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As Botox and dermal fillers become more of a mainstay in dental practices, a whole new category of facial esthetics is taking hold.\u00a0 It is estimated that one out of every five dentists in the US are now offering Botox and dermal filler therapies for both therapeutic and cosmetic purposes, and this area of dentistry is growing rapidly.<\/p>\n
Most dentists will say that whitening and veneers are among the most important cosmetic procedures they perform, but many of their patients seem inclined to disagree.\u00a0 Many patients are more interested in enhancing their smile as a whole than simply getting great teeth.\u00a0 Many dentists, however, are intensely focused on the teeth, telling patients that all they need is a set of veneers to improve their smile.\u00a0 These dentists couldn\u2019t be more wrong.<\/p>\n
The truth is, a great smile involves much more than just teeth, it involves the tissue both in and around the mouth, such as the lips, cheeks, chin, jowls, and more.\u00a0 Nearly everyone is familiar with Botox and dermal fillers.\u00a0 These days all you have to do is pick up a magazine to read about some celebrity getting Botox or dermal filler procedures.<\/p>\n
I would challenge you to make one tiny change to your medical history form.\u00a0 Add a question asking your patients if they\u2019ve ever had Botox or dermal fillers.\u00a0 You may be surprised, and a little annoyed, at how many people answer yes, despite ignoring your repeated urgings to get a broken tooth fixed.\u00a0 It is quite common for dentists and their patients to have very different priorities regarding esthetics and well-being.<\/p>\n
Why are Botox and dermal fillers so incredibly popular today?\u00a0 And how could the economics of these procedures affect your bottom line?<\/p>\n
In a survey of dentists who have enrolled in these courses, many dentists simply crunched the numbers and come to realize that they can potentially grow their bottom line by offering these services.\u00a0 Many dentists find these procedures an attractive addition to their services because there is no large, expensive equipment required, no monthly payments, and the accessories needed to perform the procedures cost next to nothing.\u00a0 They realize that the more of these procedures they perform, the more they can make.\u00a0 The greatest expense is the actual product, and it\u2019s not necessary to keep a huge inventory as they can be shipped overnight.<\/p>\n
Many years ago, I learned the philosophy of faster, easier, and better dentistry.\u00a0 This is the key to controlling overhead, not just in dentistry, but in nearly any field.\u00a0 It pays to invest in anything that will both improve the quality of procedures and decrease the time it takes to perform procedures.\u00a0 Botox and dermal filler therapies certainly qualify.\u00a0 Our training courses focus on teaching about facial anatomy and physiology, preventing and treating adverse reactions, managing patient expectations, and everything you could possibly need to know about using Botox.\u00a0 Participants are often shocked to learn that administering the Botox injections takes no more than 5 minutes.\u00a0 Dermal filler injections take a bit longer, but can still be completed in 15 minutes or less.\u00a0 Once you have completed your training and established a routine, you\u2019ll be surprised at how many of these procedures you can perform each week.\u00a0\u00a0 Ask yourself this; Can I squeeze a couple of extra five minute procedures into my day?\u00a0 How about if these five minute procedures are especially profitable?<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s talk about how much you can charge to perform these procedures.\u00a0 There are a few different ways you might choose to structure your fee schedule for Botox and dermal fillers.\u00a0 You might set your fees based on how much product you need to use.\u00a0 You might set your fees based on what areas of the face are being treated.\u00a0 Or you might simply offer an overall total facial esthetics and smile makeover package for a flat rate.\u00a0 Dentists have a unique skillset that allows them to offer facial esthetic packages that might combine Botox with bleaching or veneers, or dermal fillers with crowns or straightening.\u00a0 The possibilities are near endless.\u00a0 When you offer Botox, you might be surprised at how many of your patients are then willing to finally get the other procedures you\u2019ve been recommending to them for years.<\/p>\n
If you look at what you can charge for Botox and dermal filler products alone, you can easily charge anywhere from $600 to $3,000, and that doesn\u2019t include any dental services you might perform for the patient that day.\u00a0 This is a big range, but depends on how much product you use, how many areas you are treating, and whether you are performing any type of soft tissue enhancement.\u00a0 The product you use during the procedure, again depending on how much you use, will cost you between $50 and $500 and your time investment is between 5 and 20 minutes.\u00a0 It\u2019s easy to see how quickly this can add up.<\/p>\n
Now, I know you\u2019re asking yourself whether patients will pay for this.\u00a0 The short answer is\u2026 In a heartbeat.<\/p>\n
Currently, more than 30 states allow dentists to offer Botox and dermal fillers for oral and maxillofacial cosmetic purposes, while every state now allows dentists to offer Botox and dermal fillers for therapeutic purposes, including TMJ, bruxism, improve soft tissue function, facial pain, and angular chelitis.\u00a0 Isn\u2019t it time you started offering your patients the benefits of being able to turn to you for their Botox and dermal filler treatments?\u00a0 And don\u2019t you owe it to your practice to offer this lucrative, easy, and quick procedure to your patients?<\/p>\n
If you think about it, as a dentist, you possess a unique set of skills that allows you to offer a total facial esthetics package that no other type of healthcare professional can, because you are the only one who can treat your patients\u2019 teeth as well as administering the injectables.\u00a0 A smile enhancement may involve more than just the teeth, but it isn\u2019t complete without great teeth.<\/p>\n
Before you can start offering these procedures, you have to get trained.\u00a0 You didn\u2019t learn to place implants by watching a video or reading a book, and administering Botox and dermal filler injections is just the same.\u00a0 You must have hands on training with live patients.\u00a0 You need to fully understand the products you\u2019re using, including what they can do, as well as the anatomy of the parts of the face on which they are used, and how they will affect the entire appearance of the face.<\/p>\n
Many other healthcare professionals, including nurses, chiropractors, medical estheticians, and, of course, doctors, are offering these procedures on the very same areas that you work on every day.\u00a0 Aren\u2019t you at least as skilled in facial procedures as they are?\u00a0 You see your patients twice a year anyway, and they trust you.\u00a0 Doesn\u2019t it just make sense to offer the procedure while they\u2019re already in your chair anyway?\u00a0 Now is the time to offer Botox to your practice.<\/p>\n
Dr. Katz is the President and founder of Dentox, a premier teaching facility for dental Botox and dermal fillers and has co-invented most indications for dental uses of Botox.\u00a0 Dr. Katz has injected and supervised injections on more patients than any other educator in this field.\u00a0 It is with this extensive experience that he has created protocols for dental esthetics of dermal fillers for many US cosmeceutical companies.<\/p>\n