"Scammed, robbed and deceived." This is how the "more than 150 affected" by a dental clinic that, according to complaints, has "closed without warning" leaving them with their mouths open in every way. "My partner, Diana, has been toothless since last year. In summer they took away all the top. They put four implants, but not the crowns. Neither do the molars below. It hurts almost daily and he can barely eat... Broths and some pasta, he has lost many kilos," describes Bachir, one of the victims.

Diana's mouth, a wasteland, generates a "tremendous complex". Sometimes, he says, he has to wear a mask at work out of "embarrassment", although "some colleagues think it's because of Covid". "This has changed our day to day. They gave him dentures, but he is afraid to laugh in case he falls ...", adds Bachir, explaining that this clinic has premises in Vallecas, San Blas, Alcorcón, Leganés and Torrejón de Ardoz.

Both he and his partner disbursed, he tells this newspaper, 12,000 euros through financing. Implants, invisible orthodontics, a couple of fillings, reconstruction, a root canal... A complete pack now discontinued. "A lot of complaints have been filed, both in police stations and on the Consumer website. We have even created a WhatsApp group, with 125 members, where we keep ourselves informed. There is another group with 48... But to those figures we will have to add those people who have not yet found out."

Diana's mouth, affected.E. M.

In it come stories of people who "advanced 3,000 euros". Other figures with five digits. "An elderly gentleman gave the clinic 8,000 euros in hand. They called him a week before they closed to finalize his payment, another 4,000 euros. He said he would pay them after Easter... at least it has saved them," says Bachir.

"No one answered"

Almost everyone harmed has experienced a similar experience. "The previous weeks they gave us appointments that were postponing us ... until we got to the door and saw that it was closed, with a little sign hanging." They wrote them emails, called their phones... "But no one answered." Nor was it flattering to see that their website has ceased to exist. This newspaper also tried to contact them, without success.

One of the premises, closed.E. M.

"A friend and I funded our two orthodontic treatments, more than 3,000 euros. I was able to remove the braces a month before they closed, but my friend didn't... It is said that there is a company that will supposedly take care of the victims of Torrejón, Leganés and San Blas, but there is nothing firm. At the moment they are in negotiations," says Nasla, hesitantly.

More pessimistic is Cristina, a patient in the same place as Nasla, who was halfway between the implants and the lack of crowns. "I am a property administrator, imagine what it means to go to a meeting of neighbors without a mouth ... My job is quite difficult. I have tried to talk to all the clinics, but only one attended me to tell me that they were no longer called SmyDent, that they now had another name. I have filed a complaint at the San Blas police station and, after Easter, I will put it in Consumption. Because my husband, who was given a new denture, has run out of revisions... And it doesn't stop moving."

Facua-Consumers in Action has also spoken out in this regard and has pointed out "those affected by the closure of the SmyDent clinics that they can paralyze the payment to the financial ones for their unfinished treatments". In addition, this association has detailed that "if patients are not relocated to other clinics, they have the right to claim the return of part or even all of the money paid, depending on the type of case."

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