Teeth Whitening Kiosks January 27, 2009

   In this week’s health alert we investigate the teeth whitening stands you often see in the middle of the mall.  It struck us as odd that you could get this done in the middle of your shopping so we took a closer look.

   The thing you must know about these kiosks is that the people who work at them are not dentists.  In some cases they may wear white coats.  This does not mean they are doctors of dentistry.  Our visit to a few of the kiosks found they are upfront about this fact, they do not hide the fact they’re not dentists.  They offer a similar whitening technique you would find at your dentist’s office for a lot cheaper.  The price for a ‘uv light’ whitening treatment at the dentist can be 700 dollars.  The kiosk offers it for under 130.  They promise to make your teeth one to six shades whiter and the techniques do show results.

    Some actual dentists we spoke with were concerned that the chemical procedure offered could burn a person’s gum or cause nerve damage.  They did admit these things can happen in a dentist’s office too but said in the office you have a medically trained physician who can better deal with problems should they arise.

     It is against the law in Georgia to pratice dentistry without a license.  Kiosk owners say they are not practicing dentistry because the technicians never touch the client.  They help you do the whitening themselves.  But dentists say what the teeth whitening kiosks offer is dentistry and needs to be regulated.

Concierge Medicine January 6, 2009

  Happy New Year!  This week’s health alert focuses on a controversial new wave in the medical community, concierge medicine.  I read about this recently in a Robin Cook novel and found it fascinating.  The idea is to offer medical services exclusively to those who pay an annual fee.  No insurance, no waiting for appointments, and in many cases, no going to the doctor’s office, they’ll come to you.  Critics say concierge medicine is only for the rich which annual fees ranging from $1500 to $20,000 depending on the services you need and the access you desire.  This price will get you access to your doctor anytime via phone or e-mail and may include house calls.  Some doctors get into concierge medicine to spend more quality time with patients.  The doctor we featured felt she never had enough time to devote to each patient and her down time was eaten up with insurance issues and trying to ‘catch up.’  For patients who can afford it, it is a individually tailored approach to medicine that is invaluable, especially if the person has special medical needs or can’t wait to be seen.  Again, it’s not without controversy.  Some doctors feel it is a physician’s obligation to see and treat everyone who needs help, not just those able to pay a yearly fee.  But for the doctor we featured and her patients, it is a perfect solution to the often overbooked, overwhelming world of medicine.