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Patients spent thousands to get braces from The Smiling Face
Company.
Last month, the business closed its doors just one day
before notifying patients.
In an email, the company said, “We are unable to continue
orthodontic adjustments or related procedures.”
The email went on to say that patients could reach out via
email to get their records.
However, patients tell WRAL News the owner, Ebony McBean Grady,
eventually stopped answering. Their inquiries about refunds, future service and
patient records yielded no clear answers.
“I requested treatment records several times; I requested
them via email, I did request them via text message. I never got my treatment
records,” Nichelle Boone told WRAL News. “I still have yet to receive any type of
proof of payment.”
Another patient, Iyonna Singletary, said she even inquired
about whether she should make her final payment. She received no response.
WRAL News also sent an email to the listed address for the company,
asking why the business closed and whether patients should expect refunds. It bounced
back.
Boone said she made her last payment in April. In total, she
spent nearly $6,000 on her services. However, she said it became increasingly
difficult to book an appointment at the office over the summer.
“I was getting a lot of ‘Sorry, I forgot about your
appointment.’ I’d be getting pushed out. I’d have to reschedule,” Boone said.
Throughout their treatment, both Boone and Singletary said Grady
was the person who put on their braces and made adjustments throughout the
process. However, a search for her name in the North Carolina State Board of
Dental Examiners portal yielded no results.
On Yelp, Grady boasts
a 15-year career as an orthodontic assistant.
North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners CEO Bobby White said no results
likely means she does not have a dental license. He said unlicensed dental practices
are a growing problem in the state.
“They cover the whole gait, from orthodontics to repair of
chipped or missing teeth [or] veneers,” White explained.
White said the agency is limited in what they can do, but they’re
working to stop it.
“We do as much investigating as we possibly can to find out
where the people are, what they’re doing, and if we can talk to patients,”
White said. “We’ve seen some very unfortunate results of the unauthorized
license practices … We want to do all we can to keep dentistry safe for
everybody in North Carolina.”
He said patients served by unlicensed workers can file a
complaint with the board.
Dr. Darren Ramsey is the listed provider on invoices obtained
by WRAL News. He is also listed as the dental medical officer for the company.
Ramsey’s license is in probationary
status, according to the board’s portal. Documents from the licensing board
say he allowed unlicensed people to perform services and didn’t keep patient
records at another business in Charlotte.
WRAL News asked Singletary if she ever interacted with Ramsey.
“No, I never met him a day in my life,” she replied.
“I never saw the Dr. Ramsey that [Grady] had referred to
during my initial consultation,” Boone also recalled in a separate interview.
WRAL News’ attempts to reach Grady were unsuccessful. WRAL News also reached
out to Ramsey through his other business in Charlotte. We did not immediately
hear back.
The business is listed as permanently closed on Google. In
an accompanying message, The Smiling Face Company wrote, “The Smiling Face
Company – Permanently Closed Our smile shop is permanently closed as of October
1, 2025. We are no longer providing services. Patient records will be available
upon request. To request records, please email us at: info@thesmilingface.com
We thank all our patients for allowing us to be part of your smile journey.”
Both Boone and Singletary say they plan to sue. They say
they at least want a refund for the services.
New quotes from orthodontists in the area ranged from $4,000
to $6,000. Singletary said at least one business said she would likely have to
restart the process.
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