When dentists become cosmetic dentists and hair transplant experts!
While dental education (BDS/MDS) has remained the same, in the last few years, the treatment aspect of dental health has witnessed a sea change
Hyderabad: In a worrying sign that challenges dental education and dentistry as a profession, the traditional dentists in Hyderabad, who used to take care of your basic dental needs at affordable costs, are becoming a rare commodity. They are transforming into fancy cosmetic dentists, facial aesthetic specialists and hair transplant and treatment experts, with no cap on how much they can charge from patients.
While dental education (BDS/MDS) has remained the same, in the last few years, the treatment aspect of dental health has witnessed a sea change. Gone are the days when removing the troubled teeth was thought of as treatment. Nowadays, the advent of numerous materials, equipment and tools related to dentistry has shifted the focus from dental health to beautification and cosmetic enhancement.
Basic procedures like scraping, cleaning to remove dirt, stains and whitening of teeth, adjusting crooked teeth have been rebranded as beauty enhancement services and are now offered at exorbitant rates by cosmetic dentists.
Some dentists have even taken a step further and with the same BDS/MDS qualification, turned into hair transplant and hair-fall treatment experts, antagonizing associations representing dermatologists.
Terming such tactics and practices by BDS/MDS qualified doctors as unethical, a few days ago, the Karnataka State Dental Council issued notices, directing them to practice ethics/ rules and avoid practicing facial aesthetic treatments and hair transplants. The dental body in Karnataka made it clear that if dentists do not follow ethical rules, then they will lose their registrations.
Dr. A. Srikanth
Secretary, Indian Dental Association, Deccan, Dr Ala Srikanth believes that rampant permissions to open new dental colleges more than the requirement, heavy influence of manufacturers of dental equipment and products and surreal competition among dentists to grab patients are some factors for the present mess.
Although dental education has continued to remain traditional, manufacturers of dental equipment, materials and tools have started to dictate who treatment is administered to patients, Dr Srikanth believes.
“BDS and MDS teaching remains the same. A simple wire treatment for teeth to keep them in a desirable position has now become an AI-powered technology. It is the market forces, dental technology companies and the pressure to retain customers that are driving dentists to become cosmetic dentists. There is absolutely no regulation,” Dr Srikanth laments.
