CRB: How did you get into dentistry and aesthetics?
MN: I originally qualified as a dentist from the University of Dundee in 2008 and went on to hone my skills in more specific areas during my time undertaking Oral and Maxillofacial SHO posts. It was at that point in time my interest in aesthetics was piqued, and I delved into the world of aesthetic procedures for the very first time.
CRB: What is behind the current trend for dental professionals becoming more involved in facial aesthetics?
MN: Before I started in aesthetics back in 2011, I already had several colleagues who were moving across to aesthetics or splitting their time between that and dentistry. More recently though, there has been an enormous influx of dental professionals into medical aesthetics, certainly within the last five to 10 years. With that, there have also been huge leaps forward in terms of what we can achieve, with the ability to achieve even more predictable and natural results with treatments such as dermal filler, with a more holistic view being utilised compared to just “filling lines and folds”. That is where well-structured educational programmes are a vital component in the industry.
I would say that the vast majority of dentists who move towards aesthetics do so alongside working within dentistry. Dentists are ideally placed in terms of their skillset to make the transition, more so than any other healthcare professionals – they already have the skill of handling multifactorial treatment plans that are then deliverable to the patient. In terms of manual dexterity, dentists are more advanced compared to many other healthcare professionals who might not have had that hands-on experience, or the knowledge of facial anatomy that we do. Dentists are also very able to assess how the smile will marry up with the potential aesthetic changes being made in the face, and I think that gives them an unquestionable advantage.
Plus, dentists are looking more than ever at ways in which they can grow their practices and retain their patients. Adding in the availability of minimally invasive aesthetic procedures like Botox can have tremendous benefits and will show patients just how much is available at the dental practice, besides oral health or “the perfect smile”.
CRB: There is an ongoing debate regarding the education and regulation of those using cosmetic injectables and fillers. What do you think should be in place to ensure safe and the most appropriate aesthetic treatments for patients?
MN: According to research from The Global Aesthetic Market Study, as of 2020 aesthetics procedures were set to grow globally by 14.3 per cent year on year until 2025, with over 23m aesthetic treatments predicted to take place in 2025. So, it’s clear that the industry is expanding at an exponential pace. Along with that the sheer number of new products, new devices and new techniques flooding the market is astounding, so I think that can be somewhat confusing in terms of making an educated choice, not just for the patient but for the healthcare professional treating them.
It should only be healthcare professionals treating patients, however, in the UK we are in the position of being one of the worst-regulated countries globally, and that means that both non-healthcare and healthcare professionals are able to deliver treatments without having committed the right amount of time and focus on their training beforehand. I personally think ‘Level 7’ should be used as a good baseline for treatment, but that should be used as a ‘minimal’ qualification to be built on. I think it is also very important for dental professionals moving into this field to structure their continued professional development and education accordingly, to make sure they get the most appropriate mentorship and ongoing training that they need to deliver safe aesthetic treatment, and not trying to run before they can walk.
Allergan Aesthetics (an AbbVie company) recently launched several educational resources, including their A-Z Glossary for Medical Aesthetics. It’s a useful resource for healthcare professionals, as well as their patients. Given that many dentists will mainly stick to delivering injectable treatments, if they decide to integrate other modalities, for example, the use of lasers, this guide can give them the basic terminology and understanding of the other modalities out there. There are a lot of new terms and treatments that may not initially make sense which could lead to confusion, so having Allergan Aesthetics’ A-Z Glossary to refer to is great.
CRB: Do you think patient education regarding aesthetics has grown and improved along with the popularity of aesthetic treatments?
MN: I think having Allergan Aesthetics’ A-Z Glossary as an authoritative guide that patients can look up and refer to knowing that the information is up to date, relevant and accurate would help combat some of the riskier alternatives out there.
A lot of patients are influenced via either friends or social media – what they see online when it comes to deciding they want a certain procedure done, without having a reliable place to go and look at the facts, risks, and finer details. On a day-to-day basis, I have many patients attending with a low level of knowledge but extremely high expectations of what will be achieved, which then leads them to request specific treatments rather than an educated opinion on what would best address their needs and desires.
With a reliable glossary or website to refer them to, it will make it far easier to show them why a specific treatment or procedure won’t work for them, and why a different one will. Because of the lack of regulation, there are a lot of dangerous procedures out there that patients may think we can undertake, but we simply would not do (such as ‘liquid BBLs’ and the complications it can lead to). The complications side of the conversation needs to be addressed by the industry as a whole, and dentists/ dental professionals are in an excellent position to lead that.
Given that dentists have pre-existing professional relationships with patients who may be curious or directly looking to get an aesthetic treatment done, it means they are in a great position to take a holistic view and educate the patient. As healthcare professionals we need to be working in the most robust, informative way that we can. Allergan also has a free consultation app available through the AMI Digital World, which gives you the ability to show detailed information regarding treatments and facial ageing. With these free resources to hand, we will hopefully create a future in which both the patient and practitioner are able to make the most effective and informed choice they can.