S N.
Los Angeles, CAMember since February 2019

Reviews (1)


    • Feb 16, 2019
    • Verified Reviewer

    SmileDirectClub

    Potentially performing medical procedures without medical oversight and fraudulent billing practices

    Overall Experience:

    I was looking for teeth straightening cosmetic dentistry and this company came up in search results. After looking at their site it appeared that they were a competitor to Invisialign and their website claimed that a licensed orthodontist would create a treatment plan for me after coming into their "Smile Store" to get a free scanning.

    At check-in they had me provide them a lot of information on an iPad including a credit card, "So that you can easily accept your treatment and have your aligners sent to you more quickly." I told them I hadn’t decided if I wanted to go with them and was reassured, "Oh you won’t be billed until you approve your treatment." I was then escorted back to have my scanning and consultation.

    I will say that all the people that I met at the appointment were friendly and the place was clean and welcoming. The person that was doing my scanning had traditional braces and I asked why they didn’t use SmileClub and they were dismissive but non-specific. After the scanning was done, I met someone that said they were a dentist, but didn't provide any business card and only gave me their first name. They asked me if I had any questions and I asked if I was a candidate for treatment. He said they would need to send my scans out and in three days I would get an email with my treatment plan and could see estimated before and after pictures.

    They then put a piece of paper in front of me asking if I would be wanting a single payment or installment plan. I told them single payment, but that "I won't be making a decision on treatment until I see the treatment plan first." They then they told me I'd get it in three days and could then approved it and then asked me to "Put my name at the bottom" of the paper choosing between the two payment options. I then was given my free gift for coming in and left.

    Two days later I got a call from my credit card company asking me if I had authorized a $1850 payment to the company. I had not, so I contacted the company and while I was trying to find their number I got a text message thanking me for my order. When I finally got them on the phone, I told them I had not approved my order yet and I still hadn't seen a treatment plan. They told me that I had signed up for the "rapid ship" option so I was billed as soon as my treatment was ready. I told them again, I had not even seen my treatment plan or spoken with a doctor. They then sent me another text message with a link to a website in it. This just showed me before and after images but had no text or treatment plan. It didn't tell me how many aligners I would need, how long it would take, who the orthodontist was that created and approved it, or really anything. I complained about this and was told that my plan was still being finalized and it would arrive in a day. When I got home I looked at the documents I was given and found that the document they put in front of me asking which payment method I would prefer was a quick scam and the reason they asked me to write my name at the bottom was because they were using this as approval for billing! TOTALLY MISLEADING AND PROBABLY FRAUDULENT!

    Now for the last week, I've been getting constant emails, texts, and phone calls pushing me to order and offering me "payment options." I've still never received a treatment plan or contact with an orthodontist in my state or even nationally. I've since gone to see a licensed orthodontist in my state and was told that I am not a candidate for any clear alignment system and need extensive traditional braces for treatment. He explained clearly that I need teeth to rotate and that clear aligners need extra friction for this so people need to have pads attached to their teeth that interface with the clear aligners to properly work (this is why mailed aligners without visits to a dentist are unlikely to work well). He also said that in my treatment I would need teeth to be changed in height as well which can only be done with traditional braces. He informed me that if I had tried to use a clear aligner product it likely would have not worked or caused me damage to my teeth, gums, or jaw.

    He was upset to hear that this company doesn't appear to have any medical supervision and suggested I avoid them. Just to be clear, an actual orthodontist was able to tell just by LOOKING at my teeth that I was not a candidate for clear aligners (of any brand) and I should have never been approved for treatment by a licensed medical professional.

    Because of this potentially damaging treatment, I’ve actually contacted the FTC and my state health authority. I’ve asked them to investigate this company and make sure they are not scamming consumers, locking them into unfair legal agreements (like arbitration), and not causing harm to people's bodies by doing unlicensed and unsupervised medical treatments.

    Does this mean that you shouldn’t use them for treatment? Not necessarily. It just means that before you elect to have them do a medical procedure to your body, which could have permanent health risks, you may want to ensure that actual medical licensed professionals are involved in the process.

    Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

    26 people found it helpful

    Link to this Review
    • Feb 18, 2019

      Company Response from Smile Direct Club

      Hi there, thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We appreciate you sharing feedback.

      We typically treat mild to moderate spacing, crowding, and general alignment concerns. Depending on the complexity of the customer's concerns, clear aligner therapy may not be the best option for them. Our licensed dentists and orthodontists oversee treatment remotely and approve of the SmilePlan that each customer receives, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting a second opinion prior to committing to treatment. We always advise that our customers see their dentist to make sure that they have no issues prior to treatment.

      Customers are not required to put down payment information at the appointment and should not be pressured to if they aren't ready to purchase aligners. We want all customers to have a comfortable and informative appointment, so this is definitely not in line with what we expect.

      Please send us an email at grinners@smiledirectclub.com so that we can assist with any issues that you're experiencing and pass along your feedback to the correct shop in regards to your experience there. Best, Madison


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