Align Technology, the American Dental Association and the American Association of Orthodontists are facing an antitrust lawsuit alleging that the organizations conspired to eliminate SmileDirectClub from the dental market.
Four notes:
1. The lawsuit was filed by attorneys from Susman Godfrey and Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff on behalf of CDS Litigation, according to a Dec. 23 news release.
2. The lawsuit alleges that Align Technology began conspiring against SmileDirectClub with the ADA and AAO after Align Technology was forced to divest from SDC's business in 2019.
3. The conspiracy allegedly involved spreading false and misleading claims about SDC's safety and efficacy to damage its reputation, filing complaints with regulatory organizations and interfering with SDC's third-party relationships.
4. These actions ultimately drove SDC to shut down in December 2023, the lawsuit alleges.
A spokesperson for the AAO declined to comment. Becker's has contacted Align Technology and the ADA for comment and will update this article if more information becomes available.