The General Dental Council (GDC) welcomes the decision by the High Court that tooth whitening is the practice of dentistry and should only be undertaken by regulated dental professionals.
The High Court ruling came when it overturned a Magistrates’ Court’s decision to acquit Ms Lorna Jamous of the offences of practising dentistry and unlawfully carrying on the business of dentistry when not regulated by the GDC.
On 10 May 2013 judges at the High Court in London convicted Ms Jamous of the two offences.
The case has been remitted to Westminster Magistrates' Court for sentencing.
Only dentists, dental hygienists and dental therapists (working to the prescription of a dentist) can carry out tooth whitening.