With the adoption of a resolution by its House of Delegates, the ADA has officially committed to supporting education of the public on the importance of consulting a licensed dentist to determine if whitening/bleaching is an appropriate course of treatment.
Prompted by concerns about safety issues regarding unlicensed providers working in teeth-whitening businesses, Resolution 73H-2008 also directs the Association to petition the FDA to properly classify tooth whitening and bleaching agents and directs the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs to compile scientific research to describe treatment considerations for dentists prior to performing these procedures in order to reduce the incidence of adverse outcomes and report these findings to all state dental associations.
Furthermore, the resolution urges constituent societies, through legislative or regulatory efforts, to support the proposition that the administering or application of any intraoral chemical for the sole purpose of whitening/bleaching of the teeth by whatever technique (except for the lawfully permitted self application and application by a parent and/or guardian) constitutes the practice of dentistry and any non-dentist engaging in such activity is committing the unlicensed practice of dentistry.
Additionally, the ADA Legal Division has conducted a constituent dental society survey on whitening and has offered to assist dental societies with resources that may help in their efforts to lobby their dental boards to take action regarding these whitening clinics.
