Dental Industry Fights Over Teeth Whitening

Dental Industry Fights Over Teeth Whitening


Ever sought teeth whitening services from someone other than your regular dentist? Apparently, there are state dental boards all over the country that have a problem with that.

The regulatory groups are sending “cease and desist” letters to small entrepreneurs they’ve deemed to be practicing dentistry without a license, the New York Times reports.

The “unlicensed dentists” are fighting back by suing the regulatory boards. In Alabama, two entrepreneurs are “arguing that a law declaring teeth whitening the exclusive province of dental professionals is unconstitutional,” the Times reports.

Teeth whitening began flourishing as a business in the 1990s. The service can set you back $300 or more. By 2006, most dental practices were making about $25,000 a year on it, according to a survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentists.


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