After conducting an RFP (request for proposal) process, the AAO selected Orthazone.com as the endorsed E-commerce supplies solution. Orthazone.com helps orthodontic practices create efficiencies with supply sourcing and inventory management.
Access to Orthazone’s E-commerce platform is free and open to everyone. The platform’s management team works closely with manufacturers to provide significant discounts on many products.
As part of the AAO’s endorsement of Orthazone, AAO members receive a number of AAO member-only discounts including up to 10 percent off supplies purchases site wide and a discounted subscription rate for the VIP Suite (see below). (NOTE: Purchases on the platform can only be made within the United States.)
Solving Key Orthodontic Practice Challenges
Dr. Maryann Kriger co-founded Orthazone in 2015. A Board-certified AAO member practicing in Bonita Springs, Florida, Dr. Kriger was inspired by her experience tackling the challenges orthodontists face when running their practices.
“Like many orthodontists, when I first opened my practice, I was stunned by the complexity and time involved in purchasing supplies and inventory management,” says Dr. Kriger. “From the process of ordering from different catalogs by different methods—phone, email to fax—to the-day-to-day work of tracking invoices, checks, and back-ordered supplies, while managing multiple spreadsheets, it was overwhelming. Other challenges, like cross-checking prices to find the most competitive ones, keeping tabs on inventory, and the painstaking, slow, error-prone, manual paperwork all added up to lost time and increased costs. These issues frustrated our team members and impacted our ability to serve patients.
“I knew there had to be a better way, a solution to cut through the clutter, centralize the order and inventory process, relieve the team of the burden of managing it all by hand, and save us valuable time and money,” adds Dr. Kriger. “That’s how the idea for Orthazone originated.”
An e-Commerce Supply and Inventory Platform Designed for Orthodontists
The Orthazone platform is comprised of supply purchasing, an invoice management system, and a purchase analytics dashboard. In addition to these free elements, a special, fee-based VIP Suite of services launched recently.
Orthazone’s free service combines purchase and invoice management, consolidating brands from over 400 suppliers in one place versus hunting through multiple sources and catalogs.
“The site makes it easy to compare pricing, order, track and reorder based on account history, and to discover new products,” says Dr. Kriger. “In addition, Orthazone includes a real-time purchasing analytics dashboard for tracking overhead and invoice management software that enables users to watch for patterns and anticipate cash flow needs based on the time of year, making it easier to see where and how purchase histories can indicate inefficiencies. Total spending on specific product categories, brands, or suppliers may also be reviewed.
“The platform also makes training of a new staff member easy, avoiding the normal loss of ordering know-how and productivity,” adds Dr. Kriger.
Orthazone’s Newly-Launched VIP Suite: Inventory Management and More
Dr. Kriger saw additional ways to help improve inventory tracking and digital workflows, as well as the patient consultation process. So, Orthazone recently launched a new fee-based tool, the VIP Software Suite, to address these concerns.
The VIP suite’s inventory management system includes a personal inventory consultant, assigned to help orthodontists and assistants design their own customized version of Orthazone with their preferred brands and options. The customized approach may make it easier for teams to know and track their preferences. This service also includes a reminder system to help avoid overstocking or under-ordering.
Also included in the VIP Suite are a payment slider tool to help improve the patient consultation process and Orthazone’s Lab Tracker to manage and track every step of both in-house and outside lab digital workflow.
Dr. Mary Kay Becher, an AAO member in Austin,Texas, shares, “Orthazone has proven so essential to my practice that I’ve become an investor in the company myself. It’s a service whose time has come. Orthazone is a win-win for doctors and team members alike, as it gives us more time while we see more savings, more efficiencies, and a greater understanding of inventory at a glance. I believe it has tremendous potential, and I want to contribute to and be part of its growth.”
Learn more about Orthazone and access AAO member discounts.
AAO Innovation & Transformation Fund Supports Orthazone
In addition to the AAO endorsement of Orthazone, the AAO Innovation and Transformation Fund has invested in Orthazone’s parent company, Azone. The Fund supports innovative companies looking to fuel their growth that have the potential to generate a return to the AAO. Each company considered is thoroughly vetted by a venture capital consultant who reviews the candidate’s business model, business plan, financial projections, leadership team and risk.The Azone award is the third investment made by the fund.
