Viral ‘veneer techs’ on TikTok are taking Biloxi by storm. Dentists say stay away
Dentists in South Mississippi are warning against a new and viral trend of “veneer technicians” — unlicensed providers who travel from city to city charging thousands of dollars for the cosmetic procedure.
The trend recently hit Biloxi: one business with millions of likes on the social media platform TikTok stopped in South Mississippi last month and advertised veneers for prices between $1,250 and $1,500.
The practice, which has grown viral and started contentious debate on social media and around the country, prompted the Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners to issue a consumer alert this month that said the practice is illegal and warned of the risks of getting treatment from unlicensed providers.
The alert warns patients to be aware of unlicensed people in Mississippi who offer composite veneers — tooth-colored resin that is custom-made to cover broken or discolored teeth for cosmetic purposes.
The unlicensed technicians are also providing missing tooth replacement and chipped tooth repairs, the alert says.
It also warns the unlicensed providers usually only advertise on social media, and sometimes demand payment before telling customers where to meet for the dental service.
“Mississippi law requires that these services only be performed by a licensed dentist,” the state board said. The board is “charged to ensure all licensed dentists in Mississippi meet strict educational and examination requirements,” it said. “These safeguards do not exist for unlicensed persons.”
All dentists in Mississippi must earn a license.
Patients can face great risks if an unqualified person places veneers on their teeth, said Wade Bishop, a dentist who serves as the dental board’s representative for the Mississippi Coast.
Untrained providers who operate on people’s teeth will likely not diagnose underlying conditions and diseases — or how they impact a patient’s health history, Bishop said. Conditions as simple as an oral infection can pose health risks if they go untreated.
If unlicensed providers apply veneers to decaying teeth, the veneers will accelerate the decay and make the problem worse, Bishop said. That could also mean patients end up paying more money to fix the problems down the line.
Bishop also said bad veneer jobs can also mean veneers do not bond to the teeth or that they do not fit well.
“Veneer technicians” across the country have recently started operating after they complete a two-day training course, Jandra Korb, dental director of the healthcare company DentaQuest, told Forbes.
The unlicensed technicians sometimes buy equipment from Amazon, use nail supplies like acrylic for their dental procedures and can face criminal charges for practicing medicine with no license, dentists told the news outlet.
The trend has grown viral on sites like TikTok. Customers have gained thousands of likes for videos of botched veneer jobs, and dentists around the country have posted expressing shock that the unlicensed providers are performing procedures.
The unlicensed technician who traveled to Biloxi last month went viral on the platform earlier this year but has since made her account private, which means her videos are not viewable.