Smile Direct Club Responds to Misrepresentations in the Media - Seite 2

 

NBC was provided the opportunity to connect with customers who either had no concerns with their treatment through the SmileDirectClub platform, or who did and were able to resolve their issues with their treating doctor. NBC also conducted interviews with SmileDirectClub’s Chief Clinical Officer and a dentist who treats patients through our med tech platform. NBC neglected to provide its viewers with any of the personal experiences provided by these customers or commentary delivered by these medical experts on the safety of remote clear aligner therapy.
 

SmileDirectClub has successfully serviced more than 750,000 customers through our network and platform. Less than 1% of these customers have had any clinical concerns during treatment, a statistic that is lower than the dissatisfaction recorded from patients of traditional orthodontics.  SmileDirectClub provided these statistics to NBC, but NBC failed to provide that information to its viewers.
 

There is no investigation into SmileDirectClub by the Federal Drug Administration or the FTC, and SmileDirectClub is in full compliance with FDA regulations, including its 510K manufacturing certification. The letter referenced from members of Congress to the FDA  is based on misinformation originated by dental trade organizations and is nothing more than the latest in a series of anti-competitive publicity tactics designed to attempt to limit our success, which is a direct threat to traditional orthodontia. Of the nine congressmen who signed this letter, five are dentists, an interest that should be noted by an organization such as NBC Nightly News.
 

When customers request a refund outside of our published refund policy, we ask that they sign a general release that contains a confidentiality provision, similar to the recommendations set forth by the American Association of Orthodontists and standard business practice.
 

Lastly, the California law states that dentists should review the “…patient’s most recent diagnostic digital or conventional radiographs or other equivalent bone imaging suitable for orthodontia. New radiographs or other equivalent bone imaging shall be ordered if deemed appropriate by the treating dentist.” The doctors who use our platform are required to comply with the laws in every state in which they practice when using our platform, including the laws of the State of California. While SmileDirectClub disagrees that the legislature should be setting clinical standards, we ensure that our model requires compliance with all laws. 

SmileDirectClub and the doctors in our network are committed to ensuring our customers receive what they signed on for -- a safe, convenient and affordable choice for teeth straightening. The licensed dentists and orthodontists who treat patients using our med tech platform adhere to the same regulatory guidelines and standards when using our platform as they do when practicing in a traditional brick and mortar setting. These doctors are responsible for all clinical decisions and are available to their patients throughout the treatment process. We ask any concerned customers to contact SmileDirectClub directly at [e-mail] or 800-848-7566.”