We were sorry to learn that thousands of dental patients have been affected by the announcement that Smile Direct Club has shut down, leaving many either at the start of or part-way through treatment, and/or worried about what to do next.
While Chrysalis Finance itself has no affiliation or relationship in any way with Smile Direct Club, we do work with a 3,000-strong network of dental clinics who are being contacted by patients who are seeking options for their dental treatment.
As a responsible lender, regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, we want to make sure that people have the information that they may need going forward.
Our intention is to help as many patients as possible seek reliable and dependable care – both through access to our dental network and through signposting for financial concerns.
This statement is not legal advice, but we hope the following information is helpful for patients.
Ongoing care
Should you require ongoing care but are not sure of a local dentist that could help please email us on theteam@chrysalisfinance.com and we will endeavour to put you in touch with one of our partner clinics.
Chrysalis Finance only works with medically-trained dentists who are regulated by the General Dental Council – we would always encourage any patient who is seeking alternative dental arrangements to ensure that GDC regulation is in place for anyone they choose.
Patients choosing a dentist who is also a Chrysalis Finance provider will have further assurance that the clinic has been assessed and verified by us – we only provide finance for clinics that can meet our standards.
Chrysalis Finance does not provide finance for ‘direct to consumer’ orthodontic treatments.
Your credit agreement rights
Protection for those with loans for more than 12 months
There is special protection for consumers who have taken out credit payment options, via Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
Unless the loan was interest free and for a period of 12 months or less, then provided it was taken out by the patient themselves, it should be covered by Section 75.
Loans that benefit from Section 75 protection should be headed “Fixed-Sum Loan Agreement regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974″.
If they have not received what Smile Direct Club agreed to provide to them or, if what Smile Direct Club has provided was not of “satisfactory quality,” then patients with these loans should be able to claim all or part of the cost of the treatment from their lender – whatever the amount of the loan.
Even if their treatment has already been completed successfully, Smile Direct Club promised a “lifetime guarantee”. Patients should ask their lender to confirm that they will honour this guarantee in the event that they wish to make a claim under it in the future.
The normal course of action Is for the patient to contact the lender in the first instance, to give them time to investigate and remedy. But if you think your lender hasn’t done enough to help, or hasn’t followed the right process, you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
This page sets out how to complain: https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/credit-borrowing-money/goods-services-bought-credit
Payments made by credit card
Section 75 protection also applies if the cost of treatment has been paid for in whole or in part (for example as a deposit) by way of a credit card.
The amount that a patient can claim is not limited to the amount paid using the card.
Payments made by debit card
Patients that have made a payment towards the cost of their treatment using a debit card may be able to make a claim against the bank/issuer of their card using the “Chargeback” rules.
However, the amount that may be refunded will, in this case, be limited to the amount that they paid using their card.
“Chargeback” claims must usually be made within 120 days of the payment.
Patients should speak with their bank/card issuer to make a claim under the “Chargeback” rules
