Smile Direct Club - History and Alternatives

Smile Direct Club was a publicly traded, direct to consumer aligner brand, offering at home teeth alignment without direct dental supervision. The company closed in December 2023 leaving many customers without treatment and support.

Smile Correct Club was set up as a direct competitor to Smile Direct Club, serving UK customers with a similar product and service.

How Smile Direct Club Worked

1. Customers go through an virtual consultation to introduce the product and steps needed to create clear aligners.
2. A teeth impression kit is sent to the customer. The customer then creates impressions of their teeth. These are reviewed to make sure they are correct and able to create aligners. 
3. Aligners are created and sent to the customer along with a treatment plan. This plan specifies how many aligners are required, treatment length and when aligners should be swapped for the next stet in the series.
4. The customer starts with the first set of aligners in the box. These are worn for a recommended 22 hours per day. They can be removed for meals, when exercising and playing sports. 
5. Aligners are swapped for the next set in the series based on your unique treatment plan.
6. When your plan ends you should have straight teeth.
7. Follow up treatment by wearing a retainer for the next 12 months. This allows your gums to fully heal and helps your teeth stay in place.

Smile Correct Club provides a very similar treatment process allowing customers to get straight teeth quickly without needing to visit the dentist.

What happened to Smile Direct Club

1. In September 2023 Smile Direct Club filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy.
2. In December 2023 Smile Direct Club closed, leaving many customers without aligners or with incomplete treatments.

Smile Direct Club Alternatives

Alternatives to Smile Direct Club are Smile Correct Club, a UK based company helping customers to achieve at home straight teeth using clear aligners, without visits to a dentist.