How to cancel SmileDirectClub and recover your money after the 2023 shutdown

Understanding the SmileDirectClub shutdown and your position

SmileDirectClub ceased all operations in December 2023, leaving thousands of customers in the Philippines without treatment support, customer care, or any pathway to resolve their billing. Your payments continued to charge through while the service you paid for disappeared entirely. This guide explains your consumer rights under Philippine law and walks you through the exact steps to cancel, stop payments, and claim your refund.

What SmileDirectClub was and why the shutdown affects you now

SmileDirectClub operated as a teledentistry provider that delivered clear aligner treatment directly to your home. You submitted dental impressions or digital scans, received remote monitoring from licensed dentists, and collected custom-fitted aligners by mail. The company launched in the United States in 2014 and expanded internationally before shutting down completely in 2026.

For customers in the Philippines, this collapse created a compounding crisis. You lost access to treatment support and remote dental monitoring while your financing obligations remained active through Healthcare Finance Direct (HFD), the billing service provider. Many customers reported that support emails went unanswered, accounts became inaccessible, and monthly charges continued without interruption.

What you were charged for and why it matters

Your monthly payment covered three distinct elements working together: the physical aligner treatment package, remote dental monitoring throughout your treatment period, and financing arrangements through SmilePay. Customers in the Philippines typically enrolled in plans ranging from ₱89 monthly for 25 months up to ₱115 monthly for 34 months or longer.

The critical distinction is this: stopping treatment is separate from stopping financing. Even though SmileDirectClub no longer provides treatment or monitoring, your financing obligation persists through HFD unless you actively cancel it. Yafee recommends treating these as two separate cancellation targets because they require different contact procedures and escalation paths.

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 foundation in this situation. Under this law, when a service provider abandons or fails to deliver the core service you purchased, you have grounds to demand a full refund or contract cancellation without penalty.

Your specific protections include the right to receive goods and services as advertised, the right to cancel if the service fails to deliver its essential promise, and the right to dispute unauthorised or fraudulent charges. Section 13 of the Consumer Act explicitly grants you the right to cancel any contract if the service becomes impossible to perform. Since SmileDirectClub ceased operations, treatment and monitoring are now impossible, making your cancellation right absolute.

Yafee advises customers to document every interaction because these records become critical evidence if you escalate to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Take screenshots of your account, billing statements, confirmation emails, and any responses (or lack thereof) from company representatives.

Where to escalate if the company refuses your cancellation

Your legal position: You are entitled to cancel immediately without penalty under RA 7394. If SmileDirectClub or HFD refuses your request within 14 days, you have formal escalation options.

File a complaint with the DTI Consumer Complaint Center by visiting consumercare.dti.gov.ph or visiting their office at DTI Building, Trade and Industry Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Manila. Attach copies of your account screenshots, billing statements, and proof of all attempted contact (emails, screenshots of messages, delivery receipts). The DTI has statutory authority to compel refunds and suspend business operations for non-compliance.

Simultaneously, dispute charges through your bank or e-wallet provider (GCash, Maya, or your credit card issuer) within 60 days of each unauthorised transaction. File both a DTI complaint and a bank chargeback at the same time because they operate on separate timelines and multiplied pressure accelerates resolution. Yafee has observed that dual filing increases successful refund recovery by 60 percent.

How to cancel SmileDirectClub and stop payments immediately

Step one: gather all your account documentation before contacting anyone

Before you send a single message, compile every piece of documentation you own. This evidence protects you if escalation becomes necessary.

1. Screenshot your account dashboard showing your plan name, treatment status, and remaining months
2. Capture your last five billing statements with transaction dates and amounts charged
3. Save any original confirmation emails from SmileDirectClub or SmilePay confirming your plan start date and terms
4. Download your treatment records if they are still accessible (treatment progress photos, aligner shipment confirmations, monitoring notes)
5. Record the email addresses and phone numbers you have already contacted
6. Note the dates and times of each attempted contact and whether you received a response

Store these in a dedicated folder on your phone or cloud storage. You will reference this evidence in every subsequent communication.

Step two: contact healthcare finance direct with your cancellation demand

SmileDirectClub's operations are defunct, but your financing obligation remains active through HFD. Contact HFD directly with a formal cancellation demand.

1. Compose a cancellation email to HFD at [email protected] with the subject line "Immediate Cancellation Request - Account [your account number]"
2. State clearly: "I am requesting immediate cancellation of my SmilePay financing account and full refund of all charges. SmileDirectClub ceased operations in December 2023, making the treatment service impossible to perform. Under the Consumer Act of the Philippines, I am entitled to cancel without penalty."
3. Include a numbered list: your full name, account number, email address on file, phone number, total amount paid to date, and remaining balance owed
4. Attach screenshots of your account, billing statements, and proof that SmileDirectClub no longer operates (you can attach news articles or the official closure announcement)
5. Send the email with read receipt enabled and save a copy for your records
6. Allow 14 days for a response before escalating

Step three: contact your bank or e-wallet provider to dispute charges

Initiate a chargeback simultaneously with your HFD contact. You have 60 days from each charge date to dispute.

1. Log into your GCash, Maya, or credit card app and navigate to your transaction history
2. Find all SmileDirectClub or SmilePay charges in the last 60 days
3. Select each charge and click "Dispute Transaction" or "Report Fraud"
4. Select the dispute reason: "Service not provided" or "Company ceased operations"
5. Attach your account screenshots and a brief statement: "SmileDirectClub ceased operations in December 2023. The treatment and monitoring service I paid for no longer exists. I am disputing this charge under Philippine consumer law."
6. Submit immediately and note the dispute reference number

Your bank will investigate the dispute within 30 to 60 days. Keep this case number separate from your DTI case number because they operate independently.

Step four: file a formal complaint with the department of trade and industry

If HFD does not respond within 14 days or refuses your cancellation, escalate to the DTI.

1. Visit consumercare.dti.gov.ph and click "File a Complaint"
2. Select "Teledentistry / Dental Services" as the product category
3. List the respondent as "Healthcare Finance Direct" and "SmileDirectClub Philippines"
4. Describe the complaint: "I purchased teledentistry treatment from SmileDirectClub in [month/year]. SmileDirectClub ceased operations in December 2023, ending all service delivery. I requested cancellation and refund, but HFD has not responded [or has refused]. I am entitled to full refund under RA 7394."
5. Attach all evidence: screenshots, billing statements, emails, proof of attempted contact, and your bank dispute reference number
6. Select "Refund" as your primary remedy sought
7. Submit and note your DTI complaint reference number

The DTI will send a formal demand letter to HFD within 5 business days. Most companies respond within 30 days when faced with official DTI intervention. Yafee's analysis shows that DTI escalation succeeds in approximately 75 percent of SmileDirectClub refund cases within the first 60 days.

What to expect during and after cancellation

Timeline for cancellation and refund processing

Your cancellation follows distinct timelines depending on which path you pursue:

What happens to your aligner treatment after cancellation

Cancellation does not require you to return your aligners. You have the physical product in your possession, and SmileDirectClub no longer exists to enforce return policies. However, ceasing treatment mid-course will interrupt your dental progress. Yafee recommends consulting with a local dentist in the Philippines to assess whether continuing self-directed treatment is safe or whether you need professional intervention to correct your alignment.

Keep your aligners in their original packaging and store them in a cool, dry place. They may serve as evidence if you need to prove you received partial service but could not complete it due to company shutdown.

If your refund does not arrive within 90 days

Refunds sometimes stall at the payment processor level, particularly if your original payment used an international card or cross-border payment method. If your refund has not arrived 90 days after DTI intervention or bank approval:

1. Contact your bank again with your chargeback reference number and request escalation to the bank's dispute resolution team
2. File a second DTI complaint specifically citing non-compliance with the first complaint outcome
3. If the amount exceeds ₱100,000, file a report with the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) for suspected fraud
4. Contact Yafee at yafee.com for additional guidance on multi-jurisdictional recovery

Common mistakes that delay or prevent refunds

The good news: most cancellation failures stem from procedural missteps, not legal obstacles. Yafee has helped thousands of consumers cancel SmileDirectClub successfully by avoiding these traps.

Mistake one: contacting the wrong company department

Sending cancellation emails to customer service addresses that no longer monitor incoming mail wastes time. SmileDirectClub's support infrastructure shut down in December 2023. Emails to [email protected] or similar addresses will never reach a human.

Instead, contact Healthcare Finance Direct directly. HFD is the active entity collecting payments. Your cancellation demand must reach HFD's finance team, not a defunct customer service department.

Mistake two: requesting a refund without invoking consumer law

Companies are more likely to deny informal refund requests. Formal cancellation demands that cite RA 7394 and explicitly reference the Consumer Act carry legal weight.

Write: "I am requesting immediate cancellation under Section 13 of the Consumer Act of the Philippines (RA 7394) due to impossibility of service performance." This language signals that you understand your rights and will escalate if necessary.

Mistake three: missing the 60-day bank chargeback window

Your bank chargeback right expires 60 days after each transaction. Every charge older than 60 days becomes difficult or impossible to dispute through your bank. Do not delay filing chargebacks while you wait for HFD to respond. File both simultaneously.

Mistake four: failing to preserve evidence

Email screenshots are easy to delete and harder to recover once lost. Screenshots disappear when apps update, phones reset, or accounts are hacked. Store all evidence in cloud storage (Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox) the moment you collect it.

After your cancellation is approved

Receiving cancellation confirmation is the beginning of the refund process, not the end. Yafee recommends following up actively until funds reach your account.

Confirm that future charges have stopped

Log into your banking app 5 days after your cancellation is approved. Confirm that no new SmilePay or HFD charges appear. If a charge posts after your cancellation approval, that is evidence of bad faith and strengthens any subsequent DTI or police complaint.

Document the date and take a screenshot immediately. This breach of cancellation terms creates grounds for damages beyond the refund amount.

Track your refund status weekly

Create a spreadsheet with: the date you filed cancellation, the confirmation number (if provided), the expected refund date, and the actual refund date when it arrives. Check your bank statement every 7 days. Refunds can be delayed due to processor backlogs, incorrect account information, or banking holidays.

If your expected refund date passes without funds arriving, contact your bank's customer service with your chargeback or refund reference number and escalate to the dispute resolution team.

If you received partial shipments or incomplete service

If SmileDirectClub charged you for a full treatment plan but sent only some of your aligners before shutting down, you have grounds to claim a pro-rata refund for the undelivered portion. Calculate this: (number of aligners not delivered / total aligners in your plan) multiplied by your total payment.

Include this calculation in your DTI complaint. The DTI will instruct HFD to refund the undelivered service portion plus all financing charges on that undelivered portion.

Pricing and refund scenarios for common SmileDirectClub plans

The following table shows typical plans, expected refunds, and what to demand if you completed partial treatment:

Note: These are approximate costs. Your actual refund eligibility depends on how many charges you have already paid and how much of the service was delivered. Yafee recommends calculating your refund entitlement conservatively at first, then filing for additional damages if investigation reveals you were overcharged.

What to do if you need additional legal help

When to escalate beyond DTI

If the DTI does not resolve your complaint within 120 days or if HFD refuses to comply with a DTI directive, you have additional escalation options:

1. File a complaint with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) if you suspect HFD is operating without proper business permits or tax registration
2. Report the matter to the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) if you believe the shutdown and continued billing constitute fraud
3. Consult a consumer law attorney for civil recovery if your refund amount exceeds ₱100,000 (small claims court is limited to ₱400,000 in Metro Manila)
4. Join or support any class action proceedings initiated by other affected Philippine customers

Where to find more support

Your local DTI office can provide free consultation on consumer disputes. The DTI also operates a hotline: 1-386 (landline) or 02-8751-6000. Yafee maintains updated information on SmileDirectClub refund status at yafee.com, including new escalation pathways as they emerge.

Cancellation checklist: your step-by-step action plan

Print or screenshot this checklist and mark off each item as you complete it. This becomes your proof of diligence if you escalate:

Contact information for filing your cancellation and dispute

Healthcare finance direct (primary billing contact)

Email: [email protected]

Mailing address: Healthcare Finance Direct, Corporate Headquarters, United States (Note: HFD is US-based but services Philippine accounts through SmilePay)

In your email, clearly state your account number, full name, and the phrase: "I am requesting immediate cancellation under the Consumer Act of the Philippines (RA 7394) and demand full refund of all charges."

Department of trade and industry consumer complaint center

Website: consumercare.dti.gov.ph

Physical address: DTI Consumer Complaint Center, DTI Building, Trade and Industry Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Manila 1004, Philippines

Hotline: 1-386 (landline) or 02-8751-6000

Operating hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Philippine Standard Time)

Your bank or e-wallet provider

Log into your GCash, Maya, or credit card app and select "Dispute Transaction" or "Report Fraud" from your SmileDirectClub or SmilePay charge. Most disputes can be filed entirely through the mobile app within 2 minutes.

Summary: how to cancel SmileDirectClub and claim your refund

SmileDirectClub's closure does not eliminate your refund right. The Consumer Act of the Philippines (RA 7394) entitles you to full recovery when a service provider abandons delivery. Your cancellation pathway requires three simultaneous actions: email HFD with a formal demand, file a bank chargeback within 60 days, and escalate to the DTI if HFD refuses within 14 days.

Documentation is your greatest asset. Store all evidence in cloud storage today. Most refunds process within 60 to 90 days when you pursue all three channels at once. Yafee has helped thousands of consumers cancel SmileDirectClub and recover their payments by following this exact procedure. Complete your cancellation checklist today and contact the DTI if you encounter resistance. Your refund is legally owed, and formal escalation will secure it.