I began my Smile Direct Club process with the at-home impression kit. They needed me to redo it, so I opted to visit a Smile Shop instead so that the 3-D scan would be more accurate and avoid any complications from me attempting to do the impression kit myself. The Smile Shops are about an hour away from my house, so I opted to hold off on scheduling. There was a pop-up Smile Shop in my town, so I went in February 2022. The consultant showed me how my teeth would look with the digital treatment plan progression. My top teeth were already straight. My bottom front teeth were crowded. That is the issue I wished to address with the SDC program. The digital progression photos showed straight bottom front teeth. My initial treatment plan was listed as about 8 months of nighttime wear for 10 hours per night with each set of aligners worn for two weeks.
I received my first set of aligners in April 2022. I wore them as prescribed: 10 hours per night. I switched to the next set of aligners using the reminders sent via text, email, and notifications from the app. I neared the end of my treatment program when I was unable to wear the bottom aligner in the next set because they would not fit. I would have had to use force to make it fit over my bottom teeth because the aligner did not line up with how my teeth were positioned. I was able to drive 45 miles to a Smile Shop and have a new 3-D scan after obtaining approval from my dentist, Dr. Danny Blaine Leeds. I received a new treatment plan and new set of aligners in December 2022. That was when my first treatment plan was supposed to be complete.
The new treatment plan was another 8 months. I was supposed to complete that one in August 2023. I paid for another 8 months of aligners. I understand that every case is different, so I was willing to shell out more money I hadn't originally planned to spend because I believed them when they said this treatment would work and that it would work as well as their competitor, Invisalign. Things started off fine. However, the aligners of the new treatment plan started making my teeth hurt when I removed them. I had to wait an hour or two before eating because my mouth was sore. I was also getting abrasions on the insides of my cheeks and having to file down the aligners so they wouldn't cut or dig into my gums because they went to the level of my gumline. The aligners made me speak with a lisp, which I was told during the consultation that wouldn't happen if they fit properly.
I wore the aligners until I was unable to fit the bottom set onto my teeth yet again. The aligner did not line up with my bottom teeth, which were still just as crooked as when I started the treatment plan. I couldn't fit them onto my teeth. I was told to wear the last set of aligners that did fit for a couple more weeks. That did not work. My treatment plan was scheduled to end in August 2023. When I visited my dental hygienist at the end of June 2023, she was shocked when I told her I was almost done with the second treatment plan because my bottom teeth were still very crowded. I reached out to their customer service department and was told to send in photos and a detailed explanation of my concerns. I did that and received no response. I submitted the same information a second time with no response again. Finally, upon submitting my photos and complaints a third time, I was approved for a second aligner touchup session.
SDC wanted me to purchase retainers when I finished the treatment plan, but I expressed how I wasn't sure how I was supposed to do that considering 1. I was unsatisfied with my "end" results and 2. I wasn't even able to wear the last two sets of aligners, so I didn't know how they thought the retainer would even fit properly. Purchasing the retainer is the only way that one can qualify for their "Lifetime Smile Guarantee".
I have now been approved for a THIRD treatment plan of another 8-10 months, at my own expense of course. This will turn a plan that was originally supposed to be 8-10 months into one that is at least 26 months. I could have gotten traditional braces if I was going to have to deal with this for over 2 whole years. I feel like I have paid for a service that promised results but did not deliver. I paid $250 for a down payment on the treatment plan as well as $88.90 per month from March 2022 until September 2023. That is 18 months and $1,850 for my teeth to still be the EXACT SAME as before the treatment plan(s). I still do not have usable aligners, yet they charged me for the month of September. If I want to follow this third treatment plan, they are asking for another $250 down payment and 8-10 more months of monthly payments of $88.90. What if my teeth are still the same after this third treatment plan that may or may not work judging by the results of my first two?
SDC claims that they stand by their product and offers a "Lifetime Smile Guarantee", but I have an unfinished "end" result. This is akin to receiving an item "not as described" even after paying full price for it. During the duration of the service, the product did not meet expectations on more than one occasion. I do not trust SDC to actually fix my bottom front teeth at half of the cost of traditional braces or Invisalign the way they promised. Now I have an incomplete smile I will have to consult with an actual orthodontist to repair. My top teeth were already straight. SCD didn't fix that. My bottom teeth are still crowded in the front. What did I just pay for over the last year and a half?
Additionally, I see that my assigned dentist, Dr. Leeds, has other poor reviews for his services with SDC as well as a lawsuit that he and other dentists associated with SDC filed against the Board of Dental Examiners in Alabama because he was practicing in another state (Tennessee) without appropriate supervision. I am not confident that he, or any dentist employed by SDC, will be able to oversee my third treatment program to get my teeth to my level of satisfaction. Not to mention the countless horror stories I have seen about people who have used SDC who have had even worse issues than I have, such as causing hairline fissures, root damage, receding gumlines, bone loss, etc. I would like a full refund of $1,850. I can use the money I paid SDC to go towards actual orthodontic treatment to correct my concerns.

When I went in for my consultation and was assured that I would receive my aligners in time for my teeth to shift before my wedding. Finally a month later I received an email saying they were on the way. A couple days later I received a text message saying they were delivered. They weren't. I contacted UPS and they stated that they were delivered and that I would have to contact the company.

I called Smile direct club immediately and spoke with someone who told me they would resend but would be a couple weeks before they'd arrive. I told the agent helping me that I would like to cancel as my wedding was in only a couple weeks and would be pointless. He assured me that he cancelled it and got it taken it care of for me.

A week later I received an email stating I was late on my payment. I called the finance company and they stated that it was Smile Direct job to contact them to cancel and that they hadn't done it. So I called SD club back and they told me they would cancel it. A week went by and I hadn't received an email or anything so I called again. This time they told me my request for cancellation got lost and that they would put a new one in. Again, no confirmation or email. I call again the next week. I was then told that they were waiting to assign me to an account manager. I asked how long that would take and they told me they didn't know.

A week and a half later I received an email from an account manager. She asked the reason for cancellation and I emailed her back. This was a Wednesday. A week later I had not heard anything so I emailed her again asking to follow up. That Friday still no response so I called the number listed in her email and left a voicemail. On Tuesday of the following week I attempted to reach her via email and phone with no response. The next day I call SD Club and asked to speak to a supervisor. The agent on the line said she would attempt to reach my account manager. She stated the account manager would give me a call within 24-48 hrs. I asked again to speak to a supervisor. I was placed on hold for 45 minutes to then be told the supervisor denied the request and would reach out in 3-8 business days.

I have no heard from anyone yet. I am fed up and so completely irritated. This is the WORST costumer service I have ever had. Please do not buy from this company. They have made it very clear that they only care about money and not their customers. If I could I would give 0 stars.

First when I Went for a visit they told me everything in the book to make me sign up, after I did I had to wait 3 months for the aligners because they kept having delays which was fine. When I finally received them, I followed every step to the T. I already had an overbite and my upper teeth were overlapping which was my major concern. I was told it would be fixed. 4 Months into it, I called/ emailed with concerns saying that I noticed my overbite gotten worst and that I was not seeing any improvements in my upper teeth " mind you my teeth weren't bad looking" AND HERE IS THE CHERRY ON TOP, I NOW HAVE A BIG GAP ON MY BOTTOM TEETH FROM THIS.

I then received multiple emails telling me I had to finish the aligners first before I can complain. At that time I had 1 month left, so I completed it. By then my dentist told me that I would have to get braces because they really messed my bite, overbite, & my crown. I now became upset, so I called them / emailed again with no sense of urgency from them, no help, nothing. After they get your money, they will completely block you. After couple of months, they said oh you were approved for re-eval so we can send you new aligners or you can cancel for a total of $360. Since I was confused about this " I now have to pay for a new crown and braces" I was hoping they at last cancelled the whole thing. I spoke to this non-professional, liar, scam artist called Krista who assured me that she would adjust of 75% of the total and she would make my total balance $360 due to the issues, which I kind of agreed to since I already paid $250 deposit plus $80 each month after. I asked her would I be getting a refund for everything I paid " after the $360" she said yes.
Today 8/30/2019 I got a call from their billing department asking me to pay $360 on top of what I already paid which made me so angry! I should have listened to the reviews before I signed up for this mess. Krista after I tried so hard to get hold of her told me there was a misunderstanding when we spoke, and that her email explained better. Then she claimed I signed some form which I DID NOT SIGN. When I said I won't be paying it, she told me " WELL I WILL BE SURE I SEND IT TO COLLECTIONS, YOU SIGNED THE FORM"
STAY AWAY FROM THIS SCAM COMPANY, NOW I WILL GET MY ATTORNEY INVOLVED BECAUSE THEY WILL NEED TO PAY FOR MY CROWN & BRACES

This is the worst customer service ever. After spending $1700 on these aligners they never showed up at my door. I called them and they were suppose to send another set. I was told they would ship out in 10 days. I waited nearly three weeks and NOTHING. I decided to cancel. A chick name Yasmine "account manager" was suppose to cancel this. I have been calling her for the last two weeks. She does NOT return calls. In addition the number that they gave me was not a real number. It is only a voicemail. I am now fighting with them to get a refund. I contacted my credit card company and next will be legal action against them.

UPDATE August 1,2019
Smiledirectclub is now trying to force me to sign a waiver in order for me to get my money back. The waiver forces me to not mention this in anyway publicly (like I am doing now). They are trying to take away my rights to free speech and press. Here is what a section of their contract says;

"Releasor covenants and agrees that he/she shall keep strictly confidential and shall not make public, disseminate, release or otherwise reference, allude to, suggest to any person, agency or other entity, including but not limited to media or press, in any manner whatsoever".

I WILL NOT BE FORCED TO GIVE UP MY RIGHTS AS A HUMAN, AN AMERICAN, OR CUSTOMER. In this country people get paid millions of dollars in order to uphold this type of gag agreement. I am not getting ONE RED CENT! This is MY MONEY right from the beginning.

Smiledirectclub YOU WILL NOT STRONG ARM ME INTO ANY SUCH AGREEMENT. This agreement is an insult and I will support any public entity that wants to report this story!