Patients have been warned to be extra careful about what they order online after braces, teeth whitening and veneers ordered on the internet caused more complaints from patients last year.
It’s now possible to order teeth straightening systems online through suppliers such as Your Smile Direct — yet some other companies selling kits by post are doing so without the consent of registered and licensed dentists.
Dental Complaints Resolution Services, a voluntary service funded by the Irish Dental Association, received 10 complaints last year from people who bought dental kits online. The complaints were mostly about braces and whitening toolkits, with one about dental veneers.
Facilitator Michael Kilcoyne said he couldn’t deal with the complaints because the people supplying the products were not registered dentists.
Speaking at the launch of the DCRS’s fifth annual report, Mr Kilcoyne said:
I have to tell those consumers I can’t do anything for you. The service can only deal with complaints where there is a registered dentist involved who is practising in the Republic.
The Dental Council, which regulates the dental profession, warned earlier this year that “purchasing an appliance without an appropriate examination or ongoing dental support could compromise your treatment.
Online orthodontic customers receive a kit to take impressions of their own teeth and send them off in the post, and a brace is then sent back. Some companies use PO box addresses for their services and are difficult to reach if something goes wrong.
At Shields Dental & Implant Clinic we would always recommend an in depth consultation with a specialist.
High quality treatment with a specialist costs significantly more than online braces for a very good reason, and the range of Orthodontist solutions here in Limerick makes us a centre of excellence for the diagnosis and prevention of badly positioned teeth and jaws.
Finance is available on orthodontic treatment, and in the unlikely event of a complaint we would always listen to your concerns and seek to find a solution that’s to your satisfaction.
