One rarely thinks of dental work as a major business investment, but for many people in the past few years, using teeth whitening bleach became exactly that. As the economy declined and more people fought for fewer jobs, even having a bright smile to make a good first impression was seen as an advantage over one’s competition. At first, professional teeth whitening by a dentist was the only option, but soon there were also over-the-counter treatments people could do at home. Then another option came along that seemed like a good compromise, but stirred up a hornet’s nest of controversy.
Sensing a business opportunity of their own, many people began to set up teeth bleaching operations in strip malls and shopping centers. These kiosks or salons were able to offer teeth whiteners comparable to those used in a dental office, but at a more affordable price. As thousands flocked to these establishments, however, associations of dentists began to object. They maintained that practitioners in these clinics were performing dental procedures, which was illegal if they were not licensed, and therefore they should be shut down for the safety of their customers.
The people running the new businesses, in turn, claimed that they weren’t doing dental procedures at all, performing cosmetic teeth whitening instead. If the procedures were merely cosmetic, they were really no different from selling makeup. Dentists countered that the teeth whitening bleach used was at a higher strength than over-the-counter whiteners, whose concentrations are lower precisely for safety reasons. Because of oral health risks, increased tooth sensitivity, and other potential problems, said the dentists, administration of highly-concentrated whiteners required trained dental supervision.
Mall practitioners believe dentists are fighting for revenue lost because they don’t offer teeth whitening bleach as inexpensively as their new rivals do. Dentists believe there are risks because mall personnel lack diagnostic training to detect existing problems that should preclude using tooth whitening procedures in the first place, or to discern harmful side effects afterward. The American Dental Association has now petitioned the government, in effect, to shut down mall clinics and salons for reasons of safety and qualifications. People considering this third way of dealing with tooth color should investigate their local clinic thoroughly before using the service. Ruining their teeth altogether would definitely not be a good business advantage.
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