Recent news has emerged of a renowned mainland dental service institution, FourSmile, encountering financial difficulties mid-treatment, leading to the sudden closure of multiple branches nationwide. Reports circulated on social media revealing that the head dentist from the Futian District branch in Shenzhen had gone missing, while the outpatient department in Guangzhou owed employees three months’ worth of wages. This situation has left nearly a thousand patients in cities like Shanghai and Chengdu facing uncertainties regarding their ongoing treatment. Some individuals have paid nearly 60,000 RMB for treatment with no clear resolution in sight.
Many patients took to online forums to express their frustrations, reporting difficulties in contacting FourSmile’s dental customer service, finding the clinics empty, causing delays in follow-up appointments and leaving them unable to get refunds for payments already made, prompting them to seek legal recourse.
One such patient, “Little Sweet Potato,” asked on February 11, “I’ve paid nearly 60,000 RMB for treatment, how can I continue my follow-up care?”
In a recent report by Consumer Quality Daily, upon seeing the plea for help mentioned above, they managed to reach out to the concerned individual. According to “Little Sweet Potato,” she and her child underwent orthodontic treatment at the Chengdu branch of FourSmile in 2022 and 2024 respectively, each prepaying 27,800 RMB for the treatment.
They were scheduled to have follow-up appointments after the Chinese New Year, but to their shock, they received news of the nationwide closure of FourSmile dental clinics. “Little Sweet Potato” expressed concerns about the continuity of her treatment, stating, “My treatment is now in its mid to late stages.”
Another individual who underwent orthodontic treatment at the Chengdu branch made a complaint on the “Chengdu Governance” platform. They signed a treatment agreement on June 30, 2024, paid the full treatment fee of 20,800 RMB, and were promised a personalized orthodontic plan, free adjustments within five years, and guaranteed regular check-ups for three and a half years when they signed the contract.
On February 10, 2025, a statement was released by a Chengdu FourSmile dental assistant through their work WeChat account, stating that prolonged wage arrears led to staff strikes, resulting in the unilateral cessation of business operations. Subsequently, all staff members became unreachable, and medical services were completely suspended.
At less than a year since signing the treatment agreement, the individual demanded the resumption of services by the original treatment team, led by the main attending physician, strict adherence to the promised five years of adjustments and check-ups without any additional charges. If treatment could not continue, they requested a full refund and compensation from the Chengdu FourSmile dental clinic.
Multiple patients expressed their concerns about the disruption caused by the sudden closure of the Chengdu FourSmile clinic, noting the challenges in finding alternative dental clinics or hospitals willing to take over their ongoing orthodontic treatment. This not only poses financial losses for the patients but also creates significant obstacles for their future treatment.
Recent complaints regarding FourSmile dental chain have surfaced on various platforms, including the Black Cat Complaints platform and several social media sites, involving not only Chengdu but also Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and other cities. Patients, who have paid fees ranging from 10,000 to 60,000 RMB, now find themselves stranded without options for follow-up treatment or check-ups.
Public records indicate that FourSmile, specializing in invisible teeth alignment, was established in early 2020 and primarily operates in major cities across China.
According to the report, the Chengdu FourSmile dental (IFS) store could no longer be located as of February 12. The store had relocated around the end of November last year.
The shareholder of Chengdu FourSmile dental is Shanghai Encounter Medical Technology Co., Ltd., which, according to public data, has been involved in 25 judicial cases. In recent years, dental clinics have repeatedly faced financial difficulties. Since 2024, various dental clinics like Qingdao Ubco Dental Hospital, Tianjin Nankai Jinle Dental Hospital, Shanghai Zhenwei Oral Medicine, Chengdu Jinniu Jingpin Dental, and Jinjiang Kewa Dental have successively closed down, posing a trust crisis in the dental care industry.
Zhang Lulu, a lawyer from Beijing Yingke (Chengdu) Law Firm, mentioned that prepayment for services inherently carries risks, especially in unfavorable industry conditions in recent years. Consumers are advised to make payments cautiously and pay fees based on the ongoing progress of services.
Regarding the closure of dental clinics, Zhang Lulu suggested that patients can lodge complaints with regulatory authorities, file civil lawsuits demanding refunds and compensation for breach of contract, or claim their rights in bankruptcy if the company goes bankrupt. However, Zhang also admitted that the likelihood of patients receiving compensation is relatively low given the actual circumstances.