Smile Style Clinic - want a refund

VC88

I had my teeth whitening with Smile Style Clinics on last week, Friday 23rd April, and I have had such a bad experience I am wanting to get my money back.

I contacted them a couple of weeks ago about making an appointment and they kept phoning and texting me non-stop for about a week. Every time I spoke to them it was a different person and always just asked me if i was still going to turn up for my appointment. When I actually made my appointment over the phone they told me that if I didn't get my desired colour the first time round, I could go back a second time and it would be included in the one price that I was going to pay. I also quoted the promotion code to get the whitening done for £199-£299 but I was made to pay £359 (the promotion doesn't expire till 30th April).

It says on their website that they're a clinic and only hire experts, etc. and the video demonstration gives the impression this is true. However, when I got there, it was a business park/building and the clinic was actually a tiny rented-out room. I was supposed to be going for a free consultation, after which I could decide if I wanted to go ahead with the procedure. I was given a form to fill out, which I was supposed to receive through email; when I told the woman that I hadn't received it because the call centre staff kept making mistakes on the phone (and had obviously mispelled my email address) she argued with me saying it was the junk filter preventing the email coming through. Also, the form gave safety instructions about what to do 72 hours BEFORE the procedure such as using certain toothpaste, etc. I told her I had not been given any of this information and she just didn't seem bothered. She then asked for my debit card as, apparently, the (same) card details I provided over the phone wouldn't work and then she just came out with "this will cost you £359 for what you will be getting done today". I felt sort of pushed into the procedure and didn't have an option to say I didn't want it done.

The equiptment was all taken out of a mobile bag/kit and even the tables, etc. were fold-away.

I wasn't examined - she looked at my teeth and basically told me what shade i was and what shade i wanted to be.

She was really rough with the preparation - she split my bottom lip because she forced the guard into my mouth and it was only after my lip started bleeding that she said the guard was "obviously too big" for me.

She told me she had to use a paste as my teeth were "too badly stained" to have the gel that they normally use, used on them. My teeth did have some discolouration but nothing like she was making them out to have!

The actual procedure was absolute agony. Even from the first treatment I had during that appointment, I was in excruciating pain. She kept laughing saying I would experience a "couple of shooting pains every minute or so" but that it wouldn't last long or be too painful. I was in constant pain, my teeth were extremely sensitive and i felt as though i was having shooting pains right up the middle of every tooth, right from the root to the top. it also felt as though someone was hitting the tops of my teeth with a small hammer, the pain was unreal!

Everytime i went to hold the side of my face to try and stop the pain, she would get really abrupt with me and shout "don't touch it, you will be sorry if it gets on your skin!". She wasn't professional in the slightest and kept asking me if i had touched my teeth, demanding to see my hands to see if i was lying and if they actually had the treatment on them.

I was dreading the second treatment a few minutes later but went ahead with it. then she disappeared out the room to fill a kettle up with water so she could mix the paste again - they didn't have proper water facilities in this rented room. I was in so much pain I just wanted to stop but she was gone for almost half of the 10 minute period and, had I known how to turn the equipment off, I would have done it myself.

The treatment is advertised on their site as being "up to six 2-minute treatments". I had three ten minute treatments and it wasn't relaxing like the website states.

The site states you will have music to listen to or TV to watch. I had a crappy radio station which didn't even have proper signal and just kept muffling and was basically just the news and traffic announcements.

During my treatment she hardly monitored me. she kept saying "i just have to phone someone" and she would phone her friend, next minute she'd be on the phone to someone else moaning about the building we were in and how they were having problems with the staff at this office block. She also kept going to her bag and drinking (and eating sweets though I'm not sure) from a can of coke, etc. She sat down maybe twice for a few minutes overall and even then she wasn't close enough to watch me, she just kept talking about her mother and sister and slagging them off about how they were grieving too much over her father who had just died. She really was unprofessional and a vile woman to listen to if i'm honest.


I received no proper advice after the treatment - i was told to stay away from red-based food and drink and to use toothpaste for sensitive teeth for a day or so. I told her I was in agony and she laughed and said I'd get used to it and not to open my mouth too wide after leving the building!

I was in so much pain I condiered calling in sick at work, I have never felt pain like it in my life. I took about 6 anadin painkillers and even they didn't mask the pain.

I was told I would receive a phone call about my second appointment (to get my teeth to the colour I wanted) within 2 or 3 days. I still have not been phoned, bearing in mind they phoned constantly BEFORE my appointment and even phoned me on saturdays and sundays. I phoned them yesterday and the man said he was last person in the centre and he would leave a note for his manager to get back to me today. This was 6pm and they are supposedly open until 10pm. I have had no call back. I went to the office where I got the treatment; they weren't there but my partner managed to speak to the woman from the company who took my number and said she would phone back around 6pm today. I have received no call.

They gave me a home kit to use despite criticising home kits on their site.

Anyway, my teeth have gradually been fading since Friday but are now back to their original colour - she had left gaps around the base of my teeth where she hadn't used the treatment. the colour difference was very noticeable, now there is no colour difference! I also have numerous white and cream patches all over my teeth from the treatment. my gums have been bleeding even when I don't brush them and part of my gum is torn, it seems. My gums were also white and patchy but have now gone back to normal, despite the sore part which is purple/red!

My teeth apparently went 6 shades lighter (10 is 'normal' for the first appointment) but only last 3 days. I spent nearly a month's wages on this.

Does anyone have any advice? Apologies for the long-winded post

jenstone82

I have had an awful experience with them too just recently. First off they called shortly after the free consultation was set up to ask me if the time could be changed which I said was fine. The free consultation was not a consultation at all but a girl speaking so fast that I didn't take anything in and she only spoke to me as if there was no doubt that I would do it. The procedure took 45mins not 12mins & wasn't expecting to lay on a bed for that amount of time just staring at the ceiling while she played with her phone or computer. I was in pain all afternoon, evening until the next morning. The colour hardly changed so she said to call up & ask for a 2nd part treatment. I did. they called me a few days before and said could the time be changed which I said was fine. I went over there at the changed time only to be told by the receptionist that no one from style smile had been in all day to there rented room. I called them and they told me I cancelled the appointment which was a complete lie. In the end I settled for the appointment being rebooked. Again today a took a couple of hours out of the day to get over thereon the bus only to be told that I was not on the list for the day. Again I call up and they tell me that they cancelled the appointment - no reason provided but had no contact number for me to tell me - the called me enough times before - why now have they suddenly not got a number. I was in the end put through to complaints - she said she'd look into it & call back. She called back and starting talking about sorting out booking another appointment - I pointed out that we'd just had a whole conversation were I'd clearly stated that I wanted a refund & nothing more to do with the company. She asked me to hold on cos she was looking at the wrong file. She said they would offer me £30 & rebook the appointment and as the shades have changed 6 shades (they seriously haven't & that is not what I was told after the first time by the "nurse") there would be no refund. When I said to the receptionist that this was the second time they had cancelled my appointment & not told me she said that someone else had just said the same. How they are in business still I don't know!! I'm desperatly trying to find out who regulates them to try & get my money back. I have yet to find a review on them that is not damming!! I'll let you know if I find out anyway to get my money back!

VC88

I have yet to speak to a manager, spent 45mins today trying to get someone other than a typical member of staff on the other end of the line!

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK

After reading this from 2 different people I would give consumer direct a call and ask if there have been other complaints.

Hopefully Toothsmith will be along and post on your thread, you will receive good advice from Toothsmith.

Mutter_2

Please would you clarify exactly who these people are, more to protect the innocent than anything as there are some with similar names.
Actually not just similar names but models.
http://www.stylesmileclinics.co.uk/

http://www.smile-style.co.uk/

MrsBartolozzi

Re Mutter:
It sounds like the first one www.stylesmileclinic.co.uk from the OP where they spoke about relaxing watching tv or listening to music, and the free of charge retreatment. The second site you posted looks like a legit family dental practise rather than a shonky teeth whitening group.

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK

They both have the same blond girl advertising for them

Meepster

I wonder if Kara Tointon knows they are using her to help sell their products...

http://www.stylesmileclinic.co.uk/whiteningoffer.php

vtaylor

I wish I'd read reviews for the Style Smile Clinics.

When I made the booking to visit the Birmingham "Clinic" the sales representative told me the address was Victoria Square, Birmingham. They said they would send me an email to confirm...but didn't. I requested an email twice but both times I didn't receive anything.

At approximately 9:30am this morning a representative called me to advise me the technician was caught in traffic and would be 5/10 minutes late. I drove to Birmingham (over a 1hr drive from me) and parked near Victoria Square. I phoned to clarify whereabouts the clinic was, but was then told that I had been misinformed and I needed to go elsewhere. I had paid a £5.10 parking ticket which was then useless. I drove to the NCP and paid a further £3 to park there. I called the sales representative again and she was very helpful; she had arranged with a manager to further discount me and extra £10 for the parking expenses and inconvenience. She directed me to the clinic and stayed on the phone until I reached it.

When I got there (11:30am) the technician still wasn't there. At 11:45 she came and introduced herself to me and told me she would be a further 10 minutes to set up and get ready. At 12:30 (over an hour after my appointment time) she took me up to the room.

Despite the feedback I am about to give you I have to say I feel very sorry for the Technician (Rachel) as she was clearly very ill. She did tell me that she had asked to take time off work but was not allowed. I understand they didn't want their clients to be disappointed / frustrated, however...the procedure was an altogether unpleasant experience.

The technician had a fever and so had the air-con turned up full, which made me freezing. I asked her to turn it off and she did...for a while. Then it went back on again and, apart from making me cold again it obviously wasn't pleasant for my teeth. She was constantly sniffing and coughing which, I'n sure you can imagine, was not nice - whilst I had my mouth wide open for an hour. Again - what could she do? I guess she couldn't stop herself. I even had to give her a tissue from out of my handbag.

As I hadn't received a confirmation email I didn't have the consent forms...neither did she. She phoned the Head Office twice but the emails never came through with the blank consent forms. Before the procedure I explained that my teeth had been very sensitive in the past when using whitening kits at home and asked whether this procedure would be painful afterwards. She did say that people can experience "some sensitivity" but only for a day. During the procedure she constantly asked me whether I was OK or experiencing sensitivity and until the end of the 3rd round of gel I felt absolutely fine. However I did indicate that I had some real discomfort to the point where I had to ask her to take the gel off early.

When she did; the gel got on my lip and burnt it quite badly. It was painful and she put water on it so that the tingling went away but there's now an uncomfortable abrasion. Also my teeth were "excruciatingly" painful..The shooting pains were worse than I had ever experienced. I couldn't talk or breathe through my mouth, and still can't (at 4:30pm)

The girls on the reception desk could clearly see how much discomfort I was in...however I was kept there for a further 10 minutes whilst the technician tip-exed an old contract so that I could sign the consent and leave!

Having looked at my teeth I am not 100% satisfied with the results. I went for a "white as possible" result but it looks to me as though the gel has only taken to spots on certain teeth and around the edges. The colour is patchy. I am still in extreme discomfort...I have tried sensodyne and paracetamol but neither has made an impact. I'm worried that this won't pass soon and feel that £250 was unreasonable for the service and results that I received.

As you can gather there is NO WAY I want to return to a clinic or have another procedure again. I hope that they can offer a suitable compensation ie: total refund? The technician never told me how many shades lighter she believed I was - I'm sure she would say 4 or more but I will never know...at that point of the appointment I was in so much pain I did not feel able to get into a discussion.

Ps I am still in as much pain as when I was at the clinic.

Toothsmith

The General Dental Council and Trading Standards have great difficulty in closing down these places.

HOWEVER, if someone who has actually been HARMED by one of these places, it has a lot more scope to act.

If you read the GDCs website here:-

http://www.gdc-uk.org/General+public/Tooth+Whitening/

You will find this information

If you have a complaint which involves:

• documented evidence of patient harm;
• a patient who is, or may be, willing to co-operate with the GDC; or
• an allegation of registrant practice outside the scope of practice guidance

please call us on 0845 222 4141 or email us at [EMAIL="illegalpractice@gdc-uk.org"]illegalpractice@gdc-uk.org[/EMAIL]

Please call them if you have been harmed, to stop it happening to others.

Carrie82

Hi All....

I’ve just been reading your above threads and I wish I did more research on them myself too!!

Ok my situation is a little different but I am disgusted with the poor after service and treatment room of Style smile all together plus I was charged twice!!!!!!

I registered for a call back to see if there was clinics in my region to which they were very quick to respond and I booked my free appointment for a consultation and held my appointment with my bank debit card. I then had an e-mail confirmation through to secure my appointment in Milton Keynes.

However, the day of the appointment 8th May I turned up at Regis house in MK and there was no signage of Style Smile clinics only a scrap but of paper on the door with a number to call when you arrive. I called the main number on the website to say I was unsure of this and for my safety as it was a deserted office building on a Saturday. Sure enough the lady came down the stairs and greeted me, she did make me feel comfortable however when I got into the supposed treatment room it was a office room hired out from Regis house for the afternoon. The lady assured me she was fully qualified and does this at the weekends for extra cash.

As one of the threads said it was mobile equipment, and nothing look sterilised in the room. I did express my concerns at the time and again reassured me by showing the individual packs for the gum shields etc . Then she hit me with the cost that it was £299 plus £59 for home treatment to get the special offer for £99.00 for a further treatment for life. This was not clear in any of confirmation details nor their website. I agreed to pay the £59 for the home kit, however I only had cash on me to pay for the £299 treatment.

I have two receipts which one I paid cash for £299 and £59 on my visa debit card I secured the appointment with. The treatment was fine, although the same thing occurred to me that the gum shield was far too large for me and caused a little discomfort and I had a lump under my tongue from irritation. After 2 hours this did subside, but the lady said it was caused due to my mouth being small.

I was pleased with the results, and continued with the home treatment. I then discovered on May 10th on my bank statement that Style Smile took £359 from my account! I was horrified to think they can take this after I paid by cash! My statement came through June 9th and I called immediately on 10th June, they apologised and said yes there has been an admin error and will take 10 working days to process the cheque. I was just happy to hear this at this stage, as the dodgy treatment room was coming back to haunt me.

By June 22nd no cheque in the post, I called again and spoke to Becky and she assured me it will be with me by the end of the week. June 28th I called again and spoke to Becky and she advised me that the director needs to sign the cheques off at the end of the month and should be with me by the end of the week, astonishingly she asked for my contact number and address again. This didn’t fill me with ANY confidence, and I have been seeking advise from Trading standards and Consumer Direct.

I’ve called them today and no one was around to take my call and promised a call back, I’m still waiting! Has anyone got their money back? Not only was it not worth the £359 I originally paid but I’ve now paid £300 on top as they took this from my card without authorisation......

Please SOMEONE HELP!!!

Carrie