Manage Smiledirectclub

How to cancel SmileDirectClub after the 2023 shutdown and protect your wallet

Understanding what happened to SmileDirectClub

SmileDirectClub ceased all operations in December 2023, leaving thousands of customers in the Philippines facing a broken situation: treatment support vanished, customer service became unreachable, and payments kept charging through. This guide explains exactly what you need to know and how to stop the financial bleeding.

What SmileDirectClub was and why it matters now

SmileDirectClub operated as a teledentistry company that sold clear aligner treatment plans directly to customers. You received at-home impression kits or digital scans, submitted them for remote monitoring, and received aligners through the mail. The company launched in 2014 in the United States and expanded internationally before shutting down completely in 2023.

For customers in the Philippines, this shutdown created a dual crisis. You lost access to treatment support, remote monitoring, and customer care while remaining liable for ongoing payment obligations. Many users reported that their accounts became inaccessible, support emails went unanswered, and their cards continued to be charged every month.

What you were actually paying for

Your payment typically covered three interconnected elements: the aligner treatment package itself, remote dental monitoring throughout your treatment period, and financing arrangements through SmilePay (the financing partner).

Stopee research shows that customers enrolled in plans like ₱115 monthly for 34 months or ₱89 monthly for 25 months. The critical distinction is that stopping treatment support is separate from stopping financing payments. Even though SmileDirectClub no longer exists, your financing obligation may still be active through Healthcare Finance Direct (HFD), the billing service provider.

Your consumer rights under philippine law

What the consumer act of the philippines protects you with

The Consumer Act of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 7394) is your legal shield in this situation. Under this law, any service that becomes unavailable or abandoned by the provider creates grounds for a refund claim. You purchased treatment and monitoring services that no longer exist.

Key protections available to you include the right to receive the goods and services as advertised, the right to cancel if the service fails to deliver its core promise, and the right to dispute fraudulent or unauthorized charges. Stopee recommends documenting every interaction because these records become evidence if you escalate to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) or file a chargeback with your bank.

Where to escalate if the company refuses

If SmileDirectClub or HFD does not respond to your cancellation requests within 14 days, you have formal escalation options. File a complaint with the DTI Consumer Complaint Center (available online at consumercare.dti.gov.ph) and attach screenshots of your account, billing statements, and proof of attempted contact. The DTI has authority to compel refunds and suspend business operations for non-compliance.

Additionally, you can dispute charges through your bank or e-wallet provider (GCash, Maya, or your credit card issuer) within 60 days of the transaction. Stopee advises customers to file both a DTI complaint and a bank dispute simultaneously, as they operate on separate timelines and increase pressure on the payment processor.

How to cancel and stop payments immediately

Step one: gather all your account proof before attempting contact

Before you send a single message, compile every piece of documentation you own. Screenshot your account dashboard showing your plan name, treatment status, and remaining months. Capture your last five billing statements with dates and amounts. Save any original confirmation emails from account creation or plan enrollment. Download any treatment plan PDFs or correspondence.

Store these files in a folder on your phone and email them to yourself as a backup. Stopee has seen cases where customers lost access to their accounts hours after contacting support, making this documentation your only proof of the charges you incurred.

Step two: attempt cancellation through the official help center

1. Visit the SmileDirectClub Help Center at smiledirectclub.com/help-center/
   • Look for a live chat icon (typically bottom right of the page)
   • If chat is unavailable, note the current date and time as proof the channel was not operational
2. If chat opens, prepare a cancellation message with these exact details:
   • Your full name (as registered in the account)
   • Your registered email address
   • Your phone number
   • Your treatment plan name or reference number
   • The clear sentence: "I am revoking my authorization for further billing charges effective immediately"
3. Ask the agent to email you a cancellation confirmation within 24 hours
   • Pro tip: Screenshot the chat conversation or copy-paste it into a document
   • If the agent refuses or becomes unresponsive, end the chat and move to step three

Step three: contact healthcare finance direct directly

Warning: HFD handles the actual billing, so they have the power to stop charges even if SmileDirectClub no longer operates. Many customers skip this step and continue getting billed because they only contacted the defunct company.

1. Identify which billing method you used:
   • Credit card (VISA, Mastercard)
   • GCash linked card or app
   • Maya app or card
   • Bank installment plan
2. Send an email to HFD's payment support address (typically found on old billing statements or bank correspondence) with subject line: "Cancellation and Billing Stop Request - SmileDirectClub Account [Your Name]"
   • Include your full name, email, phone number, and account reference
   • Attach screenshots of your plan and recent charges
   • Request written confirmation of cancellation
3. If you cannot locate HFD contact information, visit your bank or e-wallet provider and request they identify the merchant billing entity
   • Pro tip: Bank customer service representatives can see the full merchant name on your transaction details

Step four: file a bank chargeback if charges continue

If 14 days pass without cancellation confirmation and your account is charged again, contact your bank or e-wallet provider immediately.

1. Call your bank's dispute line and request a chargeback for "service not rendered" or "unauthorized recurring charge"
   • You have 60 days from the transaction date to file
   • Provide your cancellation attempts and HFD's non-response as supporting evidence
2. For GCash or Maya, file a dispute through the app:
   • Navigate to transaction history, select the charge, and choose "Report issue"
   • Select "Unauthorized transaction" or "Service issue"
   • Attach your cancellation documentation
3. Request the bank issue you a chargeback reference number and expected resolution date

Your pricing and refund timeline

Common payment plans and refund eligibility

Expected refund timelines and what to expect

Stopee advises you to expect the following timeline. Once you submit a cancellation request with supporting proof, legitimate payment processors and banks typically respond within 7 to 14 business days. A chargeback through your bank takes 30 to 60 days to resolve. A DTI complaint can take 4 to 8 weeks, but it carries legal weight that companies fear.

For partial refunds (you have used aligners but not completed treatment), HFD may offer you a percentage refund based on months remaining. Calculate this yourself: if you paid ₱115 monthly for 34 months but only received 8 months of service, you have 26 months remaining worth approximately ₱2,990 in refund eligibility.

Common mistakes that cost you money and time

We understand the frustration of pursuing a company that has already disappeared. Most customers make these avoidable errors that extend the process and reduce refund success.

Mistake one: contacting SmileDirectClub only

SmileDirectClub ceased operations and has no financial obligation to process refunds. All your money flowed through HFD, the financing partner. Emailing the defunct company repeatedly wastes weeks while charges continue. Contact HFD first; contact SmileDirectClub second for documentation purposes only.

Mistake two: not documenting your attempts

Every email, every chat transcript, every "no response" becomes your evidence. If you cannot prove you attempted cancellation, your bank or the DTI has no reason to side with you. Screenshot everything. Send cancellation requests from your email (not chat) so you have dated proof. Include your phone number in every message so the company cannot claim they could not reach you.

Mistake three: waiting for a response before filing a dispute

Do not wait passively. After 14 days without a cancellation confirmation and written proof of a stop-billing order, immediately file a chargeback with your bank. Stopee recommends treating this as a parallel process: contact HFD and the company, then simultaneously prepare your chargeback paperwork.

Mistake four: settling for a "pause" instead of a full cancellation

If an agent offers to pause your account or put it on temporary hold, refuse. Pauses can resume automatically after the hold period expires, and you will be charged without warning. Demand a permanent cancellation order in writing with a written confirmation that your financing obligation is terminated.

What happens after you cancel successfully

Immediate steps to protect yourself post-cancellation

Once you receive written cancellation confirmation from HFD or your bank confirms a successful chargeback, your obligations should end. However, take these protective actions to ensure no surprise charges appear later.

First, set a phone reminder for 35 days after cancellation to check your bank statement. Confirm that no charges appear. If a charge does post, contact your bank immediately and reference your previous chargeback as evidence of the attempted recurring billing.

Second, if you enrolled with a financing partner's app (GCash or Maya), revoke the payment permission entirely. In GCash, go to Settings > Linked Cards > SmileDirectClub or HFD > Remove. This prevents any future authorization requests, even if a hacker or rogue employee attempts to process a charge.

What to do with your aligners and treatment results

Since SmileDirectClub no longer operates, you have no ongoing treatment support or monitoring. Stopee recommends scheduling a follow-up appointment with a local dentist in your area to assess your current aligner progress and plan next steps independently. Bring all your aligner trays with you so the dentist can review your treatment timeline.

You are not obligated to continue using the aligners, but discontinuing them abruptly may affect your tooth position. A local dentist can advise whether finishing the plan makes sense or whether retainers and monitoring are sufficient.

Refund success checklist and documentation template

Before you contact anyone: pre-cancellation checklist

• Take screenshots of your account dashboard (including plan name and remaining months)
• Save your last 5 billing statements with amounts and dates
• Locate your original account confirmation email
• Note the exact date you want cancellation effective (today's date or the next billing date)
• Identify which billing method you used (card type, e-wallet, or bank installment)
• Create a folder on your phone or computer labeled "SmileDirectClub Cancellation"
• Email all documents to yourself as a backup

Cancellation message template you can copy

Subject: Cancellation and Billing Stop Request - SmileDirectClub Account

Dear Healthcare Finance Direct / SmileDirectClub Support Team,

I am writing to formally request immediate cancellation of my SmileDirectClub treatment account and a permanent halt to all recurring billing charges effective today. My account details are as follows:

Full name: [Your name]
Registered email: [Your email]
Phone number: [Your phone]
Plan name: [e.g., Standard Aligner Plan 34-month]
Current monthly charge: ₱[amount]
Billing method: [Card/GCash/Maya/Bank installment]

I revoke my authorization for further billing charges and request written confirmation of this cancellation within 24 hours. Please confirm that my financing obligation is permanently terminated and no future charges will be processed.

Thank you,
[Your name]

Comparing your cancellation options side by side

Contact information and escalation addresses

Where to send your cancellation request

Healthcare Finance Direct handles all SmileDirectClub billing and has the authority to stop charges. Search your most recent billing statement for the HFD contact email and mailing address. If you cannot locate it, contact your bank's customer service and ask them to identify the merchant billing entity from your transaction details.

For DTI complaints, visit consumercare.dti.gov.ph or call the DTI Consumer Complaint Center hotline. File your complaint online with screenshots of your account, billing history, and attempts to cancel. The DTI can compel refunds and investigate unfair billing practices under the Consumer Act of the Philippines.

Your bank and e-wallet dispute contacts

For credit card chargebacks, call your bank's customer service number (usually on the back of your card) and ask for the dispute or chargeback department. For GCash and Maya, file disputes directly through the app under transaction history. Stopee recommends calling your bank's hotline because agents can explain your rights more clearly and ensure your chargeback is filed correctly.

Final steps to recover and move forward

Canceling SmileDirectClub after its shutdown is frustrating, but you are not powerless. The Consumer Act of the Philippines and your bank's chargeback protections exist specifically for situations like this. Stopee has helped thousands of consumers cancel abandoned services and recover their money by taking these exact steps in order: documenting everything, contacting HFD directly, filing a chargeback if needed, and escalating to the DTI if necessary.

Start today by gathering your account screenshots and billing statements. Send your first email to HFD within the next 24 hours. Set a 14-day timer to file your bank chargeback if you do not receive a cancellation confirmation. Your refund is recoverable if you act decisively and document every interaction.

Stopee is here to help you understand your rights and navigate service cancellations that feel impossible. Visit stopee.com for additional guides on disputing charges, understanding consumer law, and holding companies accountable for abandoned services.