3 Lies Dentists are told about “Botox”



Here are the TOP 3 lies (and the truth behind them), that continue to permeate through the dental profession in relation to performing facial aesthetic procedures, paradoxically, some told by practitioners performing Botox injections already – a sign that while they may have dabbled in some basic training, they are a long way from professional mastery:

  1.     “Certain facial procedures are outside your scope of practice”

Seemingly, few Dentists realise that AHPRA and the Dental Board do not dictate which clinical procedures can and cannot be performed by practitioners. While regulators are responsible for laying down a broad set of general codes, guidelines and standards, there is (necessarily) considerable clinical freedom afforded to practitioners so that they can provide their patients with the best care for their individual circumstances. Policies put in place by responsible regulators are deliberately open-ended in recognition that healthcare delivery is constantly evolving. To be overly restrictive would ultimately stifle innovation, to the detriment of the public they serve.

This is true of all facets of modern dentistry, with facial rejuvenation procedures viewed no differently by regulators than any other procedure performed. Essentially, provided a Dentist is appropriately trained/educated; provided they have indemnity insurance to cover the procedures being performed; provided they are working within their own competency, following accepted protocols backed by scientific literature; and so long as they are adhering to the over-arching principles around professional ethics; then practitioners are free to provide any services they wish across their area of expertise. That area of expertise is best thought of as the complete oral and maxillofacial regions, given it is that anatomy which forms the foundation knowledge a Dentist attains at university.

The Dental Board has made this position abundantly clear and have published some great resources on their website, in the form of recorded webinars, Q&A sessions, position statements and reflective practice tools, to help practitioners understand the landscape without having to listen to those who troll the profession from the peanut gallery.

Ultimately, the key to ensuring safe and compliant practice with new procedures, like Botox, facial thread lifts and fat dissolving injections, is for Dentists to engage in comprehensive, recognised, and accredited continuing education programs, run by industry leaders, not dabble in dubious short courses.

  2.    “You should become a Cosmetic Injector”

15 years ago, AADFA developed the concept of “Complete Dento-Facial Health & Aesthetics”, which focused on having Dentists stepping comfortably into a broader facial health screening, prevention, and maintenance role. A focus on health first, with aesthetic improvement flowing as a natural consequence of improved health, allowed Dentists to successfully offer patients a higher level of care across the dento-facial region, while still being Dentists, focusing patients on the right goals – the attainment of better health, rather than overdone cosmetic distortion.

This approach revolutionised the broader cosmetic industry, with doctors and nurses now following AADFA’s lead, moving away from the antiquated and dangerous “cosmetic”; “anti-wrinkle”; “youth-restoring”; messaging of the past, which only serves to play on patients’ insecurities.

Yet we are now seeing some Dentists, encouraged by inexperienced, opportunistic, and derivative “educators”, set to repeat the mistakes of the past by calling themselves “Cosmetic Injectors”, who offer “Cosmetic Injecting”. This is a move solely designed to mislead patients into thinking these individuals possess some specialized qualification or ability when compared to other practitioners. It is narcissistic behaviour that puts the practitioners’ ego and desire to make a quick buck ahead of the best interests of the patient. Often such practitioners are prolific across social media platforms, trying to lure people by sprouting the latest fad treatment approaches, with catchy names like Russian Lips, Lip Flip or the Fern technique, rather than focusing on proven, safe and reliable methodologies. 

Thankfully, a current review by regulators into this, and broader issues around the use of the term “Cosmetic Surgeon”, is set to crackdown on such unscrupulous behaviour. Patients and fellow practitioners are being warned to run a mile from anyone promoting themselves as a “Cosmetic Injector”.

  3. “Thread Lifts don’t work; Botox & Dermal Filler are all you need”

An extension to falsely claiming that specific facial procedures may be out of a Dentists’ scope of practice, a common misgiving is that training in Botox and Dermal Filler injections is all that is needed for Dentists to successfully move into this sphere.

The facial deterioration process with age is a multi-factorial, three-dimensional, constantly evolving process. It spans multiple different tissue types, from underlying skeletal and structural changes; shifting contours and volume loss across various fat compartments; changes in facial muscle activity; as well as a reduction in the quality and integrity of dermal components. With so many changes occurring, in conjunction with the peculiarities of any given individual, there is no single treatment that can fix everything and only a multi-pronged treatment plan will achieve the best clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.

In days of old, practitioners and patients were limited in the materials and treatment options available for facial rejuvenation, like life for the edentulous prior to the advent of dental implants. This meant that clinical results were always compromised, and complication rates were much higher, when all we had available was Botox and Dermal Filler. Nowadays, Botox and Dermal Filler, while still important aspects of overall facial rejuvenation, are used to a much lesser extent, in favour of safer, more effective, and less costly treatment developments.

When a single tool is being applied as a cure-all, problems soon follow. A failure to understand ALL the available treatment options and the proper sequence of their use; limiting treatment to certain isolated areas of the lower face; and an over-reliance on a limited range of tools, leads to a multitude of problems, from a lack of informed consent, through to inappropriate treatment approaches causing unnecessary clinical complications and poor aesthetic outcomes. 

Invariably, those who only promote, teach, or provide a limited range of treatment options, telling others to avoid various procedures, only do so out of their own inability to understand or successfully deliver said procedures. It has reached a point now where, if a practitioner is only learning, promoting, or delivering Botox and Dermal Filler for facial rejuvenation, they should STOP immediately! This also extends to practitioners who say that procedures should only ever be performed in a certain way, such as with a cannula instead of a needle. Such commentary displays a dangerously limited level of comprehension, skill, and experience.

Successful Dento-Facial rejuvenation can NEVER just be about learning Botox and Dermal Filler injections. Dentists need to become knowledgeable in the full spectrum of facial rejuvenation, able to appropriately consult patients; diagnose and treatment plan utilizing an array of techniques, ranging from scientifically proven at-home skincare products and sunscreen, through to dissolving fat deposits and performing thread-lifts to address skin laxity. 

The only way to achieve this is to engage in a comprehensive, accredited pathway of learning, which culminates in a deep understanding of dento-facial health and rejuvenation, including the full array of available treatment options. The easiest way to do that is to align yourself with the pioneers in the industry, who have been there every step of the way and understand what you need to succeed, which, these days, MUST include the very latest in ultrasound guided injecting protocols, such as those developed and taught during the AADFA Fellowship Program.

Contact AADFA to find out more about learning to perform facial rejuvenation the right way:

clinical@aadfa.net