SmileDirectClub Responds to Misrepresentations by the BBC
January 20 2023 - 4:01PM
SmileDirectClub Responds to Misrepresentations by the BBC
SmileDirectClub, the next generation oral
care company with the first medtech platform for teeth
straightening, issues the following statement in response to a BBC
news report published today:
“SmileDirectClub is extremely disappointed that the BBC decided
to publish a story which uses unnamed and unverified sources that
we were not provided the opportunity to verify or comment on,
despite requests for this information. Our telehealth platform has
enabled successful treatment for more than 1.8 million people yet
the reporter of this story refused to speak with any of the UK
registered dentists who use our model to expand access to oral care
for their patients, or to any of the overwhelming majority of our
customers who have had an excellent experience, who have achieved a
smile they love, and who have done so at a price they can
afford.
SmileDirectClub requested on multiple occasions the opportunity
to respond to the specific patient’s allegations in the reporting.
SmileDirectClub asked for medical waivers from the BBC’s unnamed
sources in order to examine their claims and provide the U.K.
General Dental Council (GDC) registered orthodontists or dentists,
who had overseen these specific cases, an opportunity to respond.
The BBC refused to do so.
Further, facts provided to the BBC by SmileDirectClub but not
included In the story include:
- Every patient’s treatment plan is
prescribed, customised, and approved by a dentist or orthodontist
who is registered in the UK with the GDC. The treating dentist or
orthodontist is solely responsible for the evaluation, diagnoses,
and treatment of a patient.
- The treating dentist or
orthodontist reviews all of the patient information collected
(including medical and dental history, 3D scans of the mouth,
intra- and extra-oral photos, patient comments, and any additional
records and/or clearances they deem necessary to assess, diagnose
and/or treat the patient according to the standard of care) and
will customise a treatment plan only if that dentist or
orthodontist has deemed the patient appropriate for treatment using
a telehealth platform.
- Through the SmileDirectClub
teledentistry platform, U.K. GDC-registered dentists and
orthodontists have regular virtual check-ins with their patients.
Some dental trade organisations claim an “in-person office visit” –
which is often very expensive and highly inconvenient, if not
prohibitive – is necessary for treatment. There is no clinical
evidence that such an in-person office visit is necessary for there
to be the same level of care. Research completed by Dr. Marc
Ackerman at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine found that
teleorthodontic treatment with clear aligners is just as clinically
effective in correcting crowding or spacing as when it is conducted
in an office setting.
- There have been unfounded
statements made by trade associations made up of market
participants regarding the safety of treatment using the
SmileDirectClub telehealth platform, but the aim of such statements
is to maintain pricing control of the market. For example, the
world’s oldest and largest dental specialty organization, the
American Association of Orthodontists, was unable to substantiate
advertising claims it made that treatment using SmileDirectClub’s
telehealth platform is dangerous or risky or that there is a lack
of doctor involvement in the treatment. As a result, the regulator
recommended that it discontinue statements of this nature.
- Certain dental trade organisations
mislead consumers in to believing that additional diagnostic tools
(such as x-rays) are always clinically necessary to determine clear
aligner treatment candidacy. However, there are studies that have
found that unnecessary radiographs in dentistry can cause increased
rates of cancer. Twenty-one studies have found a correlation
between dental diagnostic X-rays and overall health, with many
finding a correlation between X-rays and brain/thyroid cancer.
There are multiple mandates and guidelines from dental associations
noting that radiographs should never be mandatory for treatment but
rather that the determination of whether a radiograph should be
taken should be made on a patient-by-patient basis. The clinical
evidence is that radiographs are not necessary, and also that they
are not determinative of the outcome of clear aligner
treatment.
Our Customer
PromiseSmileDirectClub and the dentists and
orthodontists who provide treatment using our telehealth platform
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 support@smiledirectclub.com.”
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, visit
SmileDirectClub.com.
Contacts: SmileDirectClub Media Relations:
SmileDirectClub@CherishPR.com or Press@SmileDirectClub.com
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