Dentists Wary of Salon Teeth-Whitening Treatments
SF Chronicle. By Desiree Hunter. Photo: Gökçe. When Kelly Markos started offering teeth whitening in her upscale salon, she thought it would be a nice addition to her lineup of eyelash extensions, temporary tattoos and custom makeup. But then an inspector for the Alabama Board of Dental Examiners ordered her to stop, accusing her of practicing illegal dentistry.
Markos’ ongoing lawsuit with the state has waded into the murky area of regulating teeth-whitening products that are increasingly offered in settings outside the dentist’s office, such as salons and mall kiosks.
The dental industry claims it’s a health and safety issue; the beauty parlors say the dentists are just trying to brush them out of a lucrative niche.