Smile Direct Club is one of the most popular brands of at-home clear aligners for straightening teeth. It’s much cheaper than braces and invisible aligners that you get at the dentist, and since these aligners are removable and don’t require in-office visits, many people find them to be much more convenient than their in-office counterparts as well.
But how much does Smile Direct Club cost? And is it the best value for the price compared to other similar brands of at-home clear aligners?
Keep reading this Smile Direct review of costs to find out if Smile Direct Club is the most cost-effective option for your teeth straightening needs.
How Much Is Smile Direct Club?
The makers of Smile Direct Club want everyone who needs orthodontic treatment to be able to access it without breaking the bank. That’s why they offer two ways to pay for this treatment, which already costs up to 60% less than traditional, in-office braces. The two ways to pay are a single, one-time payment, or monthly payments for 24 months. You should also keep your eyes peeled for a Smile Direct Club coupon when you are on their website, there often is one, and you can save a lot of money.
One-Time Payment Smile Direct Club Price
If you opt to pay for Smile Direct Club all at once, you’ll pay $2,250. With this payment, you get your clear aligners shipped to your door and a premium teeth whitening treatment. But does this cost include everything you need to complete your orthodontic treatment with Smile Direct?
Before you can begin your treatment with Smile Direct Club, you need to take your teeth' impressions so that your Smile Direct dentist can create your treatment plan. There are two ways to get the impressions done. You can either order a kit to take them at home or head down to your local SmileShop, where a Smile Direct representative will take 3D scans of your teeth.
If you wish to complete treatment 100% remotely and thus order your impression kit to your home, you'll pay $59 for your impression kit. If you go to a SmileShop and get a 3D scan taken, it's absolutely free.
If you do take your impression at home, your impression kit will be completely refundable within the first 30 days after they are delivered.
After you finish your treatment with Smile Direct Club, it's imperative that you wear your retainers at night, for the rest of your life! That may sound extreme, but it doesn't matter what brand you choose, whether at-home or in-office, all trustworthy orthodontic treatment to date requires you to wear retainers at night, for the rest of your life, after you finish your teeth straightening procedure.
So how much do Smile Direct retainers cost? Smile Direct retainers cost $125/set. You'll also need to order a new set every six months to keep them fresh and ensure that they are performing at their highest capacity. So the amount you will end up spending on retainers really depends on how long you plan to live, or how long you plan to keep taking care of your newly straightened teeth.
If you feel like treating yourself to some deluxe dental care, Smile Direct Club has an online shop with myriad gadgets and accessories that might appeal to you. Let's have a look at some of the most popular:
- Teeth whitening pens: $25
- Teeth whitening kit with LED light: $50
- Electric toothbrush: $19
- Premium fluoride toothpaste: $5
- Ultrasonic and UV cleaning machine: $38
- Aligner case: $20
Monthly payments Smile Direct Club Cost
You also have the option to pay for Smile Direct Club treatment with monthly payments of $89 per month. If you choose this option, there is also a $250 deposit upfront, and you must pay the $89 per month for 28 months. The total then is $2,742, $492 more than paying just once upfront.
If you choose the monthly payments, you still have the option of paying $59 for your impression kit or getting your 3D scans taken of your teeth for free if you go to a SmileShop. The retainers also still cost $125 per set.
Smile Direct isn’t the only brand to catch onto this concept of more affordable, at-home teeth oral care. In fact, the teledentistry market is expected to be worth $8.2 billion by 2026!
Smile Direct Price vs Other Brands
There are many clear and at-home aligner options on the market today, so let’s look at a quick cost comparison:
- Byte vs Smile Direct Club: Byte costs $1,999.
- Smilelove vs. Smile Direct Club: Smilelove costs $1,895.
- Candid vs Smile Direct Club: Candid costs more than Smile Direct Club, at $2,400.
Smile Direct Club Cost Breakdown
Given that Smile Direct Club braces are so much cheaper than traditional treatment, you probably have some lingering questions about the cost. Please keep reading to find out more about these cheap teeth aligners as we dive even deeper into the cost breakdown of Smile Direct Club.
Why Aligners from Smile Direct cost less than traditional braces?
So why do these at-home clear aligners cost less than traditional braces? The biggest reason is that since Smile Direct is a teledentistry option, it cuts out all of the visits to your orthodontist, and the office overhead that goes along with that. By getting your braces shipped directly to you, you can cut down on the cost of traditional, in-office braces by up to 60%.
Can Smile Direct Club Price Change Depending On The Treatment?
It doesn't matter how long your treatment takes with Smile Direct Club; the price will be the same, whether you opt to pay upfront or with monthly installments.
Do Nighttime Aligners Cost The Same As Regular Aligners?
In case you didn’t know, Smile Direct offers two treatment options: their standard options and a nighttime option.
With your Nighttime Clear Aligners, you only have to wear your aligners for ten consecutive hours a day, the idea being that you wear them at night while you sleep.
Both the nighttime and the standard option cost the same, and you can pay with a lump sum of $2,250 or in monthly installments of $89 per month.
How Much Does Smile Direct Cost With Insurance?
You’re probably wondering if you can cut the costs even more by having your insurance or a Health Savings Account pay for Smile Direct Club…
Is Smile Direct Club Covered by Insurance
Here’s some good news: If you have Smile Direct Club, insurance might very well cover it! Your insurance can cover Smile Direct treatment if you have a dental plan that includes orthodontic benefits. In this case, you could be reimbursed directly from your insurance company after purchasing your aligners. Smile Direct doesn’t accept any direct payments from your insurance company, so you’ll need to file a claim for reimbursement. If you choose to do this, Smile Direct will send you the forms that you need.
However, other alignment brands do accept coverage. We recommend checking our guide to the top six brands to verify which does accept insurance to get aligners at a more affordable cost.
Can I use my HSA or FSA to pay for Smile Direct?
Yep! You can use either your HSA or FSA to pay for your treatment with Smile Direct. You’ll need to process your debit card from either of those accounts, just how you would with your regular credit or debit card. If you don’t have a card for your accounts, you can call Smile Direct to process your order over the phone.
