Recently there have been several news stories about unlicensed dentists opening offices and actually treating the public. That includes a woman who was recently arrested in Cook County Illinois who had been arrested for the same unlicensed dentistry scam in Las Vegas shortly before making bail and heading to the Chicago area.
Many of these "Veneer Techs" market themselves on social media (the accused mentioned earlier had a big presence on TikTok) showing photos of supposed 'happy patients' and showing off treatment they reportedly did. Of course they offer they can do the same for others... and at much lower price than they could get elsewhere.
This is one of the problems with social media. If you read it or see it, for some reason, it seems 'more true' than if you simply heard about it. I am no different. If I read something that looks professional, I have tendency to think "it has to be true". Fortunately for me, that feeling lasts a second or tow and then my natural skepticism kicks in and I do some research. Unfortunately, often good people believe these things to be true and unfortunately act on what they've read or viewed.
While you dentists reading this know what I'm about to say is true, I'm saying the following to those readers who may not have a great deal of dental knowledge and understanding. I want to state for the record... Dentistry is not nearly as easy to deliver as we make it appear. The trained and licensed dentist has under gone years of extensive and expensive training. Many younger dentists are graduating with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt due to student loans. Yet they go into the profession and work hard because they are called to help their fellow human beings.
It's not about the income it's about the higher calling.
So I'm proud of the ADA for taking a stand and bringing this to the attention of the public. The ADA addressed this recently in the ADA News, but they also have created a page to inform the public about this scary issue.
Here is the ADA Statement which appears on the ADA website:
Statement on Recent Reports of "Veneer Technicians"
CHICAGO, May 14, 2024 – The American Dental Association (ADA) is aware of recent reports of “veneer technicians” offering services to the public. The ADA urges the public to be cautious of these services that eliminate the role of the dentist in diagnosing the patient’s oral health needs, developing a treatment plan to best meet those needs, and safely managing treatment throughout the course of care.
Unsupervised dental treatment from unlicensed individuals has the potential to cause damaging complications for patients, and any dental procedure that may alter the physical structure of an individual’s teeth, gums or jaws, without the supervision of a dentist, has the potential to cause irreversible harm.
Risks that may be associated with services from unlicensed individuals include potential infection from adhesives and curing devices that are not properly sterilized or from placing veneers over unhealthy teeth or untreated cavities; nerve damage from improperly trimming or filing the teeth; and potential choking hazard during placement.
Dentistry is a regulated healthcare profession that requires formal education and licensure. Every state has regulations that require dentists and hygienists to be licensed in order to provide patient care. The level of oversight for dental assistants varies by state and, while dental assistants may or may not be licensed or registered by the state, they are required to perform their duties under the supervision of a licensed dentist. State dental practice acts define the scope of practice for dentists, hygienists, and licensed or registered dental assistants. However, dental laboratory technicians and businesses are generally not licensed.
The ADA is committed to quality care and encourages the public to seek care from licensed dentists to ensure proper diagnosis, treatment, and patient safety for all of their oral health care needs.
For more information about oral health, visit MouthHealthy.org, the ADA’s public education website.
About the American Dental Association The not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing 159,000 dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public's health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. The ADA's state-of-the-art research facilities develop and test dental products and materials that have advanced the practice of dentistry and made the patient experience more positive. The ADA Seal of Acceptance long has been a valuable and respected guide to consumer dental care products. The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), published monthly, is the ADA's flagship publication and the best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit ADA.org. For more information on oral health, including prevention, care and treatment of dental disease, visit the ADA's consumer website MouthHealthy.org.
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