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Dental Products Report | October 2008
DPR Survey

Getting it white in tough times

The demand for chairside and take-home whitening may not be on the rise as much these days, but our latest Exclusive Survey Report shows that patients still are interested in the whitening options your practice has to offer.

By Renee Knight

Whiter teeth. A brighter, attention-getting smile. The thought of making that a reality may be tempting to some, maybe even most, of your patients. But economic times are tight, and even if your patients dream of one day having that Hollywood smile, chances are they’re not asking you how they can get it.

The latest DPR Exclusive Survey Report shows that patient demand for whitening procedures—both chairside and take-home—is at a bit of a standstill, with 39% of respondents saying the demand for in-office chairside whitening has stayed the same in the last two years, while 53% said the demand for take-home whitening in the same time period hasn’t changed. Only 36% said the demand for in-office whitening increased in the last two years, while 21% noticed an increase in the demand for take-home kits. This is a drop from the 2006 survey, when 56% of respondents who offered chairside whitening said demand had increased and 49% indicated an increase in the demand for take-home.

“Part of it is the economy, and part of it is the availability of over-the-counter products,” said Dr. Edward Swift, professor and chair, Department of Operative Dentistry, University of North Carolina. “It’s very much an elective procedure.”

The over-the-counter option

Most survey respondents (75%) indicated they tell their patients to give OTC whitening products a try and to keep them posted and/or don’t discourage their use. Even so, patients are still seeking advice from dental professionals, said Steve Clark, Ultradent’s Senior Brand Manager for Whitening.

“When money is tight people look for cheaper, but more importantly
effective, alternatives,” Clark said. “If they decide to spend their money on a cosmetic treatment, they’re more critical of the effectiveness of the product or procedure they’re spending their money on. That’s why manufacturers like Ultradent have recognized the need to deliver a menu of whitening options.”

Dr. Dean Lodding (drdeanlodding.com) of Smile for Life Dental is one of those clinicians who doesn’t discourage his patients from trying OTC options.

Connecting with your patients

Although tight times may be affecting whitening and other elective procedures in some practices, there are clinicians who say they’re not feeling the pinch.

Dr. Bill Dorfman, (billdorfmandds.com) founder of Discus Dental (discusdental.com), said the whitening business at his practice is still booming. Its success is largely because the entire office is involved and encouraging patients to give whitening a try. Clinicians should also communicate with patients about the options they have available, said Dr. Dean Lodding (drdeanlodding.com) of Smile for Life Dental. When a patient is in the chair, do a shade reading. Do imaging to show what whiter teeth can look like.

“We don’t try to push it down their throats and convince them they need to do whitening, but we let them know the services are available,” Dr. Lodding said. “My feeling has always been to let the people take it from there.”

Keep expectations in check

Our survey results indicate most patients (82%) are either satisfied or very satisfied with in-office whitening results, while 86% are either very satisfied or satisfied with their take-home whitening kits. To keep your patients happy, it’s important to talk with them about their expectations—and to make sure they’re realistic.

“You have problems if you don’t communicate with your patients and their expectations are too high,” Dr. Lodding said. “They don’t know what colors respond better to whitening. Our job is to educate them as to what they can expect.”

To that end, patients should be aware of the dental work in their mouths and that it may not change with the whitening procedure, said Dr. Michael Sesemann of the Nebraska Institute of Cosmetic Dentistry (smilesonline.net).

“If they have discolored fillings, they will stick out more after whitening of the adjacent tooth structure has been completed,” he said. “They have to be ready to have fillings replaced or a crown re-done if that occurs.”

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