Its direct-to-consumer model attempts to deliver teeth straightening by clear aligners at a substantial discount to rival Align Technology (NASDAQ: ALGN). Inflation could be a fly in the ointment One of the benefits of SmileDirectClub's strategy of providing a lower-cost service is that consumers who don't have a lot of disposable income can afford it. And the consumer price index -- a core measure of inflation -- rose 7% in the latest reading, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.