SmileDirectClub and DC Attorney General Settle Dispute
June 22 2023 - 10:50AM
SmileDirectClub, Inc. (NASDAQ: SDC), the oral care leader and
creator of the first med tech platform for teeth straightening,
announced today it has reached an agreement with the Office of
District of Columbia Attorney General (AG) Brian L. Schwalb, to
resolve the litigation brought by the AG’s Office against
SmileDirectClub, falsely alleging that it stifled consumer reviews
by requiring consumers to agree to a confidentiality clause in
order to obtain a prorated refund for those customers wishing to
return aligners after 30 days.
“SmileDirectClub has always believed transparency is key to
building trust with its customers, and that’s why we were the first
company in the teeth straightening industry to give consumers the
pricing transparency and accessibility they deserve,” Chief Legal
Officer, Susan Greenspon Rammelt said. “For too long there has been
a misinformation campaign claiming SmileDirectClub stifles negative
consumer feedback through the use of non-disclosure agreements.
While we were disappointed this misinformation caused the District
of Columbia to file its complaint, we are pleased to set the record
straight and work with the District of Columbia’s Office of the
Attorney General in its efforts to create new policy for the
industry and increase customer transparency.”
SmileDirectClub does not require customers to execute a release
or any form of non-disclosure before or during treatment or in
order for a customer to retain a prorated refund. When a customer
seeks a refund outside of the Lifetime Smile Guarantee, that form
of release is modeled on a release form historically used in the
industry. Given the infrequent use of the general release form
(GRF) by SmileDirectClub over the years and the ongoing
misinformation campaign, the Company already had plans to tailor
the non-disclosure provision more narrowly in its GRF. This
litigation gave the Company an opportunity to address both that
campaign and the lawsuit at the same time.
“We are proud of our products and services, and customer
satisfaction has been and will continue to be our North Star,”
Greenspon Rammelt said. “As the District of Columbia enforces its
newly developing policy to limit the use of non-disclosure
provisions, even in general forms of release, across the dental
industry, we encourage the rest of the orthodontic industry to
follow our example as a leader in consumer transparency and embrace
honest reviews and feedback from consumers in digital forums.”
SmileDirectClub was founded in 2014 with the mission of making
premium oral care accessible, affordable, and convenient for
everyone. The Company has helped more than two million people
around the globe achieve the confidence that comes with a smile
they love through its innovative telehealth platform for teeth
straightening.
About SmileDirectClubSmileDirectClub, Inc.
(Nasdaq: SDC) (“SmileDirectClub”) is an oral care company and
creator of the first medtech platform for teeth straightening.
Through its cutting-edge telehealth technology and vertically
integrated model, SmileDirectClub is revolutionizing the oral care
industry. SmileDirectClub’s mission is to democratize access to a
smile each and every person loves by making it affordable and
convenient for everyone. SmileDirectClub is headquartered in
Nashville, Tennessee, USA. For more information, please visit
SmileDirectClub.com.
Media Relations:press@smiledirectclub.com
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