The Downfall of SmileDirect Club

Posted by writeradmin

Most people saw the ads for SmileDirect Club either on social media or television. It promised Invisalign results at a fraction of the cost? How could they do this? Well, they couldn’t. They said they could because you didn’t have to see a dentist. They’d do everything for you through the mail. This was a disaster.

Unfortunately, the company had a habit of only giving people their money back if the patient signed a non disclosure agreement. They’d also have to remove any negative remarks about the company from online. As a result, only the positive reviews were getting out there, and more and more people were getting into a nasty situation with them.

The Downfall of SmileDirect Club

In June of 2023 a court ordered the company to stop requiring the non-disclosure agreement, while releasing any patients from their previous agreement. Suddenly 17,000 people were allowed to tell the truth about their experience. The company took a huge hit and filed for bankruptcy in September.

Just two months later, when they couldn’t find a buyer, they announced they were closing their business. If you were in the middle of your treatment with them, too bad. They would no longer be serving you. However, if you owed them money, they expected you to pay that. Isn’t that lovely?

So, now there are patients out there stuck. What should they do? Some are trying to get help through the few other online aligner places that are left. The problem with that is they work the same way as SmileDirect did and those patients are going to end up with the same problems with there treatment. In some cases, those problems can lead to your teeth coming loose.

The best thing you can do is see a dentist about the situation. They can evaluate your case and come up with a treatment plan that will be both safe and effective. Some dentists even offer payment plans to help distribute the cost.

A Mini Smile Makeover

There is a hidden benefit to Invisalign. You can ask your dentist for some teeth whitening gel. The Invisalign aligners can double as teeth whitening trays, which means you can straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time. This essentially gives you a mini smile makeover at a fraction of the cost.

This blog is brought to you by Arnold, MD Dentist Dr. Meredith Esposito.