SmileDirectClub closes, terminates ‘Lifetime Smile’ guarantee
SmileDirectClub, the teethstraightening teledentistry chain, has halted operations three months after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, leaving many customers with outstanding bills and incomplete at-home orthodontic treatments.
“Effective immediately the Lifetime Smile Guarantee no longer exists,” the company said on its website, an irony that must have been self-evident to some customers.
The company, headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., had 110 locations across the country, four in the Houston area.
SmileDirectClub, which launched in 2014, raised $1.3 billion when it went public in 2019 as customers responded to the promise of being able to pursue comparatively affordable teethstraightening treatment without frequent visits to an orthodontist’s office or the sometimes painful metal scaffolding associated with traditional braces.
When the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, SmileDirectClub had debt of almost $900 million.
The company had, at the time, described the filing as “an important step to strengthen SmileDirectClub,” adding: “Many notable U.S. corporations have successfully utilized this process and continue to operate thriving businesses.” It was unable to find a find a buyer by a Nov. 23 deadline, however.
“For existing customers, we apologize for the inconvenience, but customer care support is no longer available,” SmileDirectClub explained on its website Wednesday.
CBS reported that the website initially said customers must “make all monthly payments until payment has been made in full.” As of Dec. 20, the website advises customers to contact HFD, SmileDirect’s service for its payment plans, “for questions regarding your financial obligations.”
As for customers whose treatments hadn’t been straightened away, the American Association of Orthodontists had some advice.
“The best thing SmileDirectClub patients can do at this point is to book an in-person exam with a licensed orthodontist in their area,” said Myron Guymon, AAO president, in a statement. “Most SmileDirectClub patients have not had an X-ray or in-person exam, which are critical to ensuring an accurate diagnosis and safe and effective treatment plan.”