Tanning Salons & Teeth Whitening-How to Select the RIght Vendor

Adding teeth whitening to your list of services can bring high profits and buzz to your business, but it is important to pick the right partner. One that will deliver superior results safely and effectively with premium products and marketing that complement your salon’s image.

Here are some thoughts to consider:

Pick the system that works best for you. Hydrogen peroxide in applicator format typically delivers the whitest results and is the same gel dentists use for their chair-side whitening. It can require some staff administration to apply the gel, so if you run a lean operation with minimal staff, you might want think about prefilled mouth trays (which can be self-administered by the customer). Prefilled trays generally have a lower concentration of active ingredient and use carbamide for stability, so they require more whitening sessions to get the same results as hydrogen peroxide.

Choose your whitening method: LED, tanning bed or both To work well, teeth whitening gels require a light source to accelerate the process. Teeth whitening gels can use a cool, blue LED light or the UV light from a tanning bed. LED lights accelerate the gels more quickly than tanning bed lights, so you can use a stronger, more reactive concentration of gel because the teeth whiten faster in a shorter amount of time. Many salons offer both teeth whitening methods with tanning bed kits for budget-minded customers or as a way to maintain whiteness after LED whitening.

Does it integrate with your point of sale (POS) software? Some systems have the ability to be automated and controlled from the front desk, just like your tanning bed. This is particularly useful for salons that have minimal staff or are very large. Integrating the system into your POS system also gives you the power to run ROI and usage reports, as well as limit product misuse.

Select the highest-quality products. Not all gels are created the same. It’s important to select gels that are FDA and CE (European Union) inspected and certified. That’s very different from FDA approved or compliant. Only gels that have been inspected and certified are guaranteed to be fresh, safe and made in the USA. If your gels aren’t marked with the lot number, country of origin (preferably USA), expiration and percent strength: Throw them away; they probably are low quality! Higher-quality gels will deliver better results and happier customers.

Premium packaging and marketing sets you apart from the competition. High-end packaging and marketing differentiates your service from other teeth-whitening providers and lets your customers know that you offer the best quality teeth whitening with superior results. Great marketing materials will help your new service get noticed. Select a vendor with deep experience in traditional, online and social networking to help you generate big profits and bright smiles.

Pick a powerful light with dedicated technical support. When choosing a light, look for robustness and power output. The number of light diodes has no impact on the effectiveness of the light, but the total power output does. Choose a light with a high intensity blue power output measured as (1200 mW/cm2) and a long LED life expectancy (100,000 hours+). And no matter how good the light is, electrical products sometimes fail, so choose a supplier with dedicated technical support staff to troubleshoot problems right away. Some vendors even offer free shipping if warranty service is needed. Remember, if your light is down, so is your business.

Participation in industry trade organizations is important. Your whitening partner must have the industry and technical product knowledge to stay on top of the latest trends and ensure the products you buy are safe and effective. Your teeth whitening vendor should subscribe to clinical research and make this available to you. Membership in trade organizations such as the Council on Cosmetic Teeth Whitening (CCTW) can advise you on local dental regulations and offer legal support and advice, should you need it.