These SmileDirectClub NDAs Are Invalid (so You Can Talk About Your Experience Right Now)

If you have received a refund from SmileDirectClub in the past few years due to dissatisfaction with their invisible orthodontic aligners and have agreed to confidentiality, you no longer need to keep quiet about it. In an agreement announced last week , SmileDirectClub customers who were previously unable to discuss their negative experience with the company were exempted from non-disclosure agreements. This means that around 17,000 disgruntled consumers are now free to share their complaints publicly, including on social media.

Controversy about home orthodontics

Home orthodontics is attractive because of its convenience and (much) lower cost compared to braces or aligners, which require regular visits to the dentist. SmileDirectClub sends you a DIY impression kit and all follow-up is done through a virtual appointment. The total cost is less than half that of more traditional aligners or braces, which require a personal visit to the orthodontist or dentist. However, patients report mixed results, and professional dentists from the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) have often been criticized and even fought to restrict or ban these services.

Offering at-home orthodontic aligners, SmileDirectClub has been constantly criticized by customers who are disappointed with the results of the product (at best) or need more dental work to fix problems in the process (at worst). ).

Were the refunds really tied to non-disclosure agreements?

It was reported in The New York Times in 2020 that SmileDirectClub required customers who requested refunds due to these concerns to sign confidentiality agreements as a condition of receiving their money, meaning they were not allowed to disclose refunds and had to remove negative comments and reviews. about the product. SmileDirectClub has stated that it does not require non-disclosure if customers request a refund within 30 days of receiving the aligners.