A court ruling in Melbourne, Australia, this week is being hailed for setting a precedent regarding who can perform teeth-whitening procedures in the country, according to a story on news.com.au.
Suong "Becky" Van Thi was convicted and fined $2,000 Australian ($1,731 U.S.) for whitening teeth in a beauty salon without being a registered dental care provider, according to the story. Magistrate Jill Crowe said teeth-whitening is an "invasive and irreversible procedure" and should only be performed by registered dental care providers, not beauty therapists or other cosmetic treatment providers.
The Dental Practice Board of Victoria originally brought the charge against Van Thi after a customer complained of "severe mottling and marbled teeth, gum ulcerations, and chemical burns" following a teeth-whitening procedure performed by Van Thi in 2007, the Web site reported.
Van Thi is appealing the ruling.
Copyright © 2009 DrBicuspid.com
