoffs, ensuring speed and consistency across launches.

The Challenge

Turning a bold AI bet into a seamless customer journey

SmileDirectClub wanted to shrink the time from curious shopper to paying patient. Their new SmileMaker Platform promised a first-of-its-kind experience: scan your teeth with a phone and see your future smile in minutes.

The challenge? A messy funnel, shifting leadership goals, and the need to make advanced AI feel simple, trustworthy, and actionable.

My Role

Lead Product Designer & DesignOps Lead

I partnered with product, marketing, and engineering to map complex journeys, design prototypes, and streamline workflows. My remit: balance strategy with hands-on execution — from vision-setting with execs to building flexible frameworks in Figma that kept teams aligned and shipping fast.

The Work

The Approach

I started by mapping the entire end-to-end customer journey, surfacing friction points across multiple entry paths and anticipating edge cases. I created a flexible design framework that could evolve as leadership shifted conversion goals — from impression kits and appointments to upfront purchase.

Sales Funnel Stages

Purchase Paths

Full User Flow

App User Flow

App Information Architecture

The Execution

I translated strategy into tangible flows and prototypes in Figma, led cross-functional reviews, and designed “unhappy path” scenarios to prevent dead ends. I also introduced an educational questionnaire to boost engagement, and built scalable file + handoff systems so design and engineering could move faster.

High-Fidelity Designs

App Prototype

We discovered a major drop-off: 40% of users who started a scan never finished it. Instead of letting those customers hit a dead end, I designed fallback flows that always offered a next step — whether booking an appointment, ordering an impression kit, or purchasing treatment directly.

By placing these options into every “unhappy path,” we gave users multiple ways to stay in the journey. I worked with tech to scope effort and prioritized enhancements based on analytics, ensuring fixes were both impactful and feasible.

Unhappy Path Scenarios

Most SmileMaker users were first-time leads from paid media — new to the brand and unfamiliar with how treatment worked. While the AI generated their Custom Smile Plan, I designed an interactive questionnaire to keep them engaged instead of waiting passively.

Between questions, users saw bite-sized education modules: credibility markers, testimonials, product details, and pricing options. This transformed downtime into a brand-building moment. Within weeks, engagement rose +12% in time spent in-app.

Educational Questionnaire

The Results

The SmileMaker MVP launched in Australia, then scaled into the U.S. market with expanded conversion paths. Through rapid iteration — including fallback flows and an educational questionnaire — we kept users engaged and moved more of them toward purchase.

  • 40% scan drop-off reduced through unhappy path solutions

  • +12% engagement time via questionnaire

  • Established a flexible UX framework that scaled with shifting business goals

TAKEAWAY

The SmileMaker initiative showed how I thrive at the intersection of vision and execution. I turned cutting-edge AI into a usable, trustworthy customer journey while building the operational systems to keep design and engineering moving fast. It’s proof of how I can bridge complex product innovation with user-first design.