College Council caution public on the use of cosmetic teeth cleaning services

November 6, 2017

A recent decision by the Superior Court of Justice - Ontario has provided clarity related to the area of anesthesia-free dentistry performed by non-veterinarians. The Court has ruled that non-veterinarians may only provide cosmetic teeth cleaning (this includes brushing and descaling) with the use of hand instruments above the gum line.

The recent ruling clarified that non-veterinarians may not imply that there are any health-related benefits to cosmetic teeth cleaning or that their services are a reasonable alternative to veterinary dental care. Companies that provide cosmetic services cannot use terminology that implies there is a health benefit to their services. In the College’s view, words like anesthesia-free, dentistry, treatment, and health care are not acceptable ways to describe these cosmetic services and would be contrary to the recent Court ruling. 

 It is important that the public understands that although non-veterinarians can legally perform cosmetic teeth cleaning services, there is no health benefit for their pets. There are also no specific training requirements for these providers, and the risk of missing important signs of disease exists if owners fail to access proper dental care for their pets. Proper dental care is an important part of maintaining overall pet health and only a licensed veterinarian can provide dental care. The College wants to ensure that pet owners understand that there are no health benefits to these services and that they are cosmetic only. 

 The College intends to continue to enforce this Court ruling through education and prosecution of individuals and companies that fail to abide by these rules to ensure that pet owners are not misled about the benefits of these services.