Nine members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including five dentists, three physicians and one pharmacist, sent the FDA and Federal Trade Commission a letter "to express [their] concern regarding SmileDirectClub," according to a Jan. 28 news release from the American Association of Orthodontists.
The letter asks the FDA and FTC to investigate claims that SmileDirectClub misled consumers.
Additionally, the news release states that the California Board of Dentistry has filed a motion to dismiss the claims alleged by SmileDirectClub and Jeffrey Sulitzer, DMD, the chief clinical officer of SmileDirectClub.
After a series of raids at its retail locations, SmileDirectClub filed a lawsuit Oct. 16 against the California Board of Dentistry. In the suit, SmileDirectClub claims dentists on the board conspired to jeopardize the company's business. SmileDirectClub alleges a dental board investigator conducted "a series of coordinated raids" on the company's SmileShop locations.
The dental board claims that SmileDirectClub and Dr. Sulitzer violated California dental laws, including performing unlicensed dentistry, misleading the public and not recording patient treatments.
To view the full letter to the FDA and FTC, click here.