My experience with SmileDirectClub went from bad to worse. As indicated in the original review, the reevaluation wait period for my new set of aligners took five weeks which meant mid-treatment I was in the same aligner (to be worn for one week) for seven weeks while waiting. When I got my new set of aligners my old plan disappeared and I was given a new two-month smile plan. I wonder if this amounts to distorted data on what their average plan length is. My original smile plan was to be five months but ended up being eight months and one week.
When I got my reevaluation two-month set of aligners, I ordered my retainer online to be worn once my treatment would be completed. After I ordered a pop-up window came up and indicated SmileDirect would be charging my current credit card on file and I clicked okay. After ten days I noticed there was nothing on the website account about the retainers ordered and my card had not been charged. I called SmileDirect and was told there was no record of my order for retainers. That was frustrating but there was still time for my retainers to be delivered prior to my treatment end because the website said retainers are received in 3-4 weeks and my treatment was to end in 4.5 weeks.
The end of my treatment came and no retainers were sent and after many calls, I still have not received my retainers after 9.5 weeks from my order, yes 9.5 weeks and still counting. Every time I call or chat online I get an excuse and apology but absolutely no action. After six weeks I was told I would get a credit for the cost of the retainers. When I called 10 days later and asked for the current status of the retainer I also asked about the refund. First, I was told there was no record of the refund, then I was told that there was a note of it but it had never been processed. I did eventually get the refund but I don’t trust that I will ever get the retainers. Although my teeth are much improved they are slightly off the final presentation of my smile plan at the end. Since I wore my last aligner set for four weeks instead of two (to serve as the retainer I did not receive), and I wear them every night, my plan obviously did not get me quite to the finish line even after a reevaluation. It was close.
The scripted phone customer service phrases and lines from SmileDirect customer service might be okay if you are hearing them once or twice during your plan, but when there are problems and you are calling several times over several weeks the empty platitudes are almost unnerving. I don’t want to be asked how my day is going or how the representative can make me smile - I want real action and the problem to be solved, but instead, I get the same script.
To the consumer - don’t be naïve about the many positive reviews of the initial consultation process. Mine, too, was a very positive experience and of course, SmileDirect knows to do that to get you to enroll and pay. The true measure of a company, though, is how they treat you and follow through once they have your money. Also, the responses from SmileDirect to negative reviews on this site, in my opinion, gives the false impression that SmileDirect is intervening to solve the problem. I had several interactions with the follow up to my review and I can say in my case there was absolutely nothing done to problem solve.
I do believe the use of aligners for teeth straightening is a good way to improve your smile. I just cannot recommend this company. I have heard there are hybrid start-ups of online aligners paired with orthodontist visits at a lesser price than the typical Invisalign. This might be interesting to research. After my experience with SmileDirect, I definitely would have opted to pay more money for better quality service with a different company or orthodontist.
I have read many reviews of similar experiences to mine with SmileDirectClub. In my opinion, SmileDirect needs sanctioning from a business regulatory agency or a class action suit to get them to change.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
10 people found it helpful
Link to this ReviewI am grateful for the opportunity to share my experience with SmileDirectClub such that I can bring some awareness to future enrollees. I asked the SmileDirect dental team representative if there was a place that I could email my concerns or put them in writing to SmileDirect administration and I was told that the only opportunity for that was through reviews.
I had a very positive experience during my 3D scan and evaluation and sign up process with SmileDirect. It was later after I enrolled when their care deteriorated. My treatment plan was a five-month plan. When I accepted, paid, and received my aligners and SmileDirect box, included in it was a smile stretcher. The package with the smile stretcher indicated it was to be used for 90-day photos that I would be notified to send into SmileDirect. I was on a one month vacation over that 90 days and was careful to bring my smile stretcher with me so that I did everything according to instructions. At approximately 100 days I called Smile Direct customer service and asked what was going on because I had not received any notification or instructions on the photo review process. I was told that I would be getting an email within a week. I did not.
I called again at approximately 120 days and expressed my concern about the review. I then received the photo notification email and instructions that day. I sent my photos in and expressed that I had some concern that my bottom teeth were not where they should be based on my plan. When I took the photos it was month five, week one of wearing aligners. I was supposed to have three weeks left. I received an email from SmileDirect saying that the dental team had reviewed my photos and it appeared that my bottom teeth "were not tracking properly" and that my request for a reevaluation would be honored and I would receive additional aligners at no cost. Of course this was not the way things actually occurred.
They were late doing my review and they discovered that my teeth were not tracking. I was told to stay in my current aligner and come in for a new scan which I scheduled and did immediately. I waited a week for notification and got none - zero. I repeatedly checked on the website under my profile and a week after my scan saw that I had a new plan which would include two more months of aligners. The plan said to wait 4-5 weeks for the new aligners. Again, there was no notification of this other than my website profile. What really frustrates me and makes no sense to me is that a person in the middle of their treatment does not get expedited aligners. I have been in the same aligner for two weeks which means I could be in the same aligner for seven weeks. That is bad news piled on more after the news that your teeth are not tracking. These aligners are uncomfortable! Plus, for me the longer I wear an aligner (two weeks at most which was required in my plan), the more they bother me. They get loose and there is suction and the pressure points feel like they move around and your teeth feel as though they are moving improperly. Point is I have to wait the same as someone new who is signing up, but they are in a comfortable state not wearing uncomfortable and even hurting aligners while I am in mid-treatment and uncomfortable!
I immediately started looking at SmileDirect reviews and saw very negative reviews from people who had the reevaluation process and no positive ones. I called and asked to speak with someone on the dental team and stubbornly waited 17 minutes to talk with someone after customer service got on every two minutes to ask me if I wanted to continue waiting or go into a call back cue. I finally talked with someone on the dental team and indicated my concerns. I was told she would ask her supervisor if my aligners could be expedited and I would get an email if that request was granted. I asked for a response if it was not granted and she said I would not get an email if it was not granted. Of course, I have not gotten an email.
Here is my point. SmileDirect might work well for you if you do not run into any issues in your treatment plan with your teeth tracking. I would want to know before signing up what percentage of plans do need reevaluation and additional treatment. As I learned from reading reviews, this has happened to many and they are right in indicating that this company is all about the positive care involved with getting you to sign up and commit but then they don’t care so much after. That is the only explanation for the terrible process for those who the plan does not work for and need an adjustment. My treatment will now be eight months at a minimum (one month of waiting wearing the same aligners of possibly up to seven weeks). If I had known the odds of having this happen and was well informed of the reevaluation process and expectation of waiting and wearing the same aligner for up to seven weeks, I would have gone with aligners through an orthodontist office with timely check-ups and adjustments. I fully understand that the treatment plan does not work for everyone but knowing the odds is important and the reevaluation process and wait times for aligners in mid-treatment with SmileDirect is simply unacceptable.
Because of my experience, I cannot recommend SmileDirect.
Hi Sarah, thanks for taking the time to leave us a review and share feedback about your experience. If customers have any concerns about their treatment or are concerned that they may not be tracking, our dental team is available to chat any time. Re-evaluation aligners can take 4-5 weeks depending on how many aligners are in the new SmilePlan, but we'll always ship them as soon as they are ready. We're disappointed to see this and would be happy to help. I'm sending you a private message to see if we can assist. Best, Madison.
Company Response from Smile Direct Club
Hello Sarah, we're concerned to see this, as we take pride in the attention that our customer care team devotes to all communication efforts. In order to better assist you, I will be reaching out via private message. Best, Valerie.