Michael Farrow, SDI European Sales Manager, discusses the many different whitening options available and how offering to all in your practice can increase revenue and widen your demographic reach.
The UK has witnessed a steady increase in the demand for whitening treatments in recent years, and interest in achieving a whiter, brighter smile shows no sign of abating. Patients request whitening treatments for a variety of reasons, including reversing discolouration from lifestyle habits such as smoking, boosting confidence, and looking good for a special occasion. In the age of selfies and photo-based social media platforms such as Instagram, the constant pressure to look good is encouraging more and more people to find ways of improving their appearance.
Whitening patients come from across the age spectrum, and most are looking for effective results and a whitening treatment that suits their lifestyle. Dental manufacturers have responded to this demand, and dental practices can now offer their patients a wide range of whitening options.
Whitening regulations
Clinical studies have shown that bleaching with carbamide or hydrogen peroxide, when performed correctly under the application or instruction of a dentist, is safe for teeth and gums.
However, only treatments prescribed by a qualified dental professional containing up to 6% hydrogen peroxide and 16% carbamide peroxide can effectively whiten teeth. These are the maximum strengths permitted under EU regulations and should only be performed by a registered dental professional.
Whilst this may be obvious to most dental professionals, and it’s a message that has been communicated for a while now, a recent study showed that many still believe that patients are not aware of it. We advise reminding your patients of this, perhaps in your next patient newsletter, whitening poster or patient consultation.
An option to suit every lifestyle
With all this in mind, dental professionals should choose a whitening system that has been clinically tested and proven efficacious. A comprehensive system will include the following three main modes of delivery: in the dentist’s chair, take-home for day or night application, and ‘on-the-go’. Each patient will choose differently, depending on their priorities.
In the chair
Unlike home whitening kits, in-practice whitening treatment offers the quickest and most visible results. It is a good option for patients willing to spend time in the dental chair and pay for professional treatment. Following the EU regulations, which prohibit concentrations of hydrogen peroxide greater than 6%, treatments such as Pola Rapid effectively contain only 6% hydrogen peroxide with a high pH to produce a faster release of active oxygen and free radicals. This means it is effective in 45 minutes and can be used with or without a bleaching light.
If patients are prepared to pay for this specialist treatment and spend time in the chair, they can benefit from fast, effective, and comfortable whitening delivered by professionals!
At home in the day or night
Patients who would rather do things on their own time and in the comfort of their homes may opt for a take-home whitening solution. With proven efficacy and longevity, professionally dispensed take-home whitening treatments are becoming increasingly popular. When a patient does elect for home whitening, it’s best to determine whether they would benefit from the advantages of carrying it out overnight or if a daytime treatment would be more suitable.
The range of strengths enables clinicians and patients to choose a suitable level of active whitening agent for day or night application, depending on the sensitivity of the patient’s teeth.
These include shorter daytime wear options with hydrogen peroxide systems and longer treatments with carbamide peroxide for use at night; for example, Pola Day can be applied for as little as 30 minutes twice a day, while Polanight, with its slow release of active oxygen and free radicals, is more suitable for overnight bleaching.
Both hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide systems work well. However, if the patient cannot manage overnight use, the hydrogen peroxide system should be used twice daily for a shorter tray wear time of 30 minutes. Treatment outcomes for both systems would be similar so that the choice would depend on patient compliance.
Take-home formulations like Pola Day and Pola Night contain a built-in desensitiser and a high water content to reduce sensitivity, as well as fluoride release to remineralise the tooth surface to provide added protection against sensitivity. Both options can be supplied with a custom tray to ensure full coverage of the teeth and a more comfortable fit, which should improve treatment compliance.
On-the-go
Today’s patients are busier than ever, and a brush-on, fluoride-releasing tooth whitening solution is an ideal top-up to apply whenever convenient to them, day or night. Designed as a touch-up whitening treatment, it can maintain tooth whitening between in-practice or take-home whitening sessions.
Patients with limited time will appreciate the convenience and speed of this option: Pola Luminate, a 6% hydrogen peroxide, high-viscosity, fast-drying gel containing fluoride to assist with remineralisation and reduce sensitivity. Patients must attend an initial in-practice consultation explaining the technique, after which they walk away. The gel can be applied quickly and easily, twice daily for 30 minutes, without the need for trays or plastic whitening strips, which are often difficult to apply and slow to show any effective results.
Patients with limited time will appreciate this option’s ultra-convenience and speed. With over 60 applications, the attractive, pocket-sized tube fits easily into your pocket or handbag. It is a must-have fashion accessory, especially among female patients, and a great impulse buy at the reception desk.
Combat sensitivity
If patients follow their dentist’s and manufacturer’s instructions, most will have no side effects. However, some will experience temporary sensitivity (e.g., dull or sharp, or sensitivity to hot or cold).
After several hours of stopping the treatment, this will subside and not leave any residual problems. To help with this, wear times can be shortened or made less frequent, or teeth can be treated with a desensitiser. Patients should also abstain from carbonated drinks and citrus foods to avoid sensitivity.
SDI offers pola soothe, a sustained-release gel containing potassium nitrate and fluoride. It quickly soothes any sensitivity. It can be applied before or after each treatment and, unlike other desensitisers, does not interfere with the whitening process.
Advantages for the practice
Branching out into whitening is turning out to be a profitable move for many high-street dentists, including NHS dentists. As the demand for cosmetic treatments increases, advertising whitening within the practice makes dental patients aware of the treatments available, and treatment take-up can turn into a lucrative revenue stream.
Word of mouth can also extend a practice’s reach into new demographics, as satisfied patients tell their friends and new enquiries come in. Once these new patients register, practices can offer a wider range of treatment options, thus building revenue.
Promoting an established, well-recognised brand within the practice
Effectively marketing whitening in your practice is about informing and educating patients to get the results they are looking for and reinforcing the message that legally, only treatments prescribed by a qualified dental professional containing up to 6% hydrogen peroxide or 16% carbamide peroxide can achieve this.
Using customisable marketing and education materials provided free of charge by whitening manufacturers like SDI can help patients become more aware of the different options available to them so that they can make an informed choice. Patients tell us that being informed and educated makes them feel comfortable and more likely to participate willingly in their treatment plan and general oral health.
Brand recognition is important to millions of Generation Ys and Zs, so it’s vital that you reassure them that the whitening manufacturer you use is established and approved by the profession—something that ‘get rich quick’ and high-street toothpastes cannot achieve.
At SDI, we provide ready-made materials, including posters, leaflets, stands, stickers, and bags, to make marketing the range of whitening options effortless. Displaying these prominently in reception and treatment rooms raises awareness and may encourage patients to inquire about the options.
Upskilling the practice team
When introducing any new treatment, it’s important to ensure the whole practice team is trained to provide and promote it. SDI is committed to offering training opportunities such as product demonstrations and ‘Lunch & Learns‘, where trainers will train dental professionals to use our whitening products safely and effectively. Effective training ensures that the whole team is confident enough to recommend and deliver the most suitable whitening option to each patient so that they achieve a whiter, brighter smile by the end of their treatment.
With the right system in place, whitening can become one of your secret weapons for creating a wide range of treatment options, attracting more patients, and generating a more profitable practice.