Jim Du Molin offers dental marketing news and dental practice management advice for dentists.
Scottish Dentists Cash in on Cosmetic Craze
It’s a deadly toxin whose paralytic properties make wrinkles disappear instantly, and consumers love it. In Scotland, more and more dentists are cashing in on the popularity of Botox. With each treatment costing hundreds of dollars, the profits are hard to resist. However, some are concerned that dentists aren’t receiving adequate training before offering the injections in their dental practices.
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 –
Botox is used in dentistry to treat TMJ (aka TMD, or temporomandibular joint disorder).
However, some dentists use it for cosmetic purposes. Botox injections are big business as a popular wrinkle removal treatment for people looking to combat the signs of aging.
We wanted to know what doctors think about this trend, so we conducted a survey asking if dentists should provide Botox.
Of the dentists in this survey, one in four thinks this is not an appropriate role for dentists. Another 7% feel it should be done for therapeutic reasons only.
“Botox for TMD can be therapeutic. I am against dentists offering it for cosmetic purposes,” said a Minnesota dentist.
“I see it as a device to increase income rather than an admirable service,” said a Pennsylvania dentist.
However, 70% of our survey respondents see no problem with dentists offering Botox treatments and dermal fillers like Restylane.
“I have been teaching and doing this for over 7 years. Where else can one earn about $500 profit in under 5 minutes? Cosmetics pays,” said a New Jersey dentist.
“I don’t provide it in my office, but I don’t have a problem with a properly trained dentist providing the service. Heck, most dentists are better trained and have more knowledge about head and neck anatomy than most general physicians or staff at beauty salons providing Botox and other dermal fillers!” said an Ohio prosthodontist.
“I find Botox good for elderly patients who have a problem with drooling at night due to loss of muscle tone,” shared a Florida dentist. “I use 3-5 units of Botox injected in the muscle on the affected side and it helps to minimize the problem.”
“Do you know if states are going to prohibit this? I have invested in the training but have not bought the supplies,” said a Maryland dentist.
Jim predicts that demand for Botox is only going to grow, but offers these cautionary words for smart dental practice management: “You’ll definitely want to check with your state before you invest in becoming a dental Botox provider.”
Is it time for Botox to be included in cosmetic dentistry?The slight majority of dentists think so!
In this survey, 57% of dentists said that since dentists are licensed medical professionals, they are fully capable of safely offering offering non-dental cosmetic procedures such as dental Botox injections.
The other 43% think dentists ought to focus on healthy gums and teeth, not becoming a Botox dentist.
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.”
Read more: Targeted Dental Marketing: Sleep Apnea, TMJ, Botox & More Dental Patients
Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet marketing expert for dentists in North America. He has helped hundreds of doctors make more money in their practices using his proven Internet marketing techniques.
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