What Happened To SmileDirectClub? A Look At The Shutdown

SmileDirectClub sold clear aligners directly to consumers and once served more than 2 million people. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2023, then shut its doors for good a few months later. Here's what it offered, why it collapsed, and what former customers can do now.

TL;DR

• SmileDirectClub filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2023, then shut down all operations that December.

• Courts approved a $31.75 million antitrust settlement against Align Technology, with payments reaching claimants in 2026.

• Former customers cannot access their SmileDirectClub login, order a retainer, or reach support through the original company.

• Invisalign, Toothsi, and newer at-home aligner brands now fill the space SmileDirectClub left behind.

What Is SmileDirectClub?

SmileDirectClub was a teledentistry company built around one idea. Skip the orthodontist's chair and straighten teeth by mail.

Alex Fenkell and Jordan Katzman founded the company in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2014. Customers took an at-home impression kit or visited a retail "SmileShop" for a 3D scan. A remote dentist or orthodontist then reviewed the scan and approved a treatment plan. SmileDirectClub shipped a full series of clear aligners straight to the customer's door. Check-ins ran through an app instead of in-person visits.

The pitch worked. SmileDirectClub aligners reached retail shelves at Walmart and CVS. The company went public on Nasdaq in 2019, at a valuation near $8.9 billion. It had served more than 2 million customers across the US and beyond.

How Much Did SmileDirectClub Cost?

Price was the company's core sales pitch. It undercut both traditional braces and in-office Invisalign by a wide margin.

A full course of SmileDirectClub treatment generally ran between $1,850 and $2,050. Customers could also finance treatment through the company's Smile Pay plan. That option typically required around $250 down and monthly payments near $89. A full breakdown of braces pricing today shows metal braces averaging $3,000 to $7,000. In-office clear aligners often cost even more. That price gap explains why SmileDirectClub drew so many budget-conscious adults.

Does SmileDirectClub Work?

Results varied by case. That's typical for any remote-monitored aligner system.

Customers with mild to moderate crowding or spacing often saw visible improvement within months. Cases involving bite correction or rotated teeth were harder to manage. There was no orthodontist tracking progress in person. Some patients reported relapse after treatment ended, especially when they skipped or lost their retainer. Consistent wear matters for any clear aligner system. Knowing how to clean aligners also mattered. Clean trays stayed more comfortable through a full course of treatment.

Is SmileDirectClub Safe? What Reviews Said

Safety questions followed SmileDirectClub for most of its existence. Its remote-only treatment model drove most of that scrutiny.

The American Association of Orthodontists raised repeated concerns about remote monitoring. The group argued that some problems are hard to catch without a hands-on exam. State dental boards in several states opened complaints tied to the company's practice model. SmileDirectClub reviews online reflected this split. Many customers described a convenient, affordable process with real results. Others reported pain, loose teeth, or dissatisfaction with the outcome. Daily braces and aligner care habits likely shaped which group a patient landed in.

The clearest evidence of a reputation problem came from Washington, DC. The district's attorney general accused SmileDirectClub of using non-disclosure agreements. The claim was that this stopped unhappy customers from posting negative reviews or filing regulatory complaints. SmileDirectClub denied wrongdoing. The company still agreed to a settlement. It released 17,000-plus customers from those NDAs and paid $500,000 to the district. That case suggests online reviews understated the real rate of customer complaints.

What Happened To SmileDirectClub? A Timeline Of The Collapse

The company's fall moved fast once it started. Pressure had been building for years before the final announcement.

• 2019: SmileDirectClub goes public on Nasdaq under the ticker SDC, reaching a valuation near $8.9 billion.

• 2019 to 2022: The company posts consistent losses even as annual revenue reaches hundreds of millions, including an $86.4 million net loss in 2022.

• 2022 to 2023: Legal pressure builds from state dental boards, the DC attorney general, and orthodontist groups, while the stock price keeps falling.

• September 2023: SmileDirectClub files Chapter 11 bankruptcy, reporting close to $900 million in debt.

• Fall 2023: The company searches for a buyer or rescue financing while telling customers it will maintain normal operations.

• December 8 to 11, 2023: SmileDirectClub announces it will wind down global operations effective immediately, cancels unshipped orders, ends its Lifetime Smile Guarantee, and converts the case to Chapter 7 liquidation.

Did SmileDirectClub go out of business? Yes. The company ceased all operations in December 2023. It has not resumed treatment, sales, or customer support since.

The SmileDirectClub Lawsuit And Settlement History

SmileDirectClub's legal troubles didn't end with the shutdown. Several major cases moved through the courts well into 2025 and 2026. Settlement money is still reaching claimants.

The largest case, an antitrust lawsuit known as Snow v. Align Technology, accused Align of striking an anticompetitive deal with SmileDirectClub. Align makes Invisalign. Plaintiffs claimed the deal suppressed competition and raised prices for aligner buyers. The window covered purchases between October 2017 and August 2022. Align agreed to pay $31.75 million to resolve the claims, without admitting wrongdoing. A court granted final approval in November 2025. Payments of roughly $40 to $60 per claimant began going out in early 2026.

A separate SmileDirectClub lawsuit targeted the company's marketing practices directly. SmileDirectClub agreed to a $2.95 million settlement over unsolicited texts sent to Florida residents. Eligible class members received about $140 each.

A third track of litigation grew directly out of the shutdown itself. A laid-off employee filed a proposed class action in January 2024. The suit alleged the company skipped the legally required advance notice before mass layoffs. Separately, the bankruptcy process directed roughly $4.8 million in refunds to customers who kept paying. Those customers had paid even after the company stopped shipping aligners.

Most claim filing deadlines across these settlements have passed. This section is provided for general information rather than legal advice. Anyone with an unresolved SmileDirectClub claim should consult a licensed attorney about current options.

SmileDirectClub Stock: From $8.9 Billion IPO To Delisting

SmileDirectClub's stock chart tells its own version of the company's story.

Shares began trading on Nasdaq under the ticker SDC in 2019. The valuation stood near $8.9 billion. The stock lost most of its value over the following years. Losses piled up, and legal challenges mounted. After the Chapter 11 filing, the stock moved to the OTC Pink marketplace under SDCCQ. That's a common step for companies in bankruptcy. Trading in SDCCQ no longer reflects any active business, since the company has been fully liquidated. This recap is for information only and isn't investment advice.

What Happens To Your SmileDirectClub Login, Treatment, Or Retainer Now?

Former customers still have practical questions long after the news coverage faded. The answers are consistent across the board. Choosing a new dentist is usually the first practical step.

• Smiledirectclub login access: the customer portal and mobile app no longer work, and treatment records cannot be retrieved through the original company.

• Mid-treatment customers: anyone who was partway through a course of aligners should see a local dentist or orthodontist to check current alignment and plan next steps. Learning to read a dental treatment plan helps make sense of that new provider's notes. A written dental treatment plan records where treatment stands and what comes next.

• Smiledirectclub retainer replacement: the original retainer program shut down with everything else. A new retainer now has to come from an independent lab or a different company. Both rely on a fresh at-home impression kit.

• Refunds: any outstanding refund claims run through the bankruptcy court process and the settlements described above, not through the defunct company directly.

One detail causes confusion worth addressing directly. A separate company called SmileSet purchased SmileDirectClub's patents and manufacturing technology after the liquidation. A SmileDirectClub co-founder started SmileSet. It operates as an independent business and offers discounted pricing to former SmileDirectClub customers. It did not take on SmileDirectClub's debts, obligations, or customer records. Buying the technology is not the same as SmileDirectClub reopening.

SmileDirectClub Competitors And Alternatives

The direct-to-consumer aligner category didn't disappear with SmileDirectClub. Several companies now compete for the customers it left behind.

Invisalign remains the dominant name in clear aligners. Align Technology makes it. Treatment runs through an in-office orthodontist or general dentist, not by mail. It costs more than SmileDirectClub did, generally landing in the $3,000 to $8,000 range. In exchange, patients get hands-on oversight throughout treatment. Dental insurance with orthodontic benefits may offset part of that cost.

Byte followed a business model close to SmileDirectClub's. It also shut down, closing its doors in early 2024. Anyone comparing at-home aligner brands should check whether a company is still operating. That matters more than how the marketing looks.

Newer names have picked up much of the demand from former SmileDirectClub customers. That list includes NewSmile, AlignerCo, SportingSmiles, and Remi. This is especially true for standalone retainer replacements that skip a full new treatment plan.

Toothsi, operated by makeO in India, follows a similar direct-to-consumer model. It's built around at-home impression kits and remote monitoring. It mainly serves Indian patients rather than the American market. That makes it more of a case study than a direct swap for former US customers. The table below lines up SmileDirectClub's old model against Invisalign and Toothsi.

Bottom Line

SmileDirectClub built a fast-growing business on convenience and low price. It then collapsed under debt and legal pressure. No buyer stepped in to keep it running. The shutdown left more than 2 million former customers with unanswered questions. Retainers, refunds, and unfinished treatment topped that list. Several settlements have since brought some financial relief. The clear aligner market has moved on to other providers. Anyone still holding SmileDirectClub aligners or a half-finished plan should see a local dental provider. Teeth can shift out of position without ongoing retention.