Restraining order stops vendor from performing teeth whitening at fair
BY Staff Reports
Tuesday, October 02, 2012
10/02/12 at 3:09 PM
A temporary restraining order was granted Tuesday by a judge to stop a vendor at the Tulsa State Fair from offering teeth whitening services.
Tulsa County District Court Judge Kurt Glassco granted the temporary restraining order to protect the “safety and welfare of citizens.” The Oklahoma Board of Dentistry on Tuesday filed for a temporary restraining order and emergency injunction to stop the vendor. A ruling has not been made about a permanent injunction.
Euroshine USA, Ingo Van Styn and Henry Johnson are defendants in the restraining order. Neither Van Styn or Johnson are licensed to practice dentistry or dental hygiene in Oklahoma, according to the state board.
According to the court document, the dentistry board received a complaint Monday about the teeth whitening procedures being offered to the public at the fair in the Exchange Center building.
Investigators with the State Board of Dentistry witnessed Johnson give medical advice, diagnosis’ and treatment to six people.
According to the document, investigators said Johnson was wearing scrubs and presented himself as someone knowledgeable about the causes of teeth stains, discolorations and treatments to fix those issues. He also told customers the Euroshine USA brand teeth whitening gel contains 35 percent carbamide peroxide.
Crest Whitestrips, a home teeth whitening process, contains only 10 percent carbamide peroxide, according to the board.
Investigators said Johnson never asked customers whether they had allergic reactions to carbamide, peroxide or glycerin; if they were at least 18 years old and could have a medical procedure without a parent’s consent; or if they had any kind of dental disease, sensitive gums or gingivitis.
According to the dentistry board, high levels of carbamide peroxide in teeth whitening gels can cause burning, tissue loss, cause teeth sensitivity and can hide underlying diseases.
Investigators also witnessed customers sit in dental-type chairs during the procedure, which consisted of patients putting a dental tray with the whitening gel into their mouths, and wearing sunglasses while a high intensity ultraviolet light is placed over their mouths for 20 to 30 minutes.
The chairs and sunglasses weren’t sanitized before being reused by another customer, according to the court document.
After the procedure, patients spit the tray, extra whitening gel and saliva into a plastic bag, that customers could either take with them or throw away, according to witnesses. Mouthwash was also given to the customers to use and they spit it into a tub. There was no running water and ability to sanitize at the booth location.
The State Board of Dentistry claims in the restraining order that the procedures are in direct violation of state law of practicing dentistry without a license.
Teeth tray bleaching with carbamide peroxide is a dental procedure taught at the University of Oklahoma School of Dentistry and constitutes the practice of dentistry in Oklahoma, according to the court documents.
