DENTAL NEWS
As this is our blog's last post of 2011, we thought it would be interesting to review what we consider to be the biggest dental story of the year. However, unlike previous years, 2011's top story doesn't involve dental health but rather a ruling by the Federal Trade Commission which could pave the way down the road for more non-dentists performing dental health services.
Although every state has its own dental board that licenses and regulates both dentists and dental practices in that state, in 2011 the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) concluded the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners restricted trade by trying to stop nondentists from providing tooth-whitening services.
This ruling angered dentists throughout the country as they see the application of bleaching products on teeth as the practice of dentistry. The FTC ruling was triggered by the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners sending letters to various beauty salons in the state telling them that they were illegally practicing dentistry and ordering them to stop.
Although the FTC's ruling was directed at North Carolina, it's decision will affect how other states regulate tooth whitening.
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