Walnut Creek, Calif., Firm's Teeth Whitening System Gets Rave Reviews.

Byline: Chris Metinko

May 3--In the never-ending search for whiter teeth, people have shown they are willing to do a lot for that perfect smile. For years, Americans have gone to bed with their teeth covered in strong, smelly whitening cream. And while there may be a few who find the smell of hydrogen peroxide appealing, most find the process of "tray" whitening long, messy and generally unpleasant.

A Walnut Creek company, however, is shedding a new light on the whole process of teeth whitening.

BriteSmile Inc. and its system of whitening are receiving rave reviews from doctors and customers alike. The company is also keeping investors smiling, despite a sluggish market.

"We've really steadily grown," said Michael Whan, president of worldwide marketing for BriteSmile. "More and more people are starting to see this as the …