American Dental Association Opposes Direct-to-Consumer Dental Services
CHICAGO — A new policy from the American Dental Association (ADA) “strongly discourages the practice of direct to the consumer (DTC) dental laboratory services due to the potential for irreversible harm to patients.” The policy expands on the 2017 ADA policy “Do-It-Yourself Teeth Straightening” to include the sale of partial dentures, teeth whitening trays, snoring appliances, veneers and mouthguards, in addition to DTC orthodontic services.
Some laboratories have recently offered to sell prosthetics and other oral devices directly to consumers. Bypassing the involvement and oversight of the dentist eliminates the clinician’s essential role in diagnosing oral health conditions, creating treatment plans, and safely managing care over the course of treatment, says the ADA. By circumventing the involvement of a licensed dentist, patients lose a critical quality control checkpoint to ensure all aspects of their treatment are performed and are progressing in the best interests of the patient. This includes oversight of the manufacture of prosthetic devices, including disclosure of materials used and country of origin, and ensuring that they are to the satisfaction of both the patient and dentist.
Read more about DIY dentistry, here: MouthHealthy.org.
