As clear aligners have evolved, companies have developed ways to cater their treatments to customers’ ranging desires. It began with remote services that deliver treatment directly to your home, and now, certain companies have blended that convenience with the reassurance that comes with in-person care. One of those companies is Dr. Smile.
By bringing local dental clinics into each treatment, they’ve become an intriguing clear aligner company. And if you’re considering them, you’re in the right place. This review will cover Dr. Smile’s procedures, products, prices, and customer experience, so you can decide if they’re the right choice for you.
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Pros and Cons of Dr. Smile Treatment
Every teeth-straightening treatment comes with advantages and drawbacks, and it’s good to examine both sides before committing. Here are some of Dr. Smile’s biggest pros and cons.
Pros of Dr. Smile
- Every customer begins Dr. Smile treatment with an in-person dental scan at one of their partner clinics.
- Dr. Smile’s pricing scales with the severity of your treatment (typically between £1,390 and £2,090).
- Dr. Smile says you can schedule video calls or additional office visits if something goes wrong during your treatment.
- If your results don’t match your original treatment preview — and you wore your aligners as directed — Dr. Smile says they “will cover the costs for additional aligners and the revision of your treatment plan”.
Cons of Dr. Smile
- Dr. Smile has received negative reviews from their UK customers.
- They only advertise eight partner clinics in the UK, and if you don’t live near one, you may need to choose a different treatment.
Dr. Smile Overview
Dr. Smile is a company that partners with dental clinics across Europe to provide patients with customized clear aligners they can administer from home. Unlike fully at-home clear aligners like SmileDirectClub and Straight Teeth Direct, treatment begins with an in-person consultation, but after that, you’ll complete treatment remotely and regularly submit photos of your teeth for review.
Founded in 2017 in Berlin, Dr. Smile has since expanded to include 200+ clinics in ten markets across the continent — including in the UK — and they’ve treated more than 40,000 people. Their treatment costs anywhere between £1,390 and £2,090, depending on the severity of your misalignment, and they offer convenient financing plans as well. The company says their aligners are intended for misalignments in the front teeth, although they may work for some mild bite issues. Their average treatment plan is around 6–12 months long.
What Sets Dr. Smile Apart?
The biggest difference between Dr. Smile and their at-home competitors is that Dr. Smile requires at least one in-person consultation. You’ll start your treatment with a visit to one of their dentist partners. Here, you’ll get an intraoral scan and see a preview of your potential treatment plan.
It’s unclear whether the person performing your scan is the dentist themselves or a dental assistant — but either way, some research suggests that 3D scans like this are more efficient and comfortable than making impressions of your teeth on your own. Plus, you can request video calls or additional in-person consultations during treatment if anything seems off.
Their pricing model scales with your misalignment’s severity, while many competitors have a flat rate for everyone. According to their website, “your dentist will work out the cost of your treatment based on the German scale of fees for dentists (GOZ) and classify it as an S, M or L course of treatment. Usually, the price is between £1,390 and £2,090.” So, people with mild cases might pay less than they would with other companies, but if you have a more significant misalignment, you could end up paying more.
If you finish treatment and your smile doesn’t match the one from your treatment preview, Dr. Smile says they’ll make it right. Specifically, they say, “we will take care of the post-treatment cost, until your smile is perfect.” Some companies charge extra for refinements, so this is a nice guarantee. However, you must comply with every part of your aligner plan to be eligible.
Who is a Good Candidate for Dr. Smile?
People who like the convenience of at-home clear aligners, but would prefer to get started with an in-person dental scan, Dr. Smile might be a good option. Of course, that’s only if you have a mild or moderate misalignment in your front teeth. If you have a more severe case, or a significant bite issue like crossbite or underbite, your Dr. Smile dentist might recommend a more robust treatment, like braces or Invisalign.
Additionally, because Dr. Smile currently only has a few locations in the UK — primarily in London — you need to live near one, unless you’re okay with a little travel.
Getting Started With Dr. Smile
If you’ve already decided on Dr. Smile, you might be eager to get started. But you should understand exactly how to get started before diving in. Here’s how it goes.
- Complete Dr. Smile’s “Am I Eligible?” test. This is not an official examination and it does not take the place of an official dental scan.
- Schedule an appointment with one of their partner dentists.
- Attend your appointment, where you’ll get a 3D dental scan and a treatment preview. This initial consultation is free.
- If you want to proceed with treatment, Dr. Smile’s team will use your dental scans to create a series of aligners, then deliver them to your home.
- You will need to wear your aligners for 22+ hours per day (each set for two weeks), completing regular check-ins using the Dr. Smile app.
Paying For Dr. Smile Treatment
Teeth-straightening treatment isn’t cheap, but some options are more affordable than others. Dr. Smile is typically more budget-friendly than in-office treatments like Invisalign, although it might be pricier than certain at-home competitors, depending on the severity of your condition.
Treatment Cost
Dr. Smile doesn’t have one set price for every treatment. Instead, they leave it up to the partner clinic you visit. They will assess your teeth and base your price on your specific misalignment.
They say cases fall into three categories — S, M, and L — and that their average prices are £1,390–£2,090. That’s around average for at-home clear aligners in the UK, and you might end up paying less than most other companies if your case falls on the lower end of that range.
Your treatment might fall outside of that range, based on your condition and your dental clinic’s rates. However, Dr. Smile says those cases are unlikely, and that your dentist will let you know in advance.
Payment Plans
Not everyone has thousands lying around, which is why Dr. Smile also offers payment plans. After you purchase your treatment, you’ll receive an invoice in the mail. Then, you can either pay the entire balance upfront, or you can choose to pay in installments through CareCapital. Plans 2–24 months long are interest free, while plans 25–72 months long have interest. So if you spread your payments out, you may end up paying more in the long run.
Refinements
You can wear your aligners for 22+ hours every day, complete all your check-ins, and follow all of Dr. Smile’s other directions, but your teeth might still not shift as expected. It happens with every teeth-straightening treatment, because dental shifts are hard to predict.
But there’s good news. If you wore your aligners as directed, yet your results don’t match your treatment preview, Dr. Smile says they will cover the cost of any refinements. You’ll need to get a new scan, and the company will create a new treatment plan. Once you approve it, they’ll produce and mail your refinement aligners.
Freebies
Besides your full course of aligners, Dr. Smile’s price includes your initial scan and consultation, refinements (if necessary), and several bonus items that can help give you a pleasant experience. That includes a case, chewies that help seat your aligners, and a “softener,” which you can use if the edges of your trays dig into your gums.
After you finish treatment, you’ll need to keep your smile in place with retainers. Dr. Smile makes removable plastic retainers, which are £73 (or £104 for three), and they’re not included in the price of treatment. They also offer permanent retainers — metal wires bonded behind your teeth — although their price varies.
Refunds and Customer Guarantees
Dr. Smile’s Shop page says you can return unused and unopened products within 14 days for a full refund. However, it’s unclear if this also applies to aligners, or if it just applies to their aligner accessories and other merchandise.
Customers have reported that Dr. Smile told them they couldn’t return customized products, so we’d assume that you can’t return your aligners after they’ve been manufactured. Remember, though, that Dr. Smile will provide free refinements if your results are unsatisfactory (as long as you followed their wear instructions).
What Are Customers Saying?
This is where it gets a little sticky. If you look at Dr. Smile’s reviews in Germany (where they started), they’re mixed, but lean positive. Many customers appreciate their affordable prices and convenient treatment, but many others say their customer support is only responsive before you purchase treatment, then they get a lot harder to reach. Some people also were disappointed by the difficulty of the refinement process.
Jump over to the company’s UK reviews, and you’ll find a lot fewer, but they’re overwhelmingly negative. Many customers report frustrations with trying to reach customer support or get a refund. A handful of these customers originally began treatment with PlusDent, and now can’t get responses from Dr. Smile — so the company may have had some issues in the transition.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of online clear aligners in the UK, and it can be hard to choose between them. But if you want to start your treatment in a local dentist’s office and have the option to schedule more appointments throughout, Dr. Smile might be a solid choice — as long as you’re not put off by the negative reviews. Otherwise, you can explore more options in our guide to the best UK home aligners.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Dr. Smile treatment take?
The company says most of their treatment plans are 6–12 months long, but it depends on your misalignment. They’ll provide an estimated timeline at or after your initial consultation.
How do I get started with Dr. Smile?
The company recommends completing the “Am I Eligible?” quiz on their website first. However, this isn’t an official exam, and you’ll still need to schedule an appointment at one of their partner clinics, where you’ll receive a free 3D dental scan.
How much does Dr. Smile cost?
The dental partner you visit will determine a price based on the complexity of your misalignment, but Dr. Smile says their average price is between £1,390 and £2,090.
How are Dr. Smile aligners different from other remote brands?
The biggest difference is that they require at least one office visit, while other remote aligner companies don’t incorporate any in-person care. You’ll begin treatment with an in-office scan and consultation, then complete regular virtual check-ins throughout treatment. Many other companies request less frequent check-ins, or none at all.
What if I don’t like my results?
If you reach the end of your aligner treatment and your teeth don’t match the original treatment preview, Dr. Smile says they’ll cover as many refinements as necessary to make it right. But you’re only eligible if you wore your aligners as directed, completed all your necessary check-ins, and followed any other wear instructions they provided.
Do I really need retainers after treatment?
Yes! Ligaments hold our teeth in place, and these ligaments like to pull the teeth back into their old positions. They will become less insistent over time, but you’ll still need retainers to keep your teeth from shifting.
Why do in-office aligners have a wider scope of treatment than at-home ones?
Because they come with in-person oversight and the ability to use attachments. These attachments — which the dentist can affix to your tooth surfaces — improve aligner retention and orthodontic tooth movement, according to this study.
Can I eat while wearing my aligners?
You shouldn’t. The pigments of your food can stain your aligners, so it’s best to remove your aligners before a meal and brush your teeth before replacing them.
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