SmileDirectClub Lawsuit 2026: Settlement Status, Payouts, and What’s Still Open
Quick Answer
- The $31.75 million SmileDirectClub aligner settlement (Snow v. Align Technology) is real and already paying out, starting March 2026.
- Eligible claimants can expect an estimated $80 to $100 per pro rata payment, though it could be as low as $10.
- The claim deadline of October 27, 2025 has passed, so no new claims are being accepted in this settlement.
If you’re searching “smile direct club lawsuit” in mid-2026, here’s the direct answer. The main consumer settlement, a $31.75 million deal with Align Technology, already has court approval and is actively paying claimants.
This case matters if you bought SmileDirectClub aligners between October 22, 2017 and August 18, 2022. The claim deadline was October 27, 2025, and it has already passed. If you filed on time or were automatically identified in SmileDirectClub’s sales records, a payment is likely already on its way or already sent.
This article covers the Align settlement in detail, plus a separate $4.8 million New York Attorney General refund for people wrongly charged after SmileDirectClub’s 2023 bankruptcy. One detail most coverage buries: the court rejected an earlier, smaller settlement before this one was approved.
The Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Case | Snow v. Align Technology, Inc. |
| Status | Final approval granted November 21, 2025; payments began March 2026 |
| Fund Size | $31.75 million |
| Est. Per Person | $80 to $100 estimated, no less than $10, subject to change based on fees and claim volume |
| Claim Deadline | October 27, 2025 (passed) |
| Administrator | Epiq (Snow v. Align Class Action Settlement Administrator) |
| Proof Needed | Automatic for purchasers in SmileDirectClub’s records; others needed a claim form with proof of purchase, deadline now closed |
Is the SmileDirectClub lawsuit settlement real?
Yes. Snow v. Align Technology, Inc. is a real, court-supervised class action settlement, overseen by U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in the Northern District of California.
The case number is 3:21-cv-03269-VC. The court granted final approval on November 21, 2025, and the settlement administrator, Epiq, began issuing payments in March 2026.
This is not a scam text or a random claims site. The official settlement website is operated by Epiq, and questions can be directed to the Snow v. Align Class Action Settlement Administrator at PO Box 2830, Portland, OR 97208-2830, or by calling 1-888-788-8304.
Key Takeaway: The Snow v. Align settlement is a real, court-approved case that is currently paying claimants, not an open scam or rumor.
Is Invisalign involved in the SmileDirectClub lawsuit?
Yes. Align Technology, the maker of Invisalign, is the defendant in this case, not SmileDirectClub itself.
The lawsuit alleged Align used its market position and its relationship with SmileDirectClub to suppress competition in the direct-to-consumer clear aligner market. That’s why searches for “invisalign class action lawsuit” and “smile direct club lawsuit” point to the same case.
Plaintiffs, led by named plaintiff Snow, claimed this anticompetitive conduct violated the federal Sherman Antitrust Act and led consumers to overpay for SmileDirectClub aligner products specifically, not Invisalign products bought directly through a dentist or orthodontist.
How much money can you get from the SmileDirectClub lawsuit settlement?
Eligible claimants can expect an estimated $80 to $100 per pro rata cash payment, according to class counsel’s FAQ, though the amount could be as low as $10.
That figure is not fixed. It depends on how many valid claims were filed and how much of the $31.75 million fund remains after attorneys’ fees and administrative costs.
| Settlement Stage | Estimated Payout |
|---|---|
| Early reporting (before final approval) | $40 to $60 |
| Post-approval estimate (class counsel) | $80 to $100, minimum $10 |
A comparison worth making: this is a lot like a store class-action credit for an expired coupon. Some people get an automatic payment, others had to file paperwork, and the final number depends on how many people showed up to claim it.
Reality Check: No settlement administrator asks you to pay a fee to receive your payment, and no legitimate site will text you first demanding your bank login to “release” your check. If someone contacts you asking for payment to process a SmileDirectClub claim, that is not how this settlement works.
Can you still file a claim in the SmileDirectClub lawsuit?
No. The deadline to submit a claim form was October 27, 2025, and that window has closed.
If you were automatically identified in SmileDirectClub’s purchase records, you don’t need to have filed anything. Those class members receive a pro rata payment automatically.
If you were not automatically identified and you missed the October 27, 2025 deadline, you generally cannot receive payment from this specific settlement now. The court’s final judgment and payment process are already underway.
How to check your SmileDirectClub settlement claim status
You can check status directly with the settlement administrator, since Top Class Actions and similar news sites cannot access your individual claim.
- Visit the official Snow v. Align Technology settlement website.
- Look for a claim status or login section if you filed online.
- Have your Unique ID from your claim notice ready, if you received one.
- Call the administrator at 1-888-788-8304 for status questions.
- Email [email protected] if phone lines are busy.
- Watch your mail or bank account for payment, since checks began mailing in March 2026.
Key Takeaway: Payments in the $31.75 million Align settlement started going out in March 2026, and claim status can only be confirmed through the official administrator, not third-party sites.
How to get a SmileDirectClub SmilePay refund
This is a separate matter from the Align antitrust settlement. It covers customers who were wrongly charged installment payments after SmileDirectClub shut down.
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on December 2, 2024 that her office recovered $4.8 million for more than 28,000 consumers nationwide, including 2,265 New Yorkers, who were improperly charged after the company’s December 2023 shutdown.
- Eligible consumers were contacted by email through Healthcare Finance Direct, SmileDirectClub’s third-party payment processor.
- Refund amounts varied based on treatment completion status and account balances at the time of shutdown.
- This claim window has closed, and no new claims are being accepted under this specific settlement.
If you believe you were charged after SmileDirectClub ceased operations in December 2023 and never received a refund notice, contacting Healthcare Finance Direct directly is a reasonable next step, though a new claims process is not currently confirmed.
Smile Direct Club lawsuit status update 2026
As of July 2026, the main consumer settlement, the $31.75 million Align Technology deal, is in the active payment phase. Checks and electronic payments began going out in March 2026 and are continuing based on claim volume and processing.
The company itself, SmileDirectClub, remains shut down. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2023 and ceased operations entirely in December 2023, so any ongoing legal action targets Align Technology or third-party processors, not SmileDirectClub as an operating business.
No new SmileDirectClub-related consumer class action claim windows are confirmed as open right now beyond what’s already been described.
When will Smile Direct Club settlement checks arrive?
Payments in the Snow v. Align settlement began in March 2026 and are ongoing as the administrator finishes processing all valid and automatic claims.
Exact arrival timing for any individual payment depends on whether you were an automatic class member or filed a claim form, and how the administrator is batching payments. If it has been several months since March 2026 and you haven’t received a payment you expected, contact Epiq directly rather than assuming the check was lost.
Key Takeaway: If you qualified for the Align settlement and haven’t been paid since payments started in March 2026, the settlement administrator, not a law firm or this site, is the correct contact.
Why is SmileDirectClub being sued?
The core allegation in the largest active case is that Align Technology entered into an anticompetitive agreement with SmileDirectClub that suppressed competition and inflated aligner prices for consumers.
Plaintiffs argued this violated the Sherman Antitrust Act, the main federal law against anticompetitive business conduct. Align has denied wrongdoing throughout the case, and the court has not ruled that Align did anything wrong as part of approving the settlement.
Separately, SmileDirectClub itself faced legal action, including the New York Attorney General’s case, over billing customers after the company had already shut down and could no longer provide services.
What is Snow v Align Technology class action about?
It’s a federal antitrust class action alleging Align Technology’s dealings with SmileDirectClub restricted competition in the direct-to-consumer clear aligner market, driving up prices for consumers.
The case has a notable history worth knowing. Align originally proposed a $27.5 million cash-and-coupon settlement. Judge Chhabria rejected that deal, criticizing it as potentially improper because a coupon component would have sent more business back to Align, the very company accused of monopolistic conduct.
That rejection led to a renegotiated, all-cash settlement of $31.75 million, which the court granted final approval to on November 21, 2025.
Key Takeaway: The judge threw out an earlier, weaker settlement offer before approving the current $31.75 million all-cash deal, a detail that shows real court scrutiny of the payout consumers ultimately got.
Who qualifies for the SmileDirectClub aligner settlement?
You may qualify if you purchased, paid for, or reimbursed the cost of SmileDirectClub aligners for personal use in the United States between October 22, 2017 and August 18, 2022.
Eligibility criteria for this closed claims window included:
- Purchase or payment for SmileDirectClub aligners during the class period
- Personal use of the aligners, not resale or business use
- U.S. residency at the time of purchase, based on the settlement class definition
- Not having previously opted out of the settlement by the October 30, 2025 exclusion deadline
If you purchased through a household member, only one claim per Unique ID applied, and separate claims were required for each individual user.
What happened to SmileDirectClub after bankruptcy?
SmileDirectClub filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2023 and abruptly ceased all business operations in December 2023, ending treatment for customers mid-course.
The company canceled outstanding aligner orders and ended its “Lifetime Smile Guarantee,” leaving many customers with incomplete treatment plans and no company to turn to. Some customers reported continued monthly billing through the SmilePay installment program even after the shutdown, which became the basis for the New York Attorney General’s $4.8 million settlement.
Since the underlying company no longer operates, current and future legal claims tied to the SmileDirectClub name generally run through third parties: Align Technology in the antitrust case, and Healthcare Finance Direct in the billing refund matter.
Other SmileDirectClub lawsuits and settlements
Beyond the two major settlements detailed above, SmileDirectClub has faced other legal actions over the years, though not all remain active or independently confirmed as still open.
- A $2.95 million Florida telemarketing settlement resolved claims of unsolicited text messages violating the Florida Telephone Solicitation Act. That case closed years ago, with its claim deadline having passed in 2023.
- California-based claims alleging SmileDirectClub practiced dentistry without proper authorization have been reported in past litigation, though a current settlement status is not yet confirmed as of this writing.
- Employment-related claims involving SmileDirectClub’s December 2023 layoffs, alleging inadequate advance notice under federal WARN Act rules, have also been reported.
If you’re researching a specific SmileDirectClub-related legal matter beyond the two confirmed settlements above, check the official settlement website or court docket tied to that specific case name, since generic “SmileDirectClub lawsuit” searches can conflate several unrelated cases.
What Happens Next
October 27, 2025: Claim filing deadline for the Align antitrust settlement (passed).
November 21, 2025: Court grants final approval to the $31.75 million settlement.
March 2026: Settlement administrator begins issuing payments.
Ongoing through 2026: Remaining eligible claimants continue receiving payments as processing completes.
Not yet confirmed: Whether any additional SmileDirectClub-related consumer settlements will open new claim windows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the SmileDirectClub lawsuit real or a scam?
It’s real. Snow v. Align Technology, Inc. is a court-approved class action settlement overseen by a federal judge in California.
The official administrator is Epiq, reachable at the address and phone number listed on the settlement website.
How much is the SmileDirectClub settlement per person?
Estimated payments are $80 to $100 per person, though the amount could be as low as $10 depending on total claims filed.
The final number depends on how many valid claims were submitted before the October 27, 2025 deadline.
Can I still file a claim for the SmileDirectClub settlement?
No. The claim deadline passed on October 27, 2025, and the case has already reached final approval and payment.
Automatically identified purchasers in SmileDirectClub’s records don’t need to have filed anything separately.
When will I get my SmileDirectClub settlement check?
Payments began going out in March 2026 and continue as the administrator finishes processing claims.
If it’s been several months without payment, contact the settlement administrator directly at 1-888-788-8304.
Is this the same as the Invisalign lawsuit?
Yes. Align Technology, maker of Invisalign, is the defendant in this case, which is why “invisalign lawsuit” and “smile direct club lawsuit” searches lead to the same settlement.
The claims specifically involve SmileDirectClub aligner purchases, not Invisalign purchases made directly through a dental office.
Why did SmileDirectClub go out of business?
SmileDirectClub filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2023 and shut down operations entirely by December 2023.
That closure is separate from, but connected to, the ongoing legal settlements covered in this article.
Is there a separate refund for people SmileDirectClub kept charging after it closed?
Yes. A $4.8 million New York Attorney General settlement addressed customers wrongly charged installment payments after the December 2023 shutdown.
That claims window has also closed, and eligible consumers were contacted directly by Healthcare Finance Direct.
If you’re waiting on a payment from the Align Technology settlement, the most useful action right now is contacting Epiq directly rather than searching for a new claim form, since filing closed on October 27, 2025. Payments have been processing since March 2026.
