BDTA welcomes new whitening rules
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- Published: Thursday, 01 November 2012 10:16
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BDTA Statement on Tooth Whitening
‘The dental industry welcomes the amendment to the UK cosmetic regulations as a result of European Council Directive 2011/84/EU.
‘The amendment means that tooth whitening products containing or releasing between 0.1 and 6 per cent hydrogen peroxide can now only be sold to dental practitioners, and that their first use on patients must be by a dental professional in a dental setting.
‘The industry hope that this change signals the beginning of a new era for patient safety, in which only registered dental professionals will be providing tooth whitening treatments. This would be in accord with the view of the General Dental Council (GDC) that tooth whitening is the practice of dentistry.
‘We commend the work the GDC does protecting patients and re-affirm our support for its work prosecuting non-dentists illegally providing whitening.
‘We call on Trading Standards departments across the UK to embolden their approach in tackling non-dentists who illegally provide tooth whitening treatments and continue to put the public at risk.
‘And we call on the beauty industry to ensure that its members, and those who train them, understand the new legal framework and leave tooth whitening to those who can provide it legally, safely and in the best interests of patients; the dental profession.’
The BDA view
The British Dental Association (BDA) is also urging dentists, Trading Standards officials and the General Dental Council (GDC) to join forces to put an end to teeth whitening treatments being supplied illegally by non-qualified individuals.
However, the BDA is concerned that such individuals might also choose to flout the legal position on the supply of products. It has always been the case that non-dentists providing whitening have acted illegally as this treatment constitutes the practice of dentistry and can only be carried out by GDC registered dental professionals.
The BDA is calling on dentists to be vigilant and report non-dentists offering tooth whitening to both their local Trading Standards department and to the GDC, and for both agencies to take robust action in response to such reports.
The GDC says:
As changes to an EU Directive come into force today in the UK (31 October 2012), the General Dental Council (GDC), is reminding patients to see a dentist first if they are considering tooth whitening treatment.
The GDC regards tooth whitening as the practice of dentistry and it must only be carried out by a registered dentist or a dental hygienist or dental therapist on the prescription of a dentist.
The amendments to the EU Council Directive (76/768/EEC) affect the strength of chemicals used in tooth whitening products. They do not change the position of who can carry out tooth whitening lawfully. The GDC will continue to prosecute individuals who carry out tooth whitening illegally under the Dentists’ Act 1984.
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