ComplaintsforSmileDirectClub

• Initial Complaint

  09/09/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  So basically they gave me a whole set of aligners but after like the 5th set they all felt like they weren't actually fitting. Usually with other companies they will have you come in from month to month to re evaluate your progress. Smile direct didnt potentially due to the pandemic. I ended up having to get Brius treatment the 21st of this month. I can prove I have Brius by end of month. I want a refund and for them to stop charging me those aligners we're not effective. Negligence to not follow up in person. Feels like they just wanted the money and could care less about the quality of the treatment.

  Business response

  10/01/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/09/20) */ Hi ******, We apologize for the experience you have had with us, and we appreciate you taking the time to provide us with this feedback. I am very sorry to hear that you have had issues with your aligners fitting properly. I sent you an email from [email protected] on September 15, 2021, to offer my assistance, and I have included that email below. Please respond to the email at your earliest convenience and I will be happy to continue assisting you. "Since we are a remote teledentistry company, we do not have our customers come in person for their Smile Check-ins. We do, however, send out an email to our customers to complete their Smile Check-in virtually. I reviewed your account and see that yours was sent on June 16, 2020. For the Smile Check-in, the customer will be prompted to submit progress photos as well as let us know if they are happy with the fit of their aligners. If the customer answers yes, their treatment will continue as normal. If they answer no, they will receive an option to book a call with the Dental Team to address their concerns. I do not see that we ever receive your progress photos for the Smile Check-in. Do you recall completing that? It is my understanding that you are wanting to cancel. Please provide the following information. -3 current photos of your smile. Please use the attached photo document to see examples of the exact photos we need. -Do you have any unopen/unused sets of aligners? -Did you wear the retainer that was purchased last October? -When did you discontinue wearing the aligners or retainer (whichever you last wore)? You may send this information directly back to me through this email. Please be advised, full refunds are offered under our Lifetime Smile Guarantee for those who return their aligners within the first 30 days after receiving them. Once outside the 30 days, one may return any unused and unopened aligners from their initial set for a prorated refund. This means the customer will only be responsible for the cost of the aligners that they did use. More information regarding our returns policy and our Lifetime Smile Guarantee can be found at https://smiledirectclub.com/returns/. If there are no aligners left to return from the initial set, we will determine if a refund is warranted based on a number of things including progress, adherence to the prescription, and we will take into account any issues with the aligners that the customer experienced. This is reviewed on a case-by-case basis and we do not guarantee whether a refund will be provided." If you have any questions, please let me know. You may contact me directly by email or through this complaint. Kindest Regards, Anna SmileDirectClub

• Initial Complaint

  09/08/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I began my smile journey with Smile Direct Club after wanting to straighten my teeth, which were slightly crooked on the bottom. Smile Direct Club never asked me for any sort of dental records from my last visit with my dentist, but allowed me to get started. I was sent 12 sets of aligners, and experienced pain during treatment, and now resulted in a gap between 2 top teeth and my bottom teeth much more crooked. A Smile Direct Club representative told me that dental records prior to treatment aren't necessary, and offered more aligners to correct the issues the aligners have caused. I spoke to my dentist, who stated that based on a severely impacted tooth (which never caused me pain so it was never removed) - I should never have been a candidate for aligner treatment. Had Smile Direct Club done their due diligence, I wouldn't have wasted money or time on them. Only now are they interested my dental records in order to consider issuing a full refund. I'm speaking with an attorney!

  Business response

  10/01/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2021/09/17) */ Hi ****, We apologize for the experience you have had with us, and we appreciate you taking the time to provide us with this feedback. I am very sorry for the less than satisfactory experience you have had. I sent you an email from [email protected] on September 10, 2021, to provide my assistance. Although it is not necessary for us to have our customer's dental records on file before they begin treatment, the customer is responsible for providing their dental history through the required questionnaire that is completed before treatment. Additionally, each customer must read and sign our Consent and History form prior to starting treatment. The form states that it is the customer's responsibility to routinely see a dentist prior to starting SmileDirectClub aligners to verify that their teeth and gums are healthy. It is also the customer's responsibility to maintain and have follow-up dental care during and after treatment. You may access the form here: https://smiledirectclub.com/consent/. We did receive your signature on the General Release Form on September 8, 2021. As I mentioned, one the form has been signed the agreement is non-negotiable. I understand that you are unhappy with this, so I escalated your concerns to our Advanced Customer Care Team who works alongside our Legal Team. They sent you the following email today, September 17, 2021. If you have any questions, please respond directly to Lauren's email. "Hi ****, This is Lauren, one of the Advanced Customer Care Team Specialists at SmileDirectClub. We have received your formal complaint and documented it appropriately. The General Release Form is a ceasing agreement that states we cannot provide any further compensation or services. When you signed this on September 8th, you agreed to these terms. The General Release Form is binding legal document and we cannot provide any further compensation, including the cost of the retainers. Please let us know if you have any other questions. Kindest Regards, Lauren S. Advanced Customer Care Specialist SmileDirectClub 1-800-848-7566" If you have any other questions, please let me know. You may contact me directly by email or through this complaint. Kindest Regards, Anna SmileDirectClub

• Initial Complaint

  09/06/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was a member of smile direct club and was given aligners to straighten my teeth. First. I asked for only top aligners. Then they sent me both. Knowing that I had a permanent retainer on my bottom teeth. Only the first few aligners fit. The remaining had gaps and did fit right. I had a reevaluation done. They sent me more. Same thing happened. I completed my treatment. Was not pleased with the results. It ruined my teeth. Ruined my gums and now have exposed roots on my gum line. It has also cost me just as much as any other type of treatment.

  Business response

  09/23/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/09/15) */ Hi ******, We apologize for the experience you have had with us, and we appreciate you taking the time to provide us with this feedback. I am very sorry that you are unsatisfied with your results and that you are having concerns with the health of your gums. I sent you an email from [email protected] on September 9, 2021, to further assist. I offered to waive your remaining balance of $266.91 and provide you with a free aligner touch-up if you choose to continue treatment. If you do not wish to proceed with additional treatment and you wish to cancel, I have requested 3 current photos of your smile for cancellation review. Please, at your earliest convenience, respond to my email to let me know how you wish to proceed. If you have any questions, please let me know. You may contact me directly by email or through this complaint. Kindest Regards, Anna SmileDirectClub

• Initial Complaint

  09/04/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I ordered my Smile Direct Club Aligners for the best possible smile. My teeth were crooked and so I spent my hard earned money to fix them. At 16 years old, I was able to order them with a financed plan. I pay them monthly and even though I've used all my aligners, my teeth look even worse. My gums constantly bleed from the strain the aligners put on them. They were so so tight and Smile Direct Club said that's how they had to be. I'm still making payments on them, when they didn't even work and false advertised. I am so ashamed of my smile and even more self conscious than ever before. I've tried to call Smile Direct Club for a refund so many times and they transfer me to a loan officer who sends me to a voicemail box and never calls back when I leave a message. I want my money back. It's still charging my account when they did more damage than anything. I could use the refund to see a real dentist who could help me. I am seriously worried about my gums. They said Smile-Guarantee.

  Business response

  09/21/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/09/13) */ Hi *****, We apologize for the experience you have had with us, and we appreciate you taking the time to provide us with this feedback. I am very sorry that the results you received were less than satisfactory and that you experienced pain and discomfort. I sent you an email from [email protected] on September 9, 2021, to offer my assistance. Your Dental Team Account Manager, Marley, was also assisting you with your cancellation request, and she offered you a refund of $904.81 with a full balance waive upon signing our General Release Form. We received your signature and processed the refund and cancellation on September 10, 2021. Depending on your financial institution, it may take 2-10 business days for your refund to reflect in your account. If you have any questions, please let me know. You may contact me directly by email or through this complaint. Kindest Regards, Anna SmileDirectClub

• Initial Complaint

  09/03/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am a current patient of Smile Direct Club. My insurance company sent the reimbursement check to the Dentist that SDC assigned to me. The $975 check should have been send to me. When I called SDC they would not provide me the contact information for the provider assigned to my case. They told me someone would get back to me in 3-4 business days. This is the second time I have called about this issue. The odd thing is I cannot find a credible contact for this doctor. Dr. ******* ****** ** Lic # **XXXXXX. I want the contact information for the supposed provider that was assigned to my case, as a "patient" I believe I should have access to this provider.

  Business response

  09/21/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/09/09) */ Hi ****, We are concerned to hear about this experience and absolutely want to look into this. Unfortunately, we are unable to access an account with the information you provided in this complaint. Please respond to this complaint or send us an email at [email protected] to confirm the email address and phone number associated with the account you are contacting us about. We look forward to hearing from you soon. Kindest Regards, Anna SmileDirectClub

• Initial Complaint

  09/02/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a smile solution in January 2021 to make improvements to the alignment of my teeth via up front lump sum payment of approximately $2000 . They provided me with 22 aligners that I wore over 7 months and then at the conclusion I was supposed to receive retainers for $99 to wear at night to keep my teeth from shifting back to their original position. After 7 months and wearing their prescribed 22 aligners my teeth were not corrected in accordance with their dental plan and CGI images of my proposed teeth alignment so I asked for them to correct it as promised and paid for, They had requested me to do 3 more impression kits containing 12 total molds along with sending back new pictures which I did, To this day I am still without the appropriate aligners and have been given the run around for the past 2 months and repeated failures to respond to my phone calls and emails requesting assistance. they are deliberately ignoring me and making the impression process difficult so

  Business response

  09/15/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2021/09/09) */ Hi *******, We apologize for the experience you have had with us, and we appreciate you taking the time to provide us with this feedback. I am very sorry to hear that you are unhappy with your results, and that you have had difficulty with our customer service and the impression kits. I sent you an email from [email protected] on September 7, 2021, to further assist. I offered you a $150 refund for the inconvenience and ordered another impression kit for you today, September 9, 2021. Depending on your financial institution, it may take 2-10 business days for your refund to reflect in your account. Please allow 2-3 business days for shipping. When you receive the kit, please complete both upper and lower arches. I have provided a link below to an article on our blog with helpful information and tips on how to complete an impression kit, which includes a step-by-step video. If you think you will need additional assistance, we do have the ability to schedule a SmileCall where you can video chat with a member of our Dental Team for assistance with capturing the impressions. https://smiledirectclub.com/blog/how-make-good-first-impression/ Once we receive your completed impressions back, they will be reviewed. Once accepted, a new treatment plan will be created, and your touch-up aligners will go into production. We look forward to getting you back on track to the smile you deserve. If you have any questions, please let me know. You may contact me directly by email or through this complaint. Kindest Regards, Anna SmileDirectClub

• Initial Complaint

  09/01/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  SDC has been unable and unwilling to send me a retainer that fits my teeth. Soon after I completed my plan with them and was using my first retainer (Retainer 1), I had dental work performed that changed the shape of one of my teeth. SDC told me to just go to one of their stores, get a rescan, and I'd get a retainer that fit. I did that, and the one they sent me fit perfectly, but ever since, anytime I order a new retainer, it's the same as Retainer 1 and does not fit. If I want a retainer that fits, I have to go to their store and get a new scan. I have repeated this process three times already. This inevitably happens when my current retainer is at or past its six-month use period, I have noticed my teeth slowly regressing to where they were before my treatment started. I should not have to get a rescan every time I want a retainer that fits, and if I were to move to a location with no SDC stores, I would have no options at all.

  Business response

  09/15/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/09/07) */ Hi *****, We apologize for the experience you have had with us, and we appreciate you taking the time to provide us with this feedback. I am very sorry to hear about the continuous issues you have had with your retainers. I sent you an email from [email protected] on September 2, 2021, to offer my assistance. I placed an order for 2 free retainers and submitted them to be created based on the scan you completed in February of 2021. I also requested that the retainers are expedited, and my request was accepted. Please be advised that processing and shipment will take approximately 7-10 business days. As soon as your order ships, you will receive an email with tracking information. If you have any questions, please let me know. You may contact me directly by email or through this complaint. Kindest Regards, Anna SmileDirectClub

• Initial Complaint

  08/30/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We ordered aligners for our daughter in April of 2020 and agreed to pay $1851.94 over the course of 2 years. After my daughter finished wearing the first set of aligners, her teeth were not straight at all. We were not happy with the results and since we begun on this never ending trail of trying to receive new aligners. We have sent in two sets of impressions at different times. We've taken additional pictures of her teeth multiple times and we've driven an hour away from our home to have impressions done in the office. I can't tell you how many times we've called with the promise that the new aligners are on the way. The last phone call was on 8/16 and still no aligners. I have paid $1310.36 and would like my money returned to me.

  Business response

  09/14/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2021/09/01) */ Hi ****, We are concerned to hear about this experience and absolutely want to look into this. Unfortunately, we are unable to access an account associated with the information you provided in this complaint. Please respond to this complaint or send us an email at [email protected] to confirm the email address and phone number associated with the account you are contacting us about. We look forward to hearing from you soon. Kindest Regards, Anna SmileDirectClub Consumer Response /* (3000, 12, 2021/09/02) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The account is under the name **************** phone# ************. Email ************************** Business Response /* (4000, 14, 2021/09/03) */ Hi ****, Thank you very much for providing *****'s account information. I am very sorry for the delay on her touch-up aligner order. I do have good news, the order shipped out on August 31, 2021, and **** estimates that it will arrive September 7, 2021, by 9:00 pm. I have included the tracking information below. https://tools.****.com/go/TrackConfirmAction?qtc_tLabels1=********************** Due to the inconvenience, I added a set of free retainers to *****'s account and took $150 off your remaining balance. Please allow 3-5 business days for the adjustment to reflect on your Healthcare Finance Direct account. Again, my sincerest apologies for the stress and frustrations you have experienced. I truly hope that we are able to turn this around. I sent you an email from [email protected] as a follow up to this response. If you have any questions, please let me know. You may contact me directly by email or through this complaint. Kindest Regards, Anna SmileDirectClub

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