British customers of a dentistry firm that provided teeth alignment services were left “disgusted” after the company halted all treatment.
Smile Direct Club, which offered teeth aligners for thousands of pounds told customers treatment was no longer available after it made the “incredibly difficult” decision to close down.
It comes after the firm filed for bankruptcy in October 2023 and a last-ditch rescue attempt to save the company failed in December.
One customer said she was “angry” and “disgusted” to find out she would not be receiving any treatment after making an initial payment.
“I have always been scared of the dentist so it was the perfect solution for me. But it was disgusting how we have all been treated,” Paige Louise Lines told The Independent.
Have you been affected by Smile Direct Club’s closure? Contact alexander.butler@independent.co.uk
Smile Direct Club offered teeth aligners for about £1,800 without the need to visit a dentist
(Alamy Stock Photo)
“I didn’t even find out they had gone bankrupt until I went to log in to my portal to check the progress of when my aligners would arrive.
“I just had a message pop up onto my screen. I was quite angry I never actually heard from them directly,” Ms Lines added.
A statement on Smile Direct Club’s website read: “Smile Direct Club has made the incredibly difficult decision to wind down its global operations, effective immediately.
“For new customers interested in Smile Direct Club services, thank you for your interest, but aligner treatment is no longer available through our telehealth platform.
“For existing customers, we apologise for the inconvenience, but customer care support is no longer available.”
After offering a “lifetime smile guarantee”, the company recommended customers to contact their local dentist if they wanted to carry on with treatment.
Customers were drawn to Smile Direct Club, founded in 2014, because of its low prices compared to regular forms of teeth straightening.
Its services differed from traditional dentistry which saw orthodontists or dentists fit “train-track” braces and clear aligners after an in-person consultation.
Treatment with the company typically took between four to six months and customers had online check-ins with registered dentists.
