Cosmetic Dentist and Cosmetologist

What do cosmetic dentists and cosmetologists have in common?

One might believe that the fields of cosmetic dentistry and cosmetology have not much in common. However, when comparing their respective activities and responsibilities, it becomes apparent that a cosmetologist has to look at his client the same way as a cosmetic dentist evaluates his or her patient, prior to any service and while delivering it.

A cosmetic dentist is an expert for aesthetic enhancements of teeth, including smile rejuvenation, smile makeovers, and the restoration and rehabilitation of lost tooth structure and function.

A cosmetologist is an expert in facial makeups, skincare, and beauty products. He or she also offers hair coloring, extensions, and straightening. Cosmetologists help their clients to enhance their looks by styling their hair and shading their faces with colors. Their choices are determined by trends, facial features, personalities, and of course the individual goals of their clients.

This is not much different for cosmetic dentists, who have to listen to the individual goals of their patients. Personalities and facial features have to be considered by a dental professional. Differing trends can be discovered when comparing the aesthetic norm of one country to another. Germans, for example, prefer darker shades and more natural looking teeth than Californians, especially those lwho live in metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Cosmetic dentists are primarily trained to be dental physicians. Their fundamentals are the scientific fields of physiology, pathology, and material science. As any medical professional, their field of operation is the human body. He or she has to be aware of possible interactions of dental materials and the human soft and hard tissues.

A cosmetologist needs to know about certain aspects of pathology, such as bacteria and other infectious agents. Infection control is paramount even in the field of cosmetology. The cosmetologist needs to understand the signs and symptoms of allergies. Many products contain allergens that can interact with the human body and cause allergic reactions. As many cosmetologists are also trained in the science of nail technology, including the fundamentals of artificial nail application and nail art, they need to understand nail signs of disease and medical conditions. We will talk about this in a separate blog post.

Hence, it becomes evident that cosmetic dentists and cosmetologists have similar concerns when it comes to dealing with the human body. Infection control is paramount in both professions. We all have heard of incidents when cosmetic clients ended up with nail bed infections. In addition, nail service should not be provided when signs of nail or skin infection are evident.

A cosmetic dentist has to ensure that his patient is absolutely healthy, generally and in particular within the oral cavity. Gum disease or other oral pathological conditions need to be resolved prior to any aesthetic treatment.