SmileDirectClub filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early October. If the company can’t find a buyer by Nov. 23rd, it must liquidate its assets. The company blames its failure on the effects of COVID-19 and the changing economy.
Alison Werner, Director of Business Intelligence at Orthodontic Products Magazine recently sat down with Roger P. Levin, DDS, founder and CEO of Levin Group, to discuss the recent SmileDirectClub bankruptcy filing and its implications for orthodontic practices and patients. Levin Group is a practice management and marketing consulting firm for the dental industry.
Levin acknowledges that Smile Direct Club faced quality issues and legal challenges early on but points out that their direct-to-consumer model continued to grow. He highlights that the company attempted to pivot its business model by introducing oral home care products and partnering with general practitioner (GP) practices. However, he expresses skepticism about the effectiveness of these efforts given Smile Direct Club’s bankruptcy, especially the GP partnerships.
Here is a link to the podcast (there is a transcript if you would rather read the text).