Becker's Dental + DSO Review

7 BECKER'S DENTAL + DSO REVIEW - VOL. 1 FEB 2020 Walmart Health opens 2nd clinic with dental services By Mackenzie Garrity W almart Health continues to ex- pand its presence in Georgia with the opening of its second clinic that offers dental services. The retail giant opened a healthcare clinic in Dallas, Ga., last year. The new location is in Calhoun, Ga. Consumers who visit the clinics can receive primary care, dental care, counseling, X-rays, health screenings, optometry care, fitness and nutrition services and health insurance educa- tion. The clinics are staffed by certified nurse practitioners. Walmart does have other Care Clinics in Georgia, South Carolina and Texas; however, these locations do not over dental services. Instead, patients who visit these locations can receive primary care, services for illnesses and injuries, management for ongoing conditions, physicals, lab tests and immunizations. n SmileDirectClub partners with Walmart: 3 things to know By Mackenzie Garrity S mileDirectClub announced Jan. 6 that it will roll out a suite of products exclusively in Walmart stores and on the retailer's website. Here are three things to know: 1. The collection of products will be available for purchase in more than 3,800 U.S. Walmart locations. 2. SmileDirectClub will offer Walmart consumers an electric toothbrush, whitening system, toothpaste, water flosser and ultrasonic UV cleaner. 3. On top of the products available in Walmart, SmileDirectClub also plans to launch another electronic tooth- brush and subscription package on its website. n SmileDirectClub may be silencing unhappy clients By Gabrielle Masson S mileDirectClub has attempted to limit the disclosure of information about customer dissatisfaction through confidentiality provisions and lawsuits, according to e New York Times. Seven SmileDirectClub customers told the NYT that the aligners didn't fix their teeth, and four said the product created new problems. When some of the customers requested refunds, SmileDirectClub asked them to sign an agreement requiring the customers to delete negative social media reviews and forbidding them from telling anyone about the refund. Potential SmileDirectClub customers complete a consent form saying their teeth have been examined by a dentist and that they cannot sue the company for any reason. SmileDirectClub offers refunds within 30 days for the $1,850 aligners, but anything aer is outside the company's refund policy and comes with the nondisclosure agreement. e majority of customers are happy with SmileDirectClub, said Susan Greenspon Rammelt, the company's chief legal officer, citing an average customer rating of 4.9 out of 5 from over 100,000 reviews on its website, according to the NYT. The company said less than 5 percent of its customers had received a refund. SmileDirectClub sued the parent of the site Lifehacker last year, alleging defamation and libel over an article describing the risks of its products. It also sued several state dental boards it claimed were conspiring against the company and jeopardizing its business. Since 2014, there have been more than 1,670 Better Business Bureau complaints involving SmileDirectClub, the NYT reported. In contrast, Align Technology has had five complaints. SmileDirectClub said most of the complaints were related to shipping delays. In September 2019, some customers filed a class-action lawsuit accusing the company of false advertising and violating FDA regulations. All but two plaintiffs later withdrew from the suit because the consent form required disputes to be resolved in arbitration. n California bill requires dentists to review X-rays before patients undergo treatment By Mackenzie Garrity A new bill signed by Califor- nia Governor Gavin New- som requires dentists to review patients' X-rays before they under- go treatment, according to Politico's Morning eHealth newsletter. Startups including SmileDirectClub and others are against the bill, as it goes against their business models. SmileDirectClub and others say that the bill eliminates competition. These companies are also arguing their ser- vices are cheaper and successful. Along with requiring dentists to review X-rays, the bill also prevents compa- nies from forcing customers to waive their rights to file complaints to state dental boards. n CLINICAL CARE

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