SmileDirectClub

How it happened

SmileDirectClub pioneered direct-to-consumer clear dental aligners sold via telehealth, reaching a peak valuation near $8.9B around its 2019 IPO. The stock cratered after the offering amid mounting losses, regulatory scrutiny, and lawsuits. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023 and ceased operations in early 2024, leaving customers without ongoing treatment support. Glassdoor reviews describe the collapse from inside: shop staff pushed to convert 70-80% of visitors into ~$2,000 aligner sales, serial January layoffs one reviewer counted as five rounds in two years, and a bankruptcy that reviewers said hit with no warning — the company shutting down with no severance, after leadership had assured staff it would work through Chapter 11 rather than fold.

Employee accounts paraphrase anonymous, unverified reviews posted publicly on Glassdoor ↗. See our methodology.