DestinationSmile

DestinationSmile aims to offer convenient, reasonably priced clear aligner treatment fast. You can choose between a clinic visit or having treatment completely at home, with a view to completing your aligners within 4-6 months.

Could DestinationSmile be your fast-track ticket to a straighter smile? Find out more about DestinationSmile with our detailed review.

First Glance

DestinationSmile aim to make teeth straightening simpler. They say that you can get “dentist designed” teeth within four months for 70% less than some other competitors (although this is looking primarily at the most expensive treatment options like Invisalign). They're relatively new but already very popular – with a 4.8 out of 5 rating from verified independent reviews on Trustpilot (at the time of writing).

Pros

• Fast treatment time of 4-6 months
• Choose from clinic visits or at-home impression kits
• Remote monitoring from a GDC dentist

Cons

• Only available to 18+ years
• No option for night-time aligners
• Replacement aligners cost £99 a time

Get a massive £150 off your aligner treatment from DestinationSmile with our exclusive promo code: ALIGNERS150 (Enter at checkout)

Who is behind DestinationSmile?

DestinationSmile is an off-shoot of DestinationSkin, one of the UK’s leading aesthetic clinics for advanced skincare treatments. It includes brans such as SK:N, The Mobile Clinic, Barley Medical Group and more, with 92 clinics in the UK and over 1,100 employees. Indeed the DestinationSkin and DestinationSmile clinics are one and the same – you could get a consultation for both your skin and teeth on the same day in theory.

DestinationSmile uses UK dentists registered to the General Dental Council, the independent regulator of dentists in this country. You can choose to visit a dentist at one of their clinics (currently open in London, Birmingham and Manchester with more to follow) or have a remote appointment with a dentist over video call.

Who can use DestinationSmile aligners?

If your teeth are a little bit misaligned then you’re the perfect candidate for clear aligners from DestinationSmile. They can help to straighten teeth that are overcrowded or that have gaps, moving the teeth closer together or further apart to give you a smile that is more even.

Anyone with severe dental issues may find that clear aligners from DestinationSmile aren’t sufficient. Most clear aligners can only help with mild to moderate problems, and more intensive treatment may be required. If you have an overbite or underbite then DestinationSmile’s aligners could help but you’ll need to be checked over by a dentist to confirm.

All patients who wish to use DestinationSmile aligners must be 18 years or older and have fully developed teeth – this includes wisdom teeth.

How are the clear aligners made?

Clear aligners from any provider are made from a BPA-free plastic, which is tough and durable but soft enough to shape to your teeth and move them. They’re food-safe too, which just means they won’t contaminate any food you eat – although you should still remove them whenever you are eating to prevent any damage.

You’ll either visit a clinic for a scan, or use a home impression kit, to get a picture of your current teeth structure. This will be used to custom-make your aligners, so that they gently move your teeth into the desired position. Each set of aligners gradually moves them further, until your treatment process is complete.

What treatment options are available?

With DestinationSmile, you have the freedom to decide on either a scan at a clinic or a home impression kit. The clinics are currently open in London, Manchester and Birmingham with a view to having 16 clinics throughout the UK in 2021. Your scan is a fully 3D model taken by a registered dentist.

If you choose the impression kit, it’ll be sent to your home. It’s a simple kit using trays and putty that lets you create an impression of both your top and bottom teeth, before posting the moulds back to the lab.

The clinic option is faster, and reduces the risk of human error, but it is more inconvenient. If you don’t have time or can’t get to a clinic, the home option could be perfect.

In terms of treatment, there is only one option available. DestinationSmile only offer all-day aligners that you wear for 22 hours every day (removing them for eating and brushing your teeth). They do not offer night time-only aligners as some providers do.

One thing to note is that all treatment plans include clinical-strength whitening at no extra cost – so you do get an extra benefit. Your smile will be whiter as well as straighter by the time your treatment is complete.

How long does DestinationSmile treatment take?

One of the key reasons people choose DestinationSmile over other aligner providers is because of the shorter treatment time. Most aligner providers state that treatment will likely take between 6 and 12 months, but DestinationSmile say that their aligners work in around 20 weeks, depending on the severity of your case.

You’ll wear each set of aligners for three weeks – compared to two weeks with other providers – to help teeth move faster. Your treatment could take longer if you have bigger gaps or more overcrowding than average, but you’ll receive an estimate of your treatment time when you’ve completed your initial assessment.

DestinationSmile check-ups

Some of the providers of clear aligners ask that you provide regular updates on the treatment process while you’re wearing aligners. This is usually when they offer a guarantee of results, so that you can prove you’ve followed the treatment plan as required.

DestinationSmile offers you the option of either checking in with photos, or visiting a scan centre for a regular check-up. It's up to you which you prefer, but it's important to make sure your treatment stays on track.

How much does DestinationSmile treatment cost?

The flat, standard price for DestinationSmile treatment is £1,499 when you pay upfront. This is the same price for everyone, even if your case is a little more severe and would take longer. This means that they aren’t the cheapest provider – some offer aligners for a little more than £1,000 – but they are by no means the most expensive, and of the providers that have UK customer support teams and the option of clinics, they are very reasonably priced.

3D Scan

The 3D scan at one of DestinationSmile’s clinics costs just £9.99. For this you’ll get a 30 minute appointment with a GDC-registered dentist who will take a 3D image of your teeth and then discuss your options with you. They’ll confirm when you’ll get your treatment plan, and be able to show you a predicted image of your future smile.

Impression Kit

The impression kit option normally costs £29 with return postage included in that cost. However look out for promotions, as they sometimes offer the impression kit completely free of charge.

If you’re not suitable for treatment after your 3D scan or your impression kit, DestinationSmile guarantees to refund you any money that you’ve paid so far.

Replacements

Your aligners are designed to be durable and strong. If anything goes wrong with your aligners and they are damaged, they are covered by a lifetime guarantee – just get in touch to get a replacement set.

If you lose your aligners, you'll be asked to pay £99 for a replacement aligner, or you may be asked to move onto your next set early. As soon as you realise you’ve lost a set, contact the DestinationSmile customer support team immediately, otherwise your treatment plan could be at risk.

Retainers

You’ll need to wear retainers once you’ve finished your treatment with DestinationSmile to prevent your teeth from slipping back into their old positions. This will only be at night in the long term. Your first set of retainers is included free, with further sets costing £99.

Are payment options available?

If you don’t want to pay for your clear aligners upfront in one go, you can spread the cost. If you pay a £299 deposit you can then pay £117 per month for 12 months. The total cost of this option is slightly higher, at £1,703, which includes the interest for paying over finance.

This is normal for clear aligners – you will normally pay around £200-300 more if you decide to pay on finance. However if £117 is too high for you each month, you can also apply for a finance package that lets you pay £48.96 per month for three years instead, with a £149.90 deposit. This is a higher total again, at £1,912.46.

Is a warranty or guarantee available?

DestinationSmile does have a results guarantee. If you follow your treatment plan and provide the requested updates, then you will be able to get further treatment at no extra cost if your results aren't as they were expected to be. They also guarantee that they will refund any money you’ve paid if you’re unsuitable for treatment.

How old do you have to be?

You need to be 18 years or older to start treatment with DestinationSmile. You also need to have all of your teeth developed including your wisdom teeth before you can start.

What about customer service?

DestinationSmile is a UK-based company with UK-based support, so getting in touch with the team couldn’t be easier. You can email them or call them via the website, while video consultations with GDC-registered dentists are available if you need them. DestinationSmile prides itself on “Best in class” customer care from the moment you start your treatment, all the way through the process. It seems to be working for them, with a 4.8 out of 5 score on Trustpilot.

DestinationSmile: The Verdict

Availability

DestinationSmile offers you the option of treatment fully at home, or beginning at a clinic. The locations of the clinics are currently limited to London, Birmingham and Manchester but more are planned for 2021. Becoming a customer of DestinationSmile is easy, as the rest of your treatment is carried out at home with remote support available.

Price

DestinationSmile costs £1,499 when you pay up front, which is middle-of-the-road for aligner providers in the UK. Some are cheaper, but you won’t always get clinic support with those. They are reasonably priced for the level of service offered.

It’s worth noting that you do also get whitening treatment included at no extra cost – an added bonus that some providers offer but not all.

You’ve two options if you wish to spread the cost. The first includes a £299 deposit and 12 monthly payments of £117. That’s quite a large deposit and monthly amount – you can pay less each month and upfront with other providers, but over the course of your treatment the interest would mean a higher total. With DestinationSmile the finance plan costs £1,703 overall – a £200 increase compares pretty favourably with other providers.

If you do want lower monthly payments, the other option is to pay £48.96 per month for three years, with a £149.90 deposit up front. That total is just over £1,900.

Ease of Use

DestinationSmile aligners are designed to be easy to use. Your 3D scan is all handled for you, while there are detailed video guides to watch if you choose to do a home impression kit instead. Throughout the treatment plan support is available if you need extra help too.

Options

With DestinationSmile your only option is on whether to choose a clinic visit or a home impression kit. Once you’ve got your treatment plan set up, you will wear your aligners for 22 hours every day, only removing them to eat or brush your teeth.

Other aligner providers do sometimes offer night time-only aligners that you wear for 10 hours overnight, so if the idea of wearing aligners all day is off-putting then you may wish to seek out an alternative.

Reassurance

DestinationSmile prides itself on its customer service and its fast treatment times. While they don't shout about it, they do offer a results guarantee. If your treatment plan doesn't work, and you can show you've stuck to wearing your aligners, then you should get further aligners for no extra cost.

They do offer a guarantee on treatment suitability – if you pay for a scan or impression kit and you aren’t suited to DestinationSmile’s clear aligners, you’ll get a full refund.

And if you need a little reassurance on whether they're a company you can trust, just look at their Trustpilot reviews – these are all independent and verified, and they have a 4.8 out of 5 score.

Get a massive £150 off your aligner treatment from DestinationSmile with our exclusive promo code: ALIGNERS150 (Enter at checkout)