Saturday, March 29, 2014
Megawhite Global Limited
And so the plot thickens. Bryan Christie from Megawhite has suddenly qualified as a Dentist... or according to some paperwork he has filed at Companies house, he is now a Dentist. And this is a company that are trying to sell Whitening to Qualified Dental Surgeons!
Monday, March 24, 2014
Megawhite sham
Megawhite
Reviewed by Beverley Carlyle onMegawhite is a sham
Megawhite is a sham of a company who knowingly employed two fake dentists to provide tooth whitening and also tooth whitening courses.
Nabeel Mohammed was recently prosecuted by the General Dental Council for illegally whitening teeth, this is the man that was used as a figurehead to sell Megawhite training courses.
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
Friday, March 14, 2014
Megawhite illegal
Teeth whitening can be a very controversial subject, especially as in 2012, the UK law changed to make it illegal for: "Anyone other than a dentist to give treatment, advice or attendance that would normally be given by a dentist." This includes teeth whitening treatments.
You can buy teeth whitening toothpaste, and this is perfectly legal because the concentration of the active ingredients is so low, it can be sold over the counter.
What does the law say about teeth whitening?
With relation to the concentration of hydrogen peroxide present or released; anything less than 0.1% is safe over the counter. Anything between 0.1% and 6% can only be prescribed by a dentist.
In addition to this, the act of teeth whitening is considered a dental treatment, and should therefore only be prescribed by a dentist.
Loop holes in the law… well, sort of!
As we have all seen, teeth whitening is often carried out in shopping centres and beauty salons, so why is this, and how do they get around the law?
The truth is that they are in fact breaking the law, and until recently they have been getting away with it.
One common misconception is that if the person selling the teeth whitening is not touching the customer, then they are not performing dentistry. They give all the gel to the customer, and the customer will ‘self administer’ the whitening. This is a common belief, however if you read what is in the first paragraph again:
It is illegal for "anyone other than a dentist to give treatment, advice or attendance that would normally be given by a dentist".
You can buy teeth whitening toothpaste, and this is perfectly legal because the concentration of the active ingredients is so low, it can be sold over the counter.
What does the law say about teeth whitening?
With relation to the concentration of hydrogen peroxide present or released; anything less than 0.1% is safe over the counter. Anything between 0.1% and 6% can only be prescribed by a dentist.
In addition to this, the act of teeth whitening is considered a dental treatment, and should therefore only be prescribed by a dentist.
Loop holes in the law… well, sort of!
As we have all seen, teeth whitening is often carried out in shopping centres and beauty salons, so why is this, and how do they get around the law?
The truth is that they are in fact breaking the law, and until recently they have been getting away with it.
One common misconception is that if the person selling the teeth whitening is not touching the customer, then they are not performing dentistry. They give all the gel to the customer, and the customer will ‘self administer’ the whitening. This is a common belief, however if you read what is in the first paragraph again:
It is illegal for "anyone other than a dentist to give treatment, advice or attendance that would normally be given by a dentist".
It is clear that even if someone is offering you teeth whitening without actually touching you, they are breaking the law. And this seems fair, if someone gave you acid and said it was teeth whitening gel, then when things went wrong, their response was "but you did it yourself, I didn't put it on your teeth!"
So, what if they do not use hydrogen peroxide, and use something completely different?
This has been done as well, Chlorine Dioxide has been used with scary consequences – This is an extremely acidic chemical and quickly strips the healthy enamel off the teeth. With this treatment, your teeth will go lovely and white for a few days, but after about a week, they tend to go a nice shade of brown. You can read a story of someone who had a £5000 dental bill after chlorine dioxide treatment here.
Is the problem beyond the Beauty Salons?
Beauty salon owners are being sold systems by companies, promising massive profits on their sales. MegaWhite is one such company, and if you look at their website, all the text is focused on how much money the salon owner could make by selling the MegaWhite product.
Here is a recent story of how a salon owner bought into the MegaWhite brand, only to find out that it was illegal, plus MegaWhite's response to this.
So, what if they do not use hydrogen peroxide, and use something completely different?
This has been done as well, Chlorine Dioxide has been used with scary consequences – This is an extremely acidic chemical and quickly strips the healthy enamel off the teeth. With this treatment, your teeth will go lovely and white for a few days, but after about a week, they tend to go a nice shade of brown. You can read a story of someone who had a £5000 dental bill after chlorine dioxide treatment here.
Is the problem beyond the Beauty Salons?
Beauty salon owners are being sold systems by companies, promising massive profits on their sales. MegaWhite is one such company, and if you look at their website, all the text is focused on how much money the salon owner could make by selling the MegaWhite product.
Here is a recent story of how a salon owner bought into the MegaWhite brand, only to find out that it was illegal, plus MegaWhite's response to this.
Megawhite is an illegal company.
Cheap Tooth Whitening
I personally think that these days, the biggest risk with teeth whitening is the risk to your wallet! Many of the cheap systems use a whitening gel which simply does not work, but you may see visible results – so why is this?
Often when I am doing dental treatments for a long time, the teeth appear whiter at the end of treatment and this is because the teeth dehydrate. With most of these cheap systems, you are asked to put a gel on your teeth, and hold your mouth open in front of a light. This light is supposed speed up the reaction.
If you just had your mouth open for 30-40 minutes, then your teeth would probably look whiter, just from the dehydration. This is only temporary and after a day or so, they will be back to their original colour. That’s a nice £100 down the drain, and because they were whiter when you left the salon, it’s almost impossible to get your money back!
If you see a professional
So we have covered a lot of the negative aspects around whitening, here is the positive bit – you can have safer and more reliable teeth whitening if you see a registered dentist. It will probably be a bit more expensive, but you get what you pay for.
There are two ways to whiten your teeth, either with a home whitening system, where you have customised teeth whitening trays made, and you are supplied with a gel of whitening agent, shown how to apply this gel, and then go home, self administer this for a few weeks, then come back for a review to ensure that you have the result you are looking for.
The other way is with the light, and this is done in the surgery. The biggest brand name for this is Zoom, and this treatment often takes 1-2 hours.
Each dentist will have a system that seems to work best for them, my personal preference is the home kit, and I provide two different concentration gels to minimise sensitivity and maximise results. Quite often desensitising before whitening is needed to make the whole procedure as comfortable as possible.
Cheap Tooth Whitening
I personally think that these days, the biggest risk with teeth whitening is the risk to your wallet! Many of the cheap systems use a whitening gel which simply does not work, but you may see visible results – so why is this?
Often when I am doing dental treatments for a long time, the teeth appear whiter at the end of treatment and this is because the teeth dehydrate. With most of these cheap systems, you are asked to put a gel on your teeth, and hold your mouth open in front of a light. This light is supposed speed up the reaction.
If you just had your mouth open for 30-40 minutes, then your teeth would probably look whiter, just from the dehydration. This is only temporary and after a day or so, they will be back to their original colour. That’s a nice £100 down the drain, and because they were whiter when you left the salon, it’s almost impossible to get your money back!
If you see a professional
So we have covered a lot of the negative aspects around whitening, here is the positive bit – you can have safer and more reliable teeth whitening if you see a registered dentist. It will probably be a bit more expensive, but you get what you pay for.
There are two ways to whiten your teeth, either with a home whitening system, where you have customised teeth whitening trays made, and you are supplied with a gel of whitening agent, shown how to apply this gel, and then go home, self administer this for a few weeks, then come back for a review to ensure that you have the result you are looking for.
The other way is with the light, and this is done in the surgery. The biggest brand name for this is Zoom, and this treatment often takes 1-2 hours.
Each dentist will have a system that seems to work best for them, my personal preference is the home kit, and I provide two different concentration gels to minimise sensitivity and maximise results. Quite often desensitising before whitening is needed to make the whole procedure as comfortable as possible.
Teeth whitening doesn't last forever, so the maintenance is discussed prior to treatment, and as a dentist is prescribing the treatment, he or she can spot potential problem areas before you start treatment.
Dr. Gurs Sehmi (BDS)
Dr. Sehmi BDS BSc is a London based cosmetic dentist with clinics is Kensington, Victoria and Hertford. His special interest is in improving smiles with adult braces, smile designs and tooth replacements with dental implants
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Megawhite reviews
20 million people in the UK are leaving themselves open to illegal and potentially harmful tooth- whitening.
New survey data suggests more than one in four people would not go to the dentist for their tooth whitening treatment and purchase home kits over the internet, visit beauticians and kiosks instead.
When asked who is qualified to carry out the treatment, 25 per cent of people believe beauty kiosk staff and beauticians can do so, a move rendered illegal on 31 October last year.
Under the European Council directive, tooth whitening products containing or releasing between 0.1 and six per cent hydrogen peroxide can now only be sold to a registered dental professional offering the treatment in their practice.
.
While 98 per cent of people in the survey correctly identified dentists as those able to carry out the treatment, Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, issues a stern warning to anyone considering tooth whitening outside the dentist’s chair.
Dr Carter said: “There is no doubt tooth whitening is becoming more popular due to the sheer number of places you can now have it done. There is also no doubt a vast number of these are operating illegally and pose a significant health risk.
“Beauticians and those working in kiosks carry out the procedure without the correct training, qualifications or the expertise required. In many cases the tooth whitening agent contains hydrogen peroxide above the recommended limit, which can result in permanent damage.
“If it is carried out by someone who does not have the necessary qualifications, it can result in increased sensitivity and damage to gums. Crowns, bridges and denture Teeth will not bleach, which is something the unqualified will miss. If it is carried out by the dentist they will use the time to examine for other problems.”
Whitening carried out by anyone other than a dentist is illegal. Megawhite is illegal.
The clamour for whiter Teeth has been driven by the desire for the celebrity look, with many people seeking the perfect smile. In fact, only last year the Foundation revealed the stigma attached to stained Teeth, as it was voted second in a list of turn-offs in the opposite sex.
Dr Carter added: “There are a number of ways to stop your teeth from becoming stained and discoloured, reducing the need for tooth whitening. Smoking is a major culprit. Many smokers have yellow teeth due to the nicotine and tar content, and they can become brown if you’ve smoked over a prolonged period of time.
“Too much red wine, tea, coffee and blackcurrant can also lead to stained teeth. Cutting down on these things will stop your teeth becoming so discoloured you need a tooth whitening treatment. Although whitening toothpastes do not alter the natural colour of your teeth, they are more effective at removing staining.
“If you are considering getting your teeth whitened, there are now clear guidelines for everyone to follow when it comes to the procedure. It must be done in a dental practice. If you have any questions or need advice on tooth whitening, don’t take the cheap alternative in a kiosk. The Foundation’s Tell Me About leaflet offers basic, easy to understand information on the topic. The National Dental Helpline can also field any questions you may have.”
The survey questioned more than 2,000 people as part of National Smile Month 2013. Taking place from 20 May to 20 June, the campaign, sponsored by Listerine, Oral-B and Wrigley, encourages everyone to follow three basic rules for great Oral health throughout life:
- Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste
- Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks
- Visit your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.
by Taryn Davies for www.femalefirst.co.uk
Megawhite
Reviewed by Taryn Davies on
.
Megawhite illegal tooth whitening!
Megawhite provides an illegal tooth whitening service. No staff are registered dental practicioners.
Rating: 1
No difference
Megawhite
Reviewed by Bazza onNo difference
Had the express teeth whitening 2 weeks ago - personally I think it was a total waste of money. There is no difference in the "whiteness" of my teeth at all.. I would rather now try whitening toothpaste as they guarantee a few shades whiter after regular use.
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
Megawhite review
Megawhite.co.uk
Reviewed by Patricia A. onDo not go near with a barge pole
These people are ripping people off across the country with their scam. Do not go near them with a barge pole.
I spoke to the General Dental Council about Megawhite:
“There is a misconception that offering tooth whitening treatment to individuals by handing them trays for self-administration circumvents the law. This is not the case. The Dentists Act makes it illegal for anyone who is not a dentist to give ‘treatment, advice or attendance’ that would usually be given by a dentist.”
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Megawhite teeth whitening
Megawhite teeth whitening
Reviewed by Dr Guhrs Sehmi onMegawhite are breaking the law
As we have all seen, teeth whitening is often carried out in shopping centres and beauty salons, so why is this, and how do they get around the law?
The truth is that they are in fact breaking the law, and until recently they have been getting away with it.
One common misconception is that if the person selling the teeth whitening is not touching the customer, then they are not performing dentistry. They give all the gel to the customer, and the customer will ‘self administer’ the whitening. This is a common belief, however if you read what is in the first paragraph again:
It is illegal for "anyone other than a dentist to give treatment, advice or attendance that would normally be given by a dentist".
It is clear that even if someone is offering you teeth whitening without actually touching you, they are breaking the law. And this seems fair, if someone gave you acid and said it was teeth whitening gel, then when things went wrong, their response was "but you did it yourself, I didn't put it on your teeth!"
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Megawhite dispute is nothing to smile about
Beautician Caroline Sumpter paid Megawhite Express Teeth Whitening £1,500 only to be told by the General Dental Council that the practice is illegal
Looking for a new string to her bow, beautician Caroline Sumpter branched out into teeth whitening.
She paid £1,500 to one of the big names, Megawhite Express Teeth Whitening, for a package that included everything to get her started in her new business, including a licence to use the Megawhite name.
Then came the bombshell.
The General Dental Council wrote to say it had “received an allegation” that Caroline was carrying out illegal teeth whitening at her salon.
It warned her that the council “brings criminal prosecutions for the illegal practice of dentistry by non-registered companies and individuals”.
As well as a criminal record, she could be fined up to £5,000.
Caroline asked Megawhite for her money back, on the grounds “what they don’t tell you is that unless you are a registered dental professional you cannot legally use the system”.
The company refused, so along with Caroline I caught up with Megawhite director Bryan Christie at the Professional Beauty show at Excel in London.
He still refused a refund, claiming that they are doing nothing wrong, despite what the General Dental Council says.
“It’s a generic letter, it’s an empty threat,” said the 31-year-old from Livingston, West Lothian.
“Every one of our licensees has had that letter.”
Although people performing teeth whitening have been prosecuted, he says they were not Megawhite clients.
His licensees are not performing dentistry, Christie insists, they are giving a product to customers who “self-administer” it by putting the whitener in their mouths while sitting in front of a blue light to accelerate the process.
“We are not performing teeth whitening, customers are doing it themselves.
“The General Dental Council is asking you to stop doing something you are not doing.”
If Caroline got a refund on the basis of the council’s letter, he might have to refund everyone who’d bought a Megawhite licence and “last year that was £1.6million”.
So why doesn’t he ask the council to stop threatening to prosecute his licensees?
“I have but they won’t liaise with me because they don’t govern me, they only govern dentists.”
Caroline, he said, will not be prosecuted for teeth whitening, but might be taken to court by Megawhite for defamation.
“If I’m losing business because of this I will take it to my lawyer.
“I’m already claiming 125 grand in damages from one girl who’s phoning other clients saying we are doing this illegally.”
The General Dental Council would not comment on Megawhite specifically, but it was clear where the law stands.
“There is a misconception that offering tooth whitening treatment to individuals by handing them trays for self-administration circumvents the law,” said a spokeswoman.
“This is not the case.
“The Dentists Act makes it illegal for anyone who is not a dentist to give ‘treatment, advice or attendance’ that would usually be given by a dentist.
“Handing an individual a tooth whitening tray and advising them on its application, amongst other things, could constitute the giving “advice or attendance” and would therefore be illegal.”
Whether Megawhite sues Caroline for defamation, Caroline sues for a refund, or the council prosecutes Megawhite licensees, it is hard to see this mess ending anywhere other than court.
Get in Touch
Let me know if you've been ripped off:
Post: Penman Investigates, Daily Mirror, One Canada Square, London E14 5AP
Email: investigate@mirror.co.uk
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/teeth-whitening-dispute-nothing-smile-3210595
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Monday, March 3, 2014
Megawhite teeth whitening scam
Megawhite.co.uk
Reviewed by Emma C. onMegawhite is a scam!
So after being blocked on all social networking sites and never receiving replies to my emails or the free goods i was promised i received a phone call for megawhite claiming that they were under new ownership and would like to offer me a free tooth whitening to make up for the previous mistakes.
I reluctantly agreed as i have realised that i am not getting my money back now so i might as well take all i can get from mega white. I was told they would phone me back with dates that i could come in.
No phone call, however i received an email 3 days later with a list of dates. I selected my date and emailed them back. 1 week later no reply. Emailed them again and they replied with my date being fully booked and another list of available dates.
Once again fully booked when they finally did decide to reply.
Rating: 1 out of 5
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Megawhite Glasgow
Megawhite
Reviewed by Melissa J. onNot a dentist
Not a dentist - should not be doing whitening at all. AVOID
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
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