Smile Science - teeth-whitening booth in Westfield

Howikay

Hey All

Thanks for this thread - I saw the Groupon offer for Smile Science today, googled it and now can avoid. thanks

There is another tooth whitening offer is also live on Groupon (from Covent Garden Dental Spa), think this one is safer/more legit?

Thanks

brook2jack

As with all tooth whitening check that it is provided/ prescribed by a dentist. You then know cross infection controls are in place, safe chemicals are used in an appropriate way and your teeth and gums are assessed properly first to make sure no damage will be done.

If something goes wrong you also know that you have avenues to persue to right things.

Never apply chemical bought over the Internet to whiten teeth, be it strips or foams etc you have no idea what chemicals are in them.

If you have been damaged by kits bought from Internet, shops etc bear in mind most are illegal so contact your local trading standards their phone number can normally be found in your local council web site.

If you have been damaged by illegal toothwhitening booths etc contact the general dental council link above.

paddyrg

Howikay wrote: »

There is another tooth whitening offer is also live on Groupon (from Covent Garden Dental Spa), think this one is safer/more legit?

Well, they do at least appear to be dentists, not working in a commercial unit in a shopping centre

Handsome90

george9t8 wrote: »

Thanks for your help.

I've cancelled the Groupon offer.

There's another one at a Harley St clinic, it seems that all these offers are from clinics and not dental surgeries.

I thought Harley Street Clinic was a proper private hospital in London.

johnsons_baby

From my own point of view (as a former qualified dental nurse) I would strongly advise against people going to pop up clinics like these.

I used to assist in doing whitening pro refutes in practice and I've had it done myself in practice.

I have experience in one whitening product and not all of them so I can't comment on different products but when we did our whitening, there was a 45 minute consultation with ALL the risks and benefits outlined, things such as fillings, crowns, veneers won't whiten and you could end up with these being cosmetically obvious.

We also outlined sensitivity, bleeding gums, after care etc

We would book whitening for 2 weeks after that consultation yo give people a chance to consider the treatment.

Out of interest I went to one of these booths but only for the sales spiel and no risks were mentioned and I was told all crowns whitened even metal ones, I laughed and walked away after that

amybee7888

Having purchased a groupon voucher for Smile-science earlier this year, I decided to do a bit of research into finding some user reviews. How I wish I'd done this prior to the transaction!

I came across this thread and some articles published by the GDC regarding the ruling that teeth whitening is a dental, not cosmetic, procedure. Armed with information about the legal requirement for anyone carrying out the procedure to be registered with the GDC, I know I would be able to question the staff when I got to my appointment.

Surprise surprise the only staff member at the Smile-science station in Stratford City at the time of my appointment could not give me her registration number and could only direct me to their head office AFTER I would have had the treatment.

By this point I was very concerned, a concern only compounded by their consent form which states "teeth whitening is cosmetic, not dental procedure." Suffice to say by this point I had decided not to go through with it.

Even more worryingly so, when I tried to leave with my consent form, I was physically blocked in by the colleague. I wonder why?!


I am pursuing this with the GDC ...

amybee7888

Smile-science state in their reply to my complaint that it is only the GDC's opinion that dental professionals carrying out the procedure must be registered with them. I am under the impression that as a regulatory body, it is a legal requirement. Any thoughts?

paddyrg

amybee7888 wrote: »

... it is only the GDC's opinion that dental professionals carrying out the procedure must be registered with them.

Tooth whitening is dentistry, High Court confirms

http://www.gdc-uk.org/Newsandpublications/Pressreleases/Pages/Tooth-whitening-is-dentistry,-High-Court-confirms.aspx

The Dentists Act 1984 makes it a criminal offence for anyone other than a registered dental professional to carry out dentistry

Appears to be the opinion of the GDC and the HIGH COURT.

Maybe remind Groupon of this http://www.gdc-uk.org/Newsandpublications/Pressreleases/Pages/GDC-works-with-Groupon-to-stop-illegal-tooth-whitening.aspx and get your money back.

As the leading UK provider of ‘daily deals’, Groupon has already taken action not to offer tooth whitening deals from individuals who are not regulated by the GDC.

brook2jack

Groupon agreed not to advertise tooth whitening unless a gdc registration number is provided. Unfortunately there appears to be widespread flouting of this agreement by groupon , along with salons using false registration numbers, or those of technicians or nurses who are not allowed to carry out whitening. You should also try contacting by email compliance@groupon.co.UK

hollydays

Handsome90 wrote: »

I thought Harley Street Clinic was a proper private hospital in London.

Harley stree t has some prestigious clinics, but the use of the word Harley street is no guarantee , after all, clinics carrying out plastic surgery don't even need properly qualified staff.