I am a dental student and I just wanted to throw my input in on the dental work performed on the show (mostly on the 2008 episodes).

There are a few things that really bother me:

1) Half the dentists don't wear face masks. If you could see what is flying around in the air when they use the high speed drill, you would want to be wearing one. I don't know what school they went to that taught them that.

2) Some of the dentists don't wear eye protection. That is probably the stupidest thing they could do, since their entire career is based on their hands and eyes being functional.

3) The dentists' choices in restorations. I agree with some of the choices they make (i.e. the guy they made dentures for because his teeth were all cavitated and unrestorable) but then there are others that are completely unnecessary.

For instance, the woman named Jessika on the 2/22 episode needed a little tooth bleaching, but there was no reason she needed veneers. All she could have used was a little composite build-up of her lateral incisors. I just find it unethical to remove healthy tooth structure like that dentist did. Also, the cost is another big factor. The composite build-ups would cost about $80 per tooth whereas the veneers cost $700 per tooth (and they veneered 4 teeth instead of the 2 a composite build-up would entail)

Anyway, this is just my input. If anyone has any questions about the technical dental stuff just ask. Anyone else have an opinion about this?

I am a dentist and I completely agree and then some.

I haven't watched the show much, but I saw a makeover on someone named Dorothy. The dentist mentions almost 90% boneloss, but then simply proceeds to perform enameloplasty and maxillary veneers on one side. What about periodontal disease? Is veneering teeth with advanced periodontal disease ethical?

I'll give the benefit of the doubt and assume further work was performed and not mentioned, but it still presents a poor image for the profession.

Ok... did it not occur to you that these are the types that want publicity and fame and will do anything to make sure their face is seen in its entirity, thanks for pointing this out, very interesting