Smile Direct Club Vs Your Local Dentist for Invisalign®
Read the Reviews First
While a large company like Smile Direct Club can often provide many positive testimonials, they have the control to moderate the reviews they share with you. It's often more telling to view an unmoderated reviews page, like the Better Business Bureau, where anyone can write about their experience. For comparison, be sure to check out our Yelp testimonials.
Dr. Mike: You had a different experience than most, because you came from doing something else. Can you tell us about that?
Jacqui: Smile Direct, and it was a disaster.
Dr. Mike: Sorry. What was the difference for you?
Jacqui: You guys knew what you were doing, between the buttons, the shaving of my teeth, and you guys were responsive and you take care of it, so I never had any issues with any of that, whereas I did all the time with Smile Direct, and my teeth never came out.
Pros to Using Smile Direct Club
Save Money: Smile Direct Club is an inexpensive way to align your bite at home. The advertised cost for treatment with Smile Direct is $1895 for a one-time payment, or $2290 if you break your fee into monthly $85 payments. (Dentistry at Suburban Square's monthly payments are $77 per month and you have direct care from Dr. Wollock.) After your treatment ends, you need to pay $99 for a retainer. Sometimes paying just a little more is worth having a doctor make it right.
Save Time: The program offers the benefit of allowing patients to treat themselves at home. You can get a scan of your smile at a local branch, or you can order an at-home impressions kit from Smile Direct Club. Dr. Wollock can significantly minimize the number of visits for Invisalign.
Easy to Get Started: An orthodontist uses the scans of your smile to evaluate a treatment plan from a remote location. Without you ever meeting with your orthodontist, your aligners arrive in the mail.
Cons to Using Smile Direct Club
High Failure Rate: Even though the procedure is cheaper than visiting a dentist's office, there is a high failure rate that will cost you more.
One-Size-Fits-All Treatment: You may not be a good candidate for Smile Direct, or you may require costly additional treatment. If you see a qualified Invisalign dentist, they will tell you what is best for you, and your options so you don't waste time and money.
Poor Customer Service: Many Smile Direct customers report poor customer service. Phone calls are met with an automatic recording where callers must jump through hoops to finally speak to the right person. Dr. Wollock and his team are always there for you.
No Buttons: Smile Direct will not utilize buttons, an important part of the Invisalign process that make it so much more reliable. Buttons are small, temporary attachments that adhere to your teeth and hold the aligners in place.
Paying for Multiple Impressions: Even professional dentists don't always get impressions perfectly on the first try, so it makes sense that many Smile Direct customers report that their impressions are rejected the first time. If your first impressions don't turn out, you will be charged 50% of the original cost for a new testing kit. Dr Wollock does not use impressions. He uses a quick and easy scan that is more accurate and avoids gagging.
Monthly Pricing for Invisalign Versus Smile Direct Club
| Dentistry at Suburban Square | Smile Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | $250 | $250 |
| Monthly Payments Start At | $62.07 | $85 |
| Retainer | Included | $99 |
Other Downfalls of Using Smile Direct Club
The Better Business Bureau reports more than 2,000 complaints nationwide involving Smile Direct Club. Most of the complaints involve customer service issues — such as broken aligners, delivery issues and payment problems — but dozens describe concerns about treatment results: complaints like broken teeth and nerve damage.
It's important for teeth straightening patients to see a professional in person to ensure their treatment is safe and effective.
Benefits to Working with Dr. Wollock
Working with a professional dentist gives you the benefit of professional guidance during your treatment. If something isn't working, Dr. Wollock will be able to adjust your treatment.
While Smile Direct Club users do have some support from the company, there is no replacement for seeing a doctor in a face-to-face office setting. Dentists undergo years of schooling that give them unique insight into correcting bites.
Dr. Wollock is 1 of 25 Elite 1% Invisalign dentists in the country. Other dentists in North America seek out Dr. Wollock, who uses his experience and expertise to mentor his peers.
If you are interested in Invisalign, Learn more about Dentistry at Suburban Square's Invisalign deal..
