botox

Dental Botox is Big Business These Days (video)

November 22, 2011 By Catherine Hughes 1 Comment

Americans spent $1.9 billion on injectable procedures in 2010. Botox™ is big business these days and some dentists are getting in on the action by offering cosmetic Botox™ for their dental patients.

One dentist told The Wealthy Dentist, “I want to do Botox™. I don’t know why we have not started earlier. Who better to give injections than a dentist? We do it all day long. We have great touch. It is a great add-on to all the cosmetics we do!”

In this TWD survey, we asked dentists if cosmetic dentists should offer non-dental cosmetic treatments, such as Botox™ injections.

Click on Play to hear how dentists responded to this dental survey question -

Tell us your thoughts on cosmetic dentists providing Botox™ treatments.

Filed Under: Dental Videos Tagged With: botox, cosmetic, cosmetic dentistry, Dental Care, dental marketing, dental survey, dentist, dentistry, dentists, injectables, survey, video marketing

Dental Marketing for Botox Severely Restricted in UK

October 19, 2010 By Jim Du Molin 3 Comments

Dentists have been warned not to mention Botox or other prescription medications in their dental marketing and advertising by the UK’s Dental Defence Union (DDU).

Moreover, British dentists can’t so much as mention dental Botox treatment on the homepage of their dental websites.

Dentists are permitted to mention Botox and other prescription treatments only on pages within their dental website that patients choose to access.

In its warning report, the DDU is careful never to refer to Botox® by name.

“While a particular brand name of botulinum toxin may be a household name, dental practices cannot actually refer to it in publicity material as it is a prescription-only medicine.”

Dental marketing is one area where the UK is far more conservative than the US, with attitudes lagging years behind out own.

“To illustrate the pitfalls of practice promotion, this issue of the DDU Journal also includes a case study about a dentist facing a GDC investigation after his financial director placed an advertisement in the local telephone directory stating the practice was ‘a centre of excellence’ which ‘specialised in all aspects of dentistry’.

“The DDU was able to help the member draft a letter of response and the GDC accepted he had been unaware of the advert. However it warned him that as practice principal, responsibility for the advert rested with him and in future he must make absolutely sure no misleading statements were made.”

But the DDU advises dentists, “Phrases such as ‘centre of excellence’ should be avoided as well as any claim implying superiority over any other dental professional or practice.”

In the US, the standard is that you must not represent your services as superior to your competitors’, but the term “Dental Excellence” is found in countless practice names and internet dental marketing campaigns across the country.

So… does that mean that it’s okay for UK dentists to strive for excellence, but not to achieve it?

Filed Under: Dental Editorials, Dental Marketing Tagged With: botox, dental advertising, dental marketing, dental websites, UK

Off-Label Botox Marketing Gets $600 Million Fine

September 21, 2010 By Jim Du Molin 5 Comments

Allergan has been slapped with a $600M fine for illegally marketing Botox for off-label use.

After a years-long investigation, the company pled guilty to one misdemeanor charge of "misbranding."

Allergan had marketed Botox to physicians for treating migraine and headache pain. In addition to advertising the drug's off-label uses, the company allegedly also instructed doctors on how to "miscode" Botox insurance claims.

Though Botox is commonly used to treat a variety of facial wrinkles, it is only approved to treat the vertical lines (shaped like the number 11) between the brows. It has also been approved for treatment of spasms, eye muscle problems, and excessive underarm perspiration.

Botox is widely used for off-label treatments, including TMJ treatment, facial cosmetics, cerebral palsy treatment, and headaches. However, the manufacturer is not supposed to market the drug for off-label uses.

But Allergan has never been shy when it comes to marketing. In fact, the company filed a lawsuit last year arguing that the FDA should not be able to limit the manufacturer's marketing and communications with physicians.

"In the lawsuit, Allergan contends that the Government's legal position that it is a crime for a pharmaceutical company to proactively communicate truthful information to physicians about off-label uses of its products violates the First Amendment and is inconsistent with the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act."

-Allergan Files Federal Lawsuit to Allow It to Share Relevant Information with the Medical Community on the Safe Use of BOTOX® for Common Therapeutic Off-Label Treatments

As part of this settlement, Allergan will drop that lawsuit.

The company has also been aggressively marketing Latisse, a new prescription medication that grows eyelashes. Ads feature celebrity users Brooke Shields and Claire Danes, showing off their longer lashes.

Of course, the warning included in their advertisements is enough to give the cosmetically-minded pause:

"LATISSE® may cause darkening of the eyelid skin which may be reversible. LATISSE® may also cause increased brown pigmentation of the colored part of the eye which is likely to be permanent."

Filed Under: Dental Editorials Tagged With: Allergan, botox, marketing

Dentist Botox Treatment OK by Most Dentists

July 27, 2010 By Julie Frey 9 Comments

Botox is big business – and dentists think it’s appropriate for them to be a part of it. Two out of three dentists don’t have a problem with a dentist offering cosmetic Botox, Restylane or other dermal fillers, this survey found.

“Who on the face of this planet gives more injections and has more training in head and neck anatomy than dentists?” asked one dentist. “No one!”

In this survey of 144 dentists…

62% see no problem with dentists offering Botox and dermal fillers
7% think dentists should only offer Botox for therapeutic reasons.
31% think this is not an appropriate role for dentists.

Here are some comments on Botox, Restlyane and dermal fillers from dentists:

“Fantastic idea! The AGD just passed a resolution supporting general dentists in education and performing these procedures.” (General dentist)
“Botox as an additional treatment to correct gummy smiles. Restylane to fill the fissures and wrinkles of the lips to perfect a cosmetic anterior dental prosthetic reconstruction” (Kuwait cosmetic dentist)
“Dentists, with the extensive head and neck training they have, should probably have been the first to administer Botox and fillers. Factor in the reality that most dentists are fairly artistic and without question perfectionists, they absolutely should be administering Botox and fillers.” (Minnesota dentist)
“For TMJ treatment if indicated.” (Prosthodontist)
“I am doing Botox now for my family, staff and a few select patients. I do dermal fillers for my wife. I practice in the state of Texas and I can’t get our dental board to ‘allow’ us to do these procedures. Insurance companies will cover me but for only what our dental board will allow.” (Texas dentist)
“In Texas, basically only an Oral Surgeon can do it—so let them take the risk and use this as a referral.” (Texas pediatric dentist)
“Why not go to a dermatologist or plastic surgeon for veneers or high tech mouthguards??” (Florida oral surgeon)
“Let’s have our physician friends extract teeth and place dental implants. This is a ‘busyness’ issue.” (Periodontist)

Filed Under: Dental Surveys Tagged With: botox, cosmetic dentistry, cosmetic surgery, dental botox, dentist, restylane

Dental Marketing Targets: Sleep Apnea, TMJ & Botox Patients

June 1, 2010 By Julie Frey 1 Comment

Who do dentists target with their dental marketing? This survey found sleep apnea and TMJ/TMD patients were each targeted by half of responding dentists.

When it comes to the new cosmetic dentistry, we found that 5% of dentists offer cosmetic Botox, 11% offer therapeutic Botox treatment for TMJ treatment, and 14% offer Restylane or other dermal fillers.

"I do this very carefully because of the turf battles for Botox and Fillers. I market quietly and professionally in all areas by using education in the ads. Patients have a sense of entitlement, but in a heartbeat will pay cash for Botox… The Botox and fillers helps subsidize the practice to practice," said one dentist. "I love providing this service too. No stress, reversible, pts love it and ask for it and pay in full the day of service."