A local dentist is advertising free whitening if I become a patient at his office. Is this a common incentive dentists offer new patients? I wonder about how legitimate this offer is and if I’ll get there and it will be some cheap whitening toothpaste or another product that won’t give me the results I want. Is it worth checking out? — Marsha in Oakland

Marsha,
You’ll see lots of dentist these days who offer incentives for new patients – and teeth whitening is a common one. If you’re concerned about the legitimacy of the offer, the best thing you can do is call the office and ask a few questions before scheduling an appointment. Ask how much you would typically pay for the treatment they are offering and what products you will receive. While there are various treatments that can whiten your smile, the free treatment they are offering is likely an out-patient product rather than a whitening system done in the office that achieves results in a very short period of time. The dentist will make custom trays for your teeth and send you home with whitening gel that will gradually lighten your teeth over a period of days. It will be your responsibility to determine when you’ve reached your desired shade.

Keep in mind that there may be some rules or stipulations that apply, and you’ll want to ask about those ahead of time. It’s possible that you could find out you’re not a candidate for teeth whitening – particularly if you had dental work on your front teeth or you have periodontal disease that needs to be addressed first. There might also be a limit to how much gel they give you or how often you can get refills.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about Find out why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.