After reading another parent's recent review of Park Smiles, I felt compelled to finally share our…read moreexperience as well.
We had been going to Park Smiles for our children's regular dental checkups and actually liked our regular dentist there very much. Unfortunately, our experience with my son's orthodontic treatment was serious enough that we no longer feel comfortable returning to the practice.
My son started Invisalign at Park Smiles in May, 2025 with Dr. Choi. When we returned at the beginning of August, he had only gone through his first set of aligners. By then, Dr. Choi had left the practice and his care was transferred to Dr. Gordon.
We were told that because one baby tooth had fallen out, my son needed a new scan and new aligners. When the new upper aligners arrived, they did not fit.
Dr. Gordon then told us that my son's remaining baby teeth needed to be extracted. No explanation was initially given as to why healthy baby teeth needed to be removed. Only after I specifically questioned the reason for the extractions did Dr. Gordon explain that the new aligners had been made on the assumption that those teeth would have already fallen out.
This was the first time we learned that the trays had been designed around that assumption. The teeth had not fallen out and might not for another 5 or 6 months.
We were not comfortable extracting healthy baby teeth simply to make already manufactured aligners fit. To me, the aligners should accommodate the child, not the child be altered to accommodate the aligners.
When we declined extraction, the alternative presented to us was to wait, as per doctor, "3, 4, 5, or even 6 months or who knows how long" for the teeth to fall out naturally.
Meanwhile, because the new trays didn't fit, my son had to remain in his old upper aligner instead of progressing through treatment. On September 15, he was rescanned again for corrected aligners, which we were told would take approximately another month. Immediately after that visit, his old aligner broke and developed a sharp edge, leaving him without a functioning upper appliance.
We tried to resolve the situation privately. I sent Park Smiles a detailed written complaint and asked them to expedite the corrected aligners, provide a temporary appliance, and give us a clear treatment plan. My husband subsequently contacted management and requested $2,500 back so that we could start over with another orthodontist. Unfortunately, the communication ultimately reached a dead end.
And "start over" really is accurate. My son began Invisalign in May, 2025 and, by the time we returned in early August, 2025, he had only gone through his first set of aligners. His original orthodontist was already gone, and the problems with the next set began immediately.
I understand perfectly well that nobody can predict exactly when a child's baby teeth will fall out. That isn't my complaint. My concern is that the aligners were made based on that prediction without it being explained to us, they consequently didn't fit, and we learned about the assumption only after I questioned why healthy baby teeth were being recommended for extraction.
We gave Park Smiles the opportunity to resolve this privately before posting anything publicly. Unfortunately, that communication ultimately went nowhere.
A doctor treating a child should be a doctor, not a fortune teller. I don't expect an orthodontist to predict exactly when a child's baby teeth will fall out. I expect the treatment to be planned around the child in front of them, and adjusted when necessary, rather than expecting the child's body to conform to a prediction made in advance.
That is ultimately why we lost confidence in Park Smiles.
