news Smile Direct Club files for bankruptcy, scams patients and leaves them in limbo

[Jotham]

Quote

Online dentistry treatment Smile Direct Club has shut down just three months after filing for bankruptcy and left patients unsure if their expensive treatments will be completed. 

The company that was once valued at $8.9billion announced the 'incredibly difficult decision to wind down its global operations, effective immediately' on Friday. 

In the midst of the shutdown, many customers have been left deserted during their teeth-aligner treatment, which takes an estimated four to six months to complete. 

'Bruh!! Smile Direct Club, the company I am using to straighten my teeth with and paid in full and am only months into my treatment just went bankrupt and shut the company down. Omggg,' a commenter said on Facebook. 

...

The program allowed dissatisfied customers the chance to return their aligners in the first 30 days for a full refund, but that will no longer take place due to the Chapter 11 bankruptcy.   

Customers who are a part of the company's monthly payment program known as SmilePay are still 'expected to continue to make all monthly payments until payment has been made in full,' according to the website. 

Any customers looking for refunds from the company are set to receive more information on that process 'once the bankruptcy process determines next steps.' 

Many discouraged customers have taken to social media to share their concern for treatment as one said: 'Disgusting how we have all been treated... I only just signed up for my aligners, made my first payment and now I won't even be receiving my braces.' 

Another said that the bankruptcy announcement is 'heart-breaking' as they are in the middle of treatment. 

'Smile Direct Club is crazy for this,' another person said on X (formally known as Twitter). 

[Mitsouko]

Wasn't this just ghetto Invisalign?  I'm afraid I just don't have sympathy for people who think is it appropriate to pay a website for an instant-grat medical device instead of going to a real orthodontist. Losers lost.

[getBusy]

5 minutes ago, Mitsouko said:

instead of going to a real orthodontist

Do you really think this was a 16 year old 3D-printing aligners at his parents’ garage??? Please be serious. Of course they had orthodontists. 
 

And just because something’s cheaper it doesn’t mean the people who PAID for it don’t deserve to be covered in cases like this. 

Edited December 11, 2023 by getBusy

[KMO]

20 minutes ago, Mitsouko said:

Wasn't this just ghetto Invisalign?  I'm afraid I just don't have sympathy for people who think is it appropriate to pay a website for an instant-grat medical device instead of going to a real orthodontist. Losers lost.

They definitely weren’t cheap though lol

[Gorjesspazze9]

Thank good I don’t have to hear those annoying ads anymore 

[Mitsouko]

43 minutes ago, getBusy said:

Do you really think this was a 16 year old 3D-printing aligners at his parents’ garage???

It might as well be lol. They sold medical devices for thousands of dollars without the need to visit a medical professional  so people who should have known better got scammed. Poor that!

[Dula Peep]

dang, I was just about to start this to fix my teeth 

[Attitude]

Let me text my friend who just started his. 

 

[Mordecai]

I remember when this was popular. Soooo many stories of botched jobs.

 

I'm a massive cheapskate but I would NEVER skimp out on dental treatment, you get what you pay for in the medical industry

[She-Rah]

3 hours ago, Mitsouko said:

Wasn't this just ghetto Invisalign?  I'm afraid I just don't have sympathy for people who think is it appropriate to pay a website for an instant-grat medical device instead of going to a real orthodontist. Losers lost.

Pretty much. My cousin tried it and they ended up permanently damaging one of her nerves which she now has to seek treatment from a neurologist. It would have been cheaper to just get Invisalign 

[Mellark]

I've seen so many ads for this, ugh... let yeah, damn...

[DamianSolo]

It always seemed fishy to me, especially whenever I looked more deeply into it. It takes much more than that to provide genuine and legitimate orthodontic treatment.

[John Slayne]

yeah the company is sick for exploiting poor people who can't afford proper dental treatment, but also... y'all should know better. we've seen enough episodes of Botched to know that when it comes to any body modifications you get what you pay for!! 

 

i just don't understand why anyone would put their DENTAL treatment into hands of some online company. it looked shady from the start, especially if you compare their prices with those of actual dentists. the timings are also very sus, there's no way most people's crooked teeth can be fixed in 6 months. 

 

i'm generally a very cheap person and don't splurge on things, but when it comes to my teeth (or anything else on my body for that matter) i'd much rather pay top price and get a good result than be stuck with something that i hate and have to get redone anyway. but hey, different strokes...