Comments on: Is Cosmetic Dentistry an Industry or an Art? http://www.thewealthydentist.com/blog/637/is-cosmetic-dentistry-an-industry-or-an-art/ Jim Du Molin offers dental marketing news and dental practice management advice for dentists. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:57:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Dental Marketing Options http://www.thewealthydentist.com/blog/637/is-cosmetic-dentistry-an-industry-or-an-art/comment-page-1/#comment-7177 Dental Marketing Options Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:02:45 +0000 http://www.thewealthydentist.com/blog/?p=637#comment-7177 I'm confused as to the purpose of this article. Does it matter whether dentistry is considered an industry or an art? As long as patients get what they want, pay for what they want and get what they pay for, it's just an industry like any other. I’m confused as to the purpose of this article. Does it matter whether dentistry is considered an industry or an art? As long as patients get what they want, pay for what they want and get what they pay for, it’s just an industry like any other.

]]> By: Dr. Harry A. Long http://www.thewealthydentist.com/blog/637/is-cosmetic-dentistry-an-industry-or-an-art/comment-page-1/#comment-1023 Dr. Harry A. Long Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:00:46 +0000 http://www.thewealthydentist.com/blog/?p=637#comment-1023 Dental care is the most undersold market in the world today. The ADA says 50% of the adult population does not see a dentist regularly. Historically, the worst patients are those who really need care. They got that way because of the way they think. They come in and take up your time and then they choose to not follow your treatment plan. I disagree with Dr. Young when he says that consumers cannot afford to put 10-30K into their mouths. These same consumers have the latest phones with service at $100 plus per month, they travel, they have the latest car models and multiple Big Screen TVs. They have the money and the discretion to spend it. Dentistry is undersold!! I have hundreds of digital images of mouths where dentistry has been undersold. These people come in every day to get resolution to their perceived problems. Problems which other dentists either did not see or did not wish to treat. Dental Insurance is a major contributor to dental undertreatment. $1,000 per year, although great in 1973 as a benefit, does not cover much today. As long as people are buying new cars,, big TVs, clothing and traveling, there will be a need for Cosmetic Dental care. After all, "Your Smile Is YOur Ultimate Accessory!!" Help your patients to make the best choice they can make. A great smile is a life changing purchase!! Dental care is the most undersold market in the world today. The ADA says 50% of the adult population does not see a dentist regularly. Historically, the worst patients are those who really need care. They got that way because of the way they think. They come in and take up your time and then they choose to not follow your treatment plan.

I disagree with Dr. Young when he says that consumers cannot afford to put 10-30K into their mouths. These same consumers have the latest phones with service at $100 plus per month, they travel, they have the latest car models and multiple Big Screen TVs. They have the money and the discretion to spend it. Dentistry is undersold!!

I have hundreds of digital images of mouths where dentistry has been undersold. These people come in every day to get resolution to their perceived problems. Problems which other dentists either did not see or did not wish to treat.

Dental Insurance is a major contributor to dental undertreatment. $1,000 per year, although great in 1973 as a benefit, does not cover much today.

As long as people are buying new cars,, big TVs, clothing and traveling, there will be a need for Cosmetic Dental care. After all, “Your Smile Is YOur Ultimate Accessory!!”

Help your patients to make the best choice they can make.

A great smile is a life changing purchase!!

]]> By: Herb Young http://www.thewealthydentist.com/blog/637/is-cosmetic-dentistry-an-industry-or-an-art/comment-page-1/#comment-1016 Herb Young Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:27:25 +0000 http://www.thewealthydentist.com/blog/?p=637#comment-1016 While the promise of a life changing event with a new mouth and very expensive price tag has been the driver for cosmetic dentistry, it doesn't address the value proposition for the consumer who is maybe over-promised, maybe over-sold, and over-charged for this luxury. Has the dental industry truely understood consumers' need sets, or is it the Hollywood, glamour that is being sold to the wealthy minority? How many consumers can afford the average, $5,000 mouth, let alone, $10K, $20K, or even $30K? Is it vanity that the industry is selling? The data presented here represents not only a declining interest well before the recession, but also the proliferation of competition, and aesthetic vs. health issue that has occurred in chasing after the dollar. Herb Young While the promise of a life changing event with a new mouth and very expensive price tag has been the driver for cosmetic dentistry, it doesn’t address the value proposition for the consumer who is maybe over-promised, maybe over-sold, and over-charged for this luxury. Has the dental industry truely understood consumers’ need sets, or is it the Hollywood, glamour that is being sold to the wealthy minority? How many consumers can afford the average, $5,000 mouth, let alone, $10K, $20K, or even $30K? Is it vanity that the industry is selling? The data presented here represents not only a declining interest well before the recession, but also the proliferation of competition, and aesthetic vs. health issue that has occurred in chasing after the dollar.

Herb Young

]]> By: Dr. David Buck http://www.thewealthydentist.com/blog/637/is-cosmetic-dentistry-an-industry-or-an-art/comment-page-1/#comment-1014 Dr. David Buck Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:23:41 +0000 http://www.thewealthydentist.com/blog/?p=637#comment-1014 I have seen this trend for some time. What I would add to the discussion is now we have the ability to integrate function and cosmetics together harmoniously so that patients with debilitated dentitions, and or various pain states can be healthy. This is the power of neuromuscular dentistry which is taught by the leading so called by many "Cosmetic Institute" in the country... LVI. My cases now have the combined and rewarding outcome of providing beautiful cosmetics, while at the same time establishing healthy joints, musculature and function. Although patients do have a strong desire for beautiful teeth, many feel just for vanity sake is not enough justification to spend on themselves. However when these patients experience the benefits and comfort from improved function and reduction in jaw pain, headaches,sore neck/shoulders and many other maladies, they are comfortable justifying the expense on the basis of health and function. The added benefit which is a powerful after-effect of neuromuscular treatment is the cosmetic enhancement, but the core decision to go ahead with treatment is function and comfort. I have seen this trend for some time. What I would add to the discussion is now we have the ability to integrate function and cosmetics together harmoniously so that patients with debilitated dentitions, and or various pain states can be healthy. This is the power of neuromuscular dentistry which is taught by the leading so called by many “Cosmetic Institute” in the country… LVI.
My cases now have the combined and rewarding outcome of providing beautiful cosmetics, while at the same time establishing healthy joints, musculature and function. Although patients do have a strong desire for beautiful teeth, many feel just for vanity sake is not enough justification to spend on themselves. However when these patients experience the benefits and comfort from improved function and reduction in jaw pain, headaches,sore neck/shoulders and many other maladies, they are comfortable justifying the expense on the basis of health and function. The added benefit which is a powerful after-effect of neuromuscular treatment is the cosmetic enhancement, but the core decision to go ahead with treatment is function and comfort.

]]> By: Larry Barsh, DMD http://www.thewealthydentist.com/blog/637/is-cosmetic-dentistry-an-industry-or-an-art/comment-page-1/#comment-1012 Larry Barsh, DMD Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:40:18 +0000 http://www.thewealthydentist.com/blog/?p=637#comment-1012 Jim You completely missed the point of what I was saying. My comments had absolutely nothing to do with losing control of cosmetics. My point was that cosmetics have overshadowed all other aspects of dentistry to its detriment. Dentistry, in general, has drifted further and further away from our roots as a health profession. By simply stating that any part of dentistry is an INDUSTRY is falling victim to what the government and insurance companies want the public to think of the health professions. We continue to lose the title which we worked so hard to obtain. We have become health care providers and ceased to be DOCTORS. We allow the public to use the terminology "Doctors and Dentists." As a professor of mine in dental school used to say " We are doctors, damn it!" The importance of "expressing [ourselves] as artists" and maintaining an ROI in the "industry" of cosmetic dentistry pales in comparison to our need to maintain the public's oral and general health. Sure, part of that health is appearance and self-esteem but it must not continue to be the sole driving force of dentistry as you imply. Your statement "And I believe that it is this artistic emotion that has driven the Cosmetic Dental Industry to this point." is, in my opinion way off target. The driving force is rather that one can charge $1000 - $2000+ per veneer - where else can one make this sort of money? More likely the need to lease the newest Lexus than express artistic integrity. Because there are an over abundance of "Cosmetic Gurus" on the circuit or because the dental device/product manufacturers have jumped on an economic band wagon adds no validity to the premise that cosmetic dentistry should remain the driving force of dentistry. Financial and temporal investment does not mean that a segment of a profession should be allowed to dominate that profession nor does the investment bestow the right to continue to maintain prominence. Cosmetic dentistry reached its zenith in the late 20th and early 21st century and, with or without the economic recession, is retreating into simply another service that we can offer. Cosmetic dentistry as a "specialty" is retreating as is consumer demand for the service and with it the re-emergence of the dentist as a necessary part of health care team. While we are on the subject of consumer demand (I do hate the use of terms like consumer for people searching for health care information.) ... At SnoringIsntSexy.com, I've provided the opportunity for patients to find a well-trained and sleep educated dentist who offers oral appliance therapy for snoring and sleep apnea. In the past month alone, we have had over 700 searches by zip code from patients looking for a dentist who can help control snoring and sleep apnea. The complete list is at snoringisntsexy.info/city.cfm. Talk about "consumer" demand... We are in an unprecedented era in dentistry. Research articles abound about the role that periodontal disease plays in inflammation and endothelial dysfunction leading to heart disease and stroke. Dentists now are called upon to recognize the importance of screening their patients for snoring and sleep apnea and working with physician colleagues to improve the health and save the lives of millions of patients in the management of sleep-breathing problems. As dentists practicing in the 21st century we are offered the opportunity to return to a health-based profession rather than a cosmetic-based industry that serves the health of the public on the sider. We can actually save lives! No, the financial returns may not be as great but then millions are out of work while we are offered a unique opportunity to change the face of dentistry and grow our practices while reestablishing dentistry as necessary health profession. Larry Barsh, DMD Founder, Snoring Isn't Sexy Jim

You completely missed the point of what I was saying. My comments had absolutely nothing to do with losing control of cosmetics. My point was that cosmetics have overshadowed all other aspects of dentistry to its detriment.

Dentistry, in general, has drifted further and further away from our roots as a health profession. By simply stating that any part of dentistry is an INDUSTRY is falling victim to what the government and insurance companies want the public to think of the health professions. We continue to lose the title which we worked so hard to obtain. We have become health care providers and ceased to be DOCTORS. We allow the public to use the terminology “Doctors and Dentists.” As a professor of mine in dental school used to say ” We are doctors, damn it!”

The importance of “expressing [ourselves] as artists” and maintaining an ROI in the “industry” of cosmetic dentistry pales in comparison to our need to maintain the public’s oral and general health. Sure, part of that health is appearance and self-esteem but it must not continue to be the sole driving force of dentistry as you imply. Your statement “And I believe that it is this artistic emotion that has driven the Cosmetic Dental Industry to this point.” is, in my opinion way off target. The driving force is rather that one can charge $1000 – $2000+ per veneer – where else can one make this sort of money? More likely the need to lease the newest Lexus than express artistic integrity.

Because there are an over abundance of “Cosmetic Gurus” on the circuit or because the dental device/product manufacturers have jumped on an economic band wagon adds no validity to the premise that cosmetic dentistry should remain the driving force of dentistry. Financial and temporal investment does not mean that a segment of a profession should be allowed to dominate that profession nor does the investment bestow the right to continue to maintain prominence. Cosmetic dentistry reached its zenith in the late 20th and early 21st century and, with or without the economic recession, is retreating into simply another service that we can offer.

Cosmetic dentistry as a “specialty” is retreating as is consumer demand for the service and with it the re-emergence of the dentist as a necessary part of health care team.

While we are on the subject of consumer demand (I do hate the use of terms like consumer for people searching for health care information.) … At SnoringIsntSexy.com, I’ve provided the opportunity for patients to find a well-trained and sleep educated dentist who offers oral appliance therapy for snoring and sleep apnea. In the past month alone, we have had over 700 searches by zip code from patients looking for a dentist who can help control snoring and sleep apnea. The complete list is at snoringisntsexy.info/city.cfm. Talk about “consumer” demand…

We are in an unprecedented era in dentistry. Research articles abound about the role that periodontal disease plays in inflammation and endothelial dysfunction leading to heart disease and stroke. Dentists now are called upon to recognize the importance of screening their patients for snoring and sleep apnea and working with physician colleagues to improve the health and save the lives of millions of patients in the management of sleep-breathing problems.

As dentists practicing in the 21st century we are offered the opportunity to return to a health-based profession rather than a cosmetic-based industry that serves the health of the public on the sider. We can actually save lives!

No, the financial returns may not be as great but then millions are out of work while we are offered a unique opportunity to change the face of dentistry and grow our practices while reestablishing dentistry as necessary health profession.

Larry Barsh, DMD
Founder, Snoring Isn’t Sexy

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