Lynne Baker
Lynne The Skin!
Teeth Whitening Seminar Update
Some of you will know that I have long since held the view that teeth whitening should not be exhibited at beauty trade shows because it’s illegal for therapists to carry it out under the salon roof.
Mark Moloney (PB CEO) contacted me to ask why I wouldn’t exhibit with them again and I didn’t hold back (no surprise there!)
We had a long, courteous, and reasoned debate about the whole issue, and I was horrified to discover his almost total lack of knowledge surrounding the law on this.
I was also very surprised when he offered me a platform for my views by holding a seminar at the PB North show next weekend in Manchester.
My plan was to have Mark, myself, a rep from one of the insurance companies who won’t cover therapists, a rep from one of the teeth whitening companies, a therapist who had been prosecuted by the GDC, and the GDC themselves.
Many emails/phone calls/meetings later and it is with not a little despondency that I have to report that the seminar will not be going ahead. Here is what happened.
The GDC, the very organisation which prosecutes therapists, refused to attend, stating that they would not go head to head with the teeth whitening companies.
None of the prosecuted therapists wanted to relive their experiences, stating that they had systemically been lied to by the suppliers, who, in effect, hung them out to dry, and had been told that they had clearly not followed the instructions, and therefore they were on their own against the deeper pockets of the GDC.
I pressed the GDC for an answer but they were utterly intransigent. A dental surgeon friend of mine put me in touch with a board member of the British Dental Association. He was delighted to attend, but he wanted £500 to do so. PB wouldn’t pay.
Mark suggested that he chair a seminar between myself and Bryan Christie from Megawhite, completely missing the point that he (Mark Moloney) is the one who allows teeth whitening to go on at his shows.
None of the insurance companies agreed to attend.
So, my industry colleagues, friends, supporters and detractors alike, I have failed.
I have failed to bring this illegal practice issue to a wider (but still relevant) audience.
I have failed to play my part in reducing the risk to our paying clients.
I have failed to reduce the number of unwitting therapists who will be lied to by the suppliers, and who will undoubtedly lose money, and, more importantly, run the risk of prosecution, large fines, and adverse publicity.
And for all that I am truly sorry.
Some of you will know that I have long since held the view that teeth whitening should not be exhibited at beauty trade shows because it’s illegal for therapists to carry it out under the salon roof.
Mark Moloney (PB CEO) contacted me to ask why I wouldn’t exhibit with them again and I didn’t hold back (no surprise there!)
We had a long, courteous, and reasoned debate about the whole issue, and I was horrified to discover his almost total lack of knowledge surrounding the law on this.
I was also very surprised when he offered me a platform for my views by holding a seminar at the PB North show next weekend in Manchester.
My plan was to have Mark, myself, a rep from one of the insurance companies who won’t cover therapists, a rep from one of the teeth whitening companies, a therapist who had been prosecuted by the GDC, and the GDC themselves.
Many emails/phone calls/meetings later and it is with not a little despondency that I have to report that the seminar will not be going ahead. Here is what happened.
The GDC, the very organisation which prosecutes therapists, refused to attend, stating that they would not go head to head with the teeth whitening companies.
None of the prosecuted therapists wanted to relive their experiences, stating that they had systemically been lied to by the suppliers, who, in effect, hung them out to dry, and had been told that they had clearly not followed the instructions, and therefore they were on their own against the deeper pockets of the GDC.
I pressed the GDC for an answer but they were utterly intransigent. A dental surgeon friend of mine put me in touch with a board member of the British Dental Association. He was delighted to attend, but he wanted £500 to do so. PB wouldn’t pay.
Mark suggested that he chair a seminar between myself and Bryan Christie from Megawhite, completely missing the point that he (Mark Moloney) is the one who allows teeth whitening to go on at his shows.
None of the insurance companies agreed to attend.
So, my industry colleagues, friends, supporters and detractors alike, I have failed.
I have failed to bring this illegal practice issue to a wider (but still relevant) audience.
I have failed to play my part in reducing the risk to our paying clients.
I have failed to reduce the number of unwitting therapists who will be lied to by the suppliers, and who will undoubtedly lose money, and, more importantly, run the risk of prosecution, large fines, and adverse publicity.
And for all that I am truly sorry.
