SmileDirectClub had an ill-fated partnership with Invisalign maker Align Technology. It ended in a lawsuit that forced Invisalign to close all of its stores, according to Inc.
The company has also faced substantial opposition from dentists and orthodontists who say that straightening your teeth without an in-person consultation with a medical professional can do more harm than good, The Detroit Free Press reported.
SmileDirectClub said in a press release that the company is "a target of a well-funded lobbying and public relations effort by the American Association of Orthodontics, the largest orthodontist industry group, which is seeking to shut down pioneers of innovative, affordable teledentistry services."
"If industry lobbyists have their way, millions of Americans will be denied access to a healthy smile through teledentistry," Fenkell said in a 2017 statement. "It's important that we stand up for those who, without SmileDirectClub, would not have access to an affordable new smile."
"Whenever you disrupt something, there's going to be some friction. It just takes some time to muscle through the first year of the business, to show the results, and we believe we've done that," Fenkell told Inc.
SmileDirectClub has even filed lawsuits against its detractors, including the Georgia and Alabama dental boards, according to the Nashville Business Journal.