Botox Dentists Expand Definition of “Cosmetic Dentistry” (video)

Before you buy that Botox, check your dental licensure laws. Generally, the scope of dentistry includes diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the teeth and their supporting bone and tissues, not cosmetic facial procedures such as lip plumping or similar cosmetic procedures. Also consult your malpractice carrier. Claims against a dentist for procedures that are beyond the legal scope of dental practice are not usually covered by dental malpractice insurance because they are not legal. Malpractice insurance does not cover illegal acts, only claims of errors and omissions for acts that are within the legal scope of practice. Contrary to the statement in this article, dentists are not licensed as “medical” professionals — they are dental professionals. You may have noticed that oral surgeons who do orthognathic surgery often go beyond treatment of just the teeth and supporting bone, such as doing surgery involving the nose, but most oral surgeons are dual licensed as dentists and as physicians. Dentists should stay within the legally defined scope of dentistry, and if they are operating on the fringe of that, they should consult their legal and insurance advisers before taking the risk upon themselves.

I do not know why veneers and snoring devices appear on a list that includes botox and fillers–that’s apples and oranges.

You can argue about botox and fillers, but who is better trained to provide veneers and “snoring devices” (assuming proper education).

And if you describe oral appliances for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea as simply “snoring devices”, then you probably don’t have the requisite training.