How to Branch Out Into Aesthetic Medicine as a Dentist
Award-winning cosmetic dentist, Dr Aneka Khaira, founder of Vogue Dental shares with us the journey to branding out into aesthetic medicine. Dr Aneka is launching a new clinic in Chislehurst next month.
Cosmetic procedures are a lucrative, and possibly fun, addition to your dental practice, and what’s more, the aesthetic and dental industry have so many overlapping factors, it can be easy to interconnect them.
The Aesthetics industry always fascinated me, even as far back as in my undergraduate years at university. Since I always wanted to specialise in cosmetics dentistry and the aesthetics industry sits hand in hand, it was a natural path for me to follow.
Dentists study and master clinical knowledge of the facial region - some may argue, that to a far greater degree than general doctors. The years of training and practising means we inherently have the skills to move into cosmetic treatments to continue to help our clients. With our extensive knowledge in head and neck anatomy, we are in the best position to advise on treatment planning for the face, especially if you’re a cosmetic dentist where you already exercise your aesthetic eye. But with cosmetic treatments, you go beyond enhancing the teeth and further into facial features such as the lips and facial profile.
The considerable knowledge dentists have of the mouth and oral cavity also means we also understand the impact of dentition on the facial profile. If we only consider dentistry in isolation, the end result is unlikely to achieve the desired outcome. For example, injectables can be effective solutions for conditions such as bruxism (teeth grinding). Botulinum toxin type A (Botox) injections in the masseter muscle relieve bruxism, whilst simultaneously producing a slimmer, contoured jawline and feminine facial shape.
Botox can also work in tandem with your understanding of facial anatomy to treat temporomandibular joint dysfunction, migraines and high smile lines (gummy smiles). Lip fillers are also helpful as an alternative to gum contouring in milder cases - this is far less invasive and has a reduced risk of infection. Such aesthetic treatments can further enhance a smile makeover and may also be a less invasive method of treatment planning.
Reputable training and education are fundamental to building your credibility in facial aesthetics. Having the theory and skills, as well as the hands-on experience will position you as an expert in your field and create a trusting relationship with clients. It’s important to do your research into the courses, the instructor, the aims and objectives, and how much hands-on is involved.
Your transition checklist
1. Accredited training
Focus on finding a training academy which offers CPD accredited trainings and adheres to Health Education guidelines. This will ensure that your training will withstand future changing regulations as the UK government has been recently making plans to further regulate the cosmetic industry. It’s recommended to avoid one-day courses which won’t offer support after completing training or training directly affiliated with a single brand.
2. Practise
Although not a legal requirement, direct, supervised practise is necessary to become competent in any procedure and this extends to new services if you’re transitioning to offering cosmetics treatments. According to the Professional Standards for Cosmetic Practice it is ‘highly recommended that all practitioners undertake a period of formal or informal mentorship.’
3. Insurance
Indemnity cover is a legal requirement to incorporate aesthetic medicine into your dental practice. Most insurers will require evidence of completion of ‘recognised training’. This usually means a formally assessed training programme which involves carrying out the relevant procedures under the supervision of an experienced clinician in the relevant field.
Facial aesthetics is a growing industry, and more practices are offering facial aesthetic treatments. I feel the next step is to integrate facial aesthetics into dental treatment plans. It takes time and experience to build up your skillset and confidence. Reputation is key and it is important to start small and build your skillset slowly over time.
The aesthetics industry is huge and unfortunately due to a lack of regulation often mistakes can be made but these are preventable with the correct knowledge and training. As dentists our training in face and neck anatomy enables us to be well equipped for this. Also having good manual dexterity experience with local anaesthetic enables a dentist naturally be a good injector - so if you haven’t taken the leap to introduce aesthetic treatments into your practice, this might be your sign!