SmileDirectClub Shutdown: Limited Answers, No Customer Support – What We Know.
SmileDirectClub recently announced that it is shutting down, leaving its customers with no way to access their telehealth teeth-aligner treatments or any kind of customer support. This announcement comes after the company filed for bankruptcy in September.
Since 2014, SmileDirectClub sold clear teeth aligners directly to consumers by mail and at select retailers like CVS. This service gained popularity among consumers because it was said to be a faster and more affordable alternative to braces.
SmileDirectClub’s sudden shutdown has left customers with a lot of confusion and very few answers. The company is no longer providing customer care support, and they are directing customers to consult their local dentist or orthodontist for further treatments.
If you recently placed a SmileDirect Club order and it hasn’t shipped yet, it will be canceled and you will not receive your aligners. The club’s widely promoted “Lifetime Smile Guarantee” disappeared along with the company, too.
Although there has been very little communication from SmileDirectClub, they did manage to communicate that SmilePay Plan customers are still expected to continue making their payments.
Unfortunately for consumers, there is very little information about the possibility of refunds at this point. According to the SmileDirect Club website, there will be more information regarding refunds “once the bankruptcy process determines next steps.”
There was no timeline given for these proceedings, but we will provide updates as this situation develops.
If you are still interested in telehealth orthodontics, SmileDirect Club wasn’t the only game in town!
SmileExpress offers a similar service, and they are currently offering a chance to win free treatment (a $2,995 value) for residents of Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. Head on over here to learn more about their program or to submit a contest entry!
Have you been affected by SmileDirect Club’s sudden closure? Please tell us about your situation in the comments below!
Not surprising, but I’m upset for the people who were using them and are left without any sort of plan and/or direction, especially after paying for it. And lol at “…they did manage to communicate that SmilePay Plan customers are still expected to continue making their payments.” Good luck with that!
That’s the expectation of everyone continuing to pay if they’re paying installment payments until legal proceedings are done with bankruptcy case in the courts. But anyone that has installment payments should send an email & also a certified letter to the financing company to suspend any further payments & that they would not be making any payments since services are not being provided and treatments not finished and until a resolution with bankruptcy case is all sorted out.
We paid in full, up front, for the aligners. My daughter will be done with her aligners in two weeks but is not satisfied with the results. A month ago, we knew the results wouldn’t be as promised, so I attempted to request a new set per their “smile guarantee”. I was told she needed to finish her original set before a new set, or retainer, could be ordered. Now, that we have two weeks left, and the company is out of business, we are not going to get the results that we paid for. We won’t get a new set nor will we get a retainer. She will have to continue to wear her last set, which again, isn’t satisfactory.
SO sorry to hear about that, Kelly. Thanks for taking the time to share about your experience. ❤️
I feel terrible for you and your daughter. My daughter went to a dental college for braces. She was advised to wear a retainer at night for as long as she wants straight teeth. Don’t skip the retainer. Find someone to finish the process.
Sorry to hear everyone is going through this. Definitely follow-up with a local orthodontist in your area to get the results that she needs. Did you get the name of orthodontist she was working with during her treatment? It is listed on her account if their website still available and maybe that way you can ask a copy of her records. Since you had already spent on her treatment so hopefully would be a lot less. And definitely have her wear the last set as retainers until you can follow-up otherwise teeth will shift back again. I’m speaking from experience here. I did a treatment to correct 1 tooth shifting but didn’t finish as I got pregnant and this was at a regular orthodontic doctor and I used Invisalign. Tooth shifted a bit again & I did SmileClub. I had gone to a consultation to a regular orthodontist in my area and was quoted more than double than SmileClub for regular braces or Invisalign so I decided to go with SmileClub especially since I already knew what to expect & also my case wasn’t that serious.
Thankfully I had finished my treatment and recently they had sent me an email to order another set of retainers and glad I didn’t.
Wearing a retainer or the last set of aligners nightly until you finish treatment is CRUCIAL. Best of luck to everyone & hopefully they’re able to help everyone that still has pending treatments.
Meant to say wearing your retainers nightly is crucial otherwise your teeth will shift back again. And in her case the last set of aligners until you can consult another orthodontist.
Shocker. Warned you all when you started posting about them a Long time ago.
My sister worked for them. She got a notice from the company last Monday stating that they were going to have a call on Friday and that they were planning on trying to save the company by offering a deal to the judge. Apparently the judge didn’t buy that and ruled that they must go under liquidation, sell everything and everyone will lose their jobs… effective immediately that Friday. They were guaranteed bonuses and just yesterday were told they will not be receiving those any longer and THIS Friday will be their last check. My sister was making close to $110,000 a year, now, right before Christmas they decided to pull this off! Incredible! If they did this to employees I’m sure customers really don’t matter
Wow, thanks for sharing, diana2109! So very sorry to hear about your sister! Wishing her and the other employees the best of luck! 🤗❤️
It’s a sad and difficult situation and has affected so many lives. Unfortunately, it is not surprising with what’s going on in our country.