Making the case for a new era of facial aesthetics – Priyanka Chadha and Lara Watson – The British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2019
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Priyanka Chadha and Lara Watson – Directors of Acquisition Aesthetics – discuss how and why they feel the current trend for facial aesthetics within the dental market is changing.
Socially driven
The increase we have seen in facial aesthetics can be attributed to various external factors. The ever-rising power of social media and freedom of information has accelerated the evolution of patient demands and allowed for better integration between medical and dental environments. These changes have created the ideal setting for the aesthetics industry to flourish. With modern technology and changing societal principles, there has been a shift towards acquiring aesthetic ideals and a widely shared belief that everyone should be able to look their very best.
There has also been a dramatic paradigm shift from surgical to non-surgical procedures. Modern products and technologies have meant that we can now achieve results with non-surgical techniques that can rival the surgical alternative with the added bonus of reduced downtime and cost. The non-permanent and incremental nature of cosmetic injectables often provides clients with a sense of reassurance and control.
In addition, there is now a significant volume of hard evidence and research that has supported the development of a new generation of tried and tested products that are not only effective but very safe. As such, there has been a new acceptance of facial aesthetics within the healthcare sector. With highly credible doctors and dentists integrating non-surgical procedures into their practices we are seeing a marked de-stigmatisation of aesthetics amongst healthcare professionals.
Dentistry supplement
As we all know, patients benefit from visiting a trusted healthcare professional for treatment, who has sufficient clinical knowledge and technical skill to provide safe and effective treatments but who can also manage any complications, should they occur.
From a dentist’s perspective, facial aesthetics provides an opportunity to supplement restorative dental work and provide holistic treatment plans addressing the whole face. Beyond simply treating the teeth, modern dentists are now considering the supporting soft tissue architecture like the lips, chin and jawline as well as functional issues that can be managed with botulinum toxin such as TMJD.
Injectables can also be used as an alternative treatment option in some cases. In orthognathics, for example, chin augmentation with dermal filler can be performed to disguise a skeletal class II relationship where there is only a cosmetic concern. This can save patients from undergoing painful orthognathic surgery and the risks associated with it as well as providing a faster and cheaper option that reduces the burden on the NHS.
Further to all this, dentists are artists and demonstrate unrivalled levels of confidence and dexterity when injecting the face. Considering all the professionals we train in facial aesthetics, it is always the dentists that stand out when it comes to injecting. Dentists really are perfectly placed to take hold of these treatments, offer them independently or integrate them within dental plans for more a holistic approach that is going to appeal to a new generation of patients.
Overcoming the final hurdles
While the stigma surrounding facial aesthetics is diminishing, there is still some work to do. With more and more responsible healthcare professionals doing the training and flying the flag for safe and effective facial aesthetics, we are fighting this stigma all the time. With the excellent range of safe and reliable products available in today’s market, a responsible practitioner can go forwards without hesitation or fear.
For some dentists, facial aesthetics may not be of interest and may not appeal to their natural talents. As with any sub-speciality, facial aesthetics is not for everyone. Those working in certain fields such as paediatric dentistry or endodontics, for instance, may feel that aesthetic medicine doesn’t complement their day-to-day practice and may choose to devote time to other activities.
In terms of when to get started – the sooner the better! There seems to be a common misconception that there is a finite amount of information to absorb regarding facial aesthetics. However, just like dentistry, the industry is developing rapidly and so it would be best for professionals to learn the basics sooner rather than later. We offer training courses for all experience levels and are particularly keen to encourage newly qualified professionals to get involved. Many of the young dentists we work with find that their facial aesthetic skills progress alongside their dental skills and that the two complement each other perfectly.
Welcoming a new era
We have undoubtedly entered a new era of facial aesthetics. The new generation of practitioners are capitalising on the power of social media and other marketing avenues to really drive their cosmetic businesses forward. When it comes to aesthetics, the dental sector is seemingly in need of a facelift, but with new ideas and innovation, it will get there. It’s an exciting time and we are delighted to be a part of it.
Priya and Lara will be discussing all of this further and providing live demonstrations at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2019, in the Facial Aesthetics Theatre. They will also be joined by some truly inspirational dentists who have forged unique paths into the cosmetic world and who will be sharing their own pearls of wisdom.
The British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2019 will be held on Friday 17thand Saturday 18thMay at the Birmingham NEC, co-located with DTS.
For further details visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk, call 020 7348 5270
or email dentistry@closerstillmedia.com
Author biographies:
Priyanka (Priya) graduated from Imperial College, London with a distinction in medicine and a distinction in surgery. After scoring in the top 1% of the country for Core Surgical Training, Priya proceeded to secure a registrar number, ranking number 1.
She has an excellent academic CV including a number of national and international prizes and awards and currently works as a Plastic Surgery registrar in London.
In addition to her longstanding achievements in plastics, Priya has a Bachelors degree in surgery and anaesthesia and a Masters in teaching and surgical education from Imperial College, London, for which she was awarded a merit. She is a renowned teacher, a full member of the Royal College of Surgeons and also holds a Diploma in the Ethics and Philosophy of Healthcare.
Priya has set up and successfully run a number of educational and teaching courses at the Royal College of Surgeons, for which she has received awards from the London Deanery for teaching excellence.
Lara is passionate about empowering healthcare professionals to channel their inner creativity through the art of facial aesthetics. A dual qualified doctor and dentist, she now works as a Core surgical trainee in London. Having graduated in medicine with additional degrees in advanced human anatomy and research for medical sciences, Lara went on to achieve a Bachelor of Dental Surgery with Honours at King’s College, London. She is currently pursuing higher training in her chosen specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery, having secured the only OMFS-themed surgical rotation in London.
With full membership to the Royal College of Surgeons, Lara teaches at various surgical skills workshops for the college and the wider surgical community and was commended for founding and co-ordinating an international undergraduate surgical teaching programme.
Through her dual qualification and a passion for head and neck surgery, Lara’s extensive understanding of facial anatomy enables her to deliver the highest standard of theoretical teaching in the principles of safe practice in facial aesthetics.
Her entrepreneurialism and experience in the aesthetics industry allows Lara to provide delegates with the knowledge and skills required to succeed in today’s competitive industry and deliver beautiful results to clients.
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