Dr. Harvey Silverman, Founder of the Silverman Institute of Cosmetic Dentistry

	Have you ever wondered which of your patients would be happy with the final outcome of your cosmetic dentistry services? Many dentists have.

	If you fall into that category, advances in direct veneer technology-using resins that are more stain resistant, durable and natural looking than previous generations of conventional composites-may be the solution for your practice and patients.

 can allow the practitioner to custom make a resin veneer from scratch in literally minutes. It eliminates the time-consuming, technique-sensitive procedural and artistic skill set required with previous direct veneer systems.

Related technique: How to color match with porcelain veneers

	Furthermore, it allows you to offer a non-invasive solution to what has traditionally been an invasive, extensive treatment.

	If you placed conventional direct veneers in the past you may have some hesitation about doing direct veneers again. Direct veneers tended to stain or wear, and required ongoing maintenance. Additionally, the unspoken objection was that direct veneers required a lot of chair time creating the proper size, shape and appearance, whereas with porcelain veneers the laboratory created the appearance for you.

	The good news is that new direct veneer systems allow you to solve these problems. Placing direct veneers is no longer the time consuming procedure that requires the artistic skill set it used to require. It also doesn't have the stain and wear problems that caused many dentists to avoid direct veneers in the past.

	A look at how direct veneers can be used in your practice

	Below is a patient who did not want to have orthodontia. Her main concern was improving the appearance of her maxillary anterior teeth so she would have a more self-confident smile.

Related: Whiter and brighter: The exciting evolution of cosmetic dentistry

	The question is, can you accomplish that objective for this patient? Computer imaging is one methodology you might use to determine that. But how do you really know if you can achieve what the computer believes is possible? You might be able to accomplish what the imaging predicted. Then again, what do you do if the clinical outcome does not match what the computer imaging anticipated?

	The same is true for wax-ups. And with wax-ups it is incumbent upon the patient to imagine what the outcome would look like on their teeth. That can be a challenge.

Technique: Placing multiple veneers at the same time with amazing esthetics

	The solution: there is a patent pending Smile Preview Veneer you can custom make and place directly on the tooth. It clearly shows the patient what the final result will look like on their teeth, and if a non-invasive solution using direct veneer technology is going to satisfy their expectations. It has the additional advantage of being reversible since it has not been permanently bonded in the preview state. If you do not know how to create a Smile Preview Veneer feel free to contact this author and you can learn how to do it in literally minutes.

	This before and after photo of a patient who came in for her Smile Preview Veneers shows exactly what is possible with this approach. The "guess work" was eliminated. What the patient saw with the Smile Preview Veneer was what she would be getting if she proceeded with having the Smile Preview Veneers cemented on permanently. The transformation was achieved in minutes 

using templates or preformed veneers. Dentists I have taught this technology to have told me it has brought back the joy of doing cosmetic dentistry. 

	Once you adopt this technology, you will take on more cosmetic dentistry cases every week. You will gain a higher degree of confidence regarding who is a candidate for non-invasive cosmetic dentistry, and your patient will experience how state-of-the-art direct veneers can solve their problem. 

Articles

How to jump start your cosmetic dentistry practice and determine who is a candidate for direct veneers.

How to jump start your cosmetic dentistry practice

	During the past 25 years, you have probably attended many CE courses and heard colleagues talk about the benefits of porcelain veneers.

	In recent years, however, many dentists have lamented that the golden days of cosmetic dentistry have come and gone. Since 2007 the demand for cosmetic dentistry has declined in many dental practices. If you can relate to that, don’t worry: There is light at the end of the tunnel!

	While some dentists still place porcelain veneers, I have seen the number of cases become fewer and far between. Just think for a moment and ask yourself how many porcelain veneers did you do last week? How about last month?

	Economic realities have decreased the acceptance of cosmetic dentistry treatment plans. However, thanks to advances in the art and science in esthetic dentistry, advanced resin materials and the introduction of new direct veneer technologies, it doesn’t have to be that way. 

Related: Step-by step: Low-cost veneers for a cost-conscious patient

	Here are five reasons why direct veneers can bring back a resurgence to your cosmetic dentistry practice and why you can have renewed confidence doing direct veneers:

	1. Many patients cannot afford extensive and expensive cosmetic dentistry treatment plans.

	When a patient visits your office and you offer computer imaging or show your patient a wax up demonstrating how a smile makeover can enhance their appearance, the treatment plan can often reach close to $10,000 or more with porcelain veneers. After hearing the fee you probably have heard patients say, “Let me think about it.” All too often that really means "thanks but no thanks." With direct veneer systems, it does not have to be that way. Treatment plans can be far more economical.

	2. Dentists and patients appreciate “same day dentistry”.

	Let’s face it: Patients prefer fewer visits whenever possible. If you or your patients want to benefit from same day dentistry, there are new direct veneer systems that can create smile transformations, while saving patients thousands of dollars in expense. A direct veneer system can also provide you with one of the best ROI’s in dentistry. A true win-win for everyone involved.

	Up next: More on why veneers help both you and your patients.

	3. One or two veneers can often solve your patient’s cosmetic dentistry problem.

	In contrast, placing one or two porcelain veneers is very difficult.  

	Once you set up your direct veneer patient education program, you will find approximately 80 percent of patients still have a desire to improve the appearance of one or more teeth. The key is finding out where these patients are in your practice, and to do it without selling. It really isn’t hard to do. Feel free to contact this author and I will help you discover how easy that is. But if you do nothing to help inform, educate and motivate patients to understand how recent advances in direct veneer technology can benefit them, you will not see a resurgence in your cosmetic dentistry practice. Why would you?

Related: Technique: Placing multiple veneers at the same time with amazing esthetics

	After you discover how to tap into the latent demand that still exists for cosmetic dentistry, you will soon be doing more smile makeovers. However, there is one caveat. Doing direct veneers requires a slight mindset change. Patients no longer require six, eight or more porcelain veneers. With direct veneers you can offer less extensive and less expensive cosmetic dentistry to solve problems, making for a more receptive dental patient.

	4. You can educate your patients and meet their expectations.

	Patients often feel that while they want to enhance the appearance of their teeth they do not want their healthy tooth “filed down” (to use their words) just to make it look better. I hope you can understand the reason they feel this way.

	Patients also want to know if the outcome of the smile transformation will match their expectations. Fulfilling unrealistic patient expectations can create angst among many dentists before seating a case and handing the patient a mirror, hoping the veneers meet the patient’s anticipated change. 

	One of the advantages of the direct veneer system I use (ProVeneer by Silmet) is that it incorporates patent pending Smile Preview Veneers to eliminate that concern, since it prequalifies patients as a candidate by achieving the final result before taking on the case.

Read more: The search for the best veneer system

	5. This is a procedure that gives both you and your patients confidence.

	With the new generation of direct veneers, you can have confidence that you can achieve long lasting, durable results that do not easily stain. Best of all, the process does not require much chair time, since the material does not stick to your plastic instrument or gloves.

	In literally minutes, you will be able to prequalify patients as candidates as well. The patent pending Smile Preview Veneer process eliminates patient and operator angst, and results in a motivated patient who often responds by saying, “Can you cement that today?” Many of the dentists I have trained report that within a few months they went from doing very few, if any veneers, to placing 30 veneers every month, sometimes more. You can do the same as well. 

	If you are looking to do more cosmetic dentistry or are looking to find more patients who want cosmetic dentistry, it's time you take a second look at how direct veneer systems can provide long lasting, natural looking results.

5 reasons why direct veneers could be exactly what you need to revive your cosmetic dentistry practice.

5 reasons you should do direct veneers

	During the past 25 years, there have been game-changers in cosmetic dentistry, such as the introduction of porcelain veneers to the dental profession in the fall of 1983. However, in this author's experience, nothing has changed the practice of cosmetic dentistry as much as the new ProVeneer System.

 is benefiting our patients and how it can benefit your practice and patients as well.

	As you undoubtedly know, porcelain veneers are invasive, often requiring placement of 6-10 veneers and can take from 2-3 visits until you finally cement the veneer. Additionally, the high fee associated with porcelain veneers results in many patients hesitating to have work done.

	On the other hand, direct veneers are typically less invasive and are more affordable but they also have issues.

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	Concerns include stain/wear, the need to place dentin, enamel and incisal shades, the time required to sculpt, shape, polish and deal with potential porosity, including struggling with composites that stick to our plastic instruments and gloves.

	In light of the above issues, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

	This author has found that advances in direct veneer systems are changing the cosmetic dentistry landscape. One system in particular, ProVeneer, solves the majority of issues listed above.

	With new direct veneer technology, dentists have the tools to do same-day cosmetic dentistry and create natural looking veneers using a resin-based foundation material that does 

 stick to your gloved fingers or plastic instrument.

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	As you work with this new generation of direct veneers, you will notice that you won't need tints or opaques in 90+% of cases. Also, there is no need to add bulk of composite due to placing dentin, enamel and incisal shades (the veneer can be as thin as .1mm while remaining fracture resistant), finishing and polishing is simple and only takes minutes to obtain an enamel-like luster. The emergence profile is seamless without conventional finishing and polishing procedures that cause gingival bleeding. You don't need to purchase additional equipment or expensive startup kits. Final results are achieved before committing to having work done with patent-pending Smile Preview Veneers (how wonderful is that!). The procedure is non-invasive and the cost for a smile transformation is affordable to patients.

	Over the years, you undoubtedly have tried several systems to solve your patients’ cosmetic dentistry problems. Some of the challenges of these systems include the following:

	Tooth preparation, multiple appointments, often 6–10 teeth, sometimes appears unnatural to patients. Also expensive.

	Tooth preparation is complex and not easy to do, requires impressions/stone models, a lot of work to adapt and shape margins, emergence profile issues. There can also be finishing/polishing issues and compromised esthetics.

	Conventional tooth bonding is technique-sensitive and time-consuming (45-60 minutes per tooth). It’s difficult for the average practitioner (3-5 layers), esthetics are a challenge and there are stain and wear issues.

	Porosity can occur (hard to correct), there is no oxygen-inhibited layer (thus hard to add to). There can also be cementation issues (if you are not careful when you cement the veneer it could be moved resulting in a crooked smile) and thickness issues.

	After listening to dentists at meetings and during on-site consultations, we learned that many dentists were eager to try a new direct veneer system if it meet the following requirements: looked natural, easy to place, did not stick to gloves or instruments, not complicated, done quickly without disrupting their general practice schedule, was not bulky, did not irritate the gum tissue, and was affordable to patients and doctors.

	Dentists also wanted to know if a veneer system solve the three main concerns patients have about cosmetic dentistry:

	2. It is invasive (patients often say, “I may not like the appearance of my teeth but I don’t want them filed down just so they can look better”)

	3. Will the final results look natural, looking as if the patient was born with this gorgeous smile?

	After careful consideration of both professional and patient objections to the treatment solutions offered to solve cosmetic dentistry problems, a new direct veneer system was developed. The following Competitive Matrix should help summarize the current state of the art in cosmetic dentistry.

	The following photographs demonstrate a case where the ProVeneer System achieved the final results before the patient chose to have work done. It also demonstrates how the micro-thin veneers look once taken off the tooth as well as how the patent pending Smile Preview Veneer blocked out the underlying hypocalcification spots (without requiring tooth reduction, tints or opaquers) and still maintained translucency to achieve a natural looking smile. The Smile Preview Veneer was custom made in minutes per tooth. An additional advantage to the patient was that instead of doing eight to 10 veneers, by combining a few ProVeneers with in-office tooth whitening, the patient left with a radiant, self-confident smile that was very affordable (see photo at top of page).

	As one patient put it after seeing a Smile Preview Veneer made on her teeth, “This is what I have always wished was available!” You can appreciate why patients become excited about this breakthrough in cosmetic dentistry after 

 the new state-of-the-art in direct veneers due to the breakthrough associated with the Smile Preview Veneer.

	During ProVeneer webinars, one question always remains: How well does it polish?

	Dr. Robert Wolf, a cosmetic restorative dentist from Illinois who recently used ProVeneer, said, “It’s the most phenomenal material I ever used in 35 years dong direct veneers. It polishes like nothing I have ever seen in my life. The color's so incredible. When you look at the pictures, you will go WOW!”

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	Dentists have reported that this direct veneer system can achieve better, more natural-looking veneers. By custom making a Smile Preview Veneer, the dentist can also determine if the chameleon like ability of ProVeneer allows for placement of only one to a few veneers, helping the patient afford the procedure.

	Another benefit of this direct veneer system is the associated patient education program which uncovers changes patients would like to have done that you may not be aware of. This is seamless with your dental hygiene patient education program. Once that is determined, you will find it is easy to generate patient enthusiasm about having a direct veneer done, often that same day. You will find that the beneficiary of the ProVeneer System will always be your patient as you, too, enjoy a resurgence in your cosmetic dentistry practice.

	You can learn more about this new direct veneer system at 

Disclaimer: Dr. Harvey Silverman receives products from Silmet and acts as a consultant to the company. In writing this article, Dr. Silverman did not receive compensation.

After careful consideration of both professional and patient objections to the treatment solutions offered to solve cosmetic dentistry problems, a new direct veneer system was developed.

ProVeneer: The direct veneer system that makes cosmetic dentistry easier and better

	What was once thought to be impossible is now done every day with long-lasting, predictable results.

	A quick review of some of these breakthroughs include Dr. Charles PIncus’ work in the late 1920s. Dr. PIncus developed the concept of the original dental veneer used in movies albeit with limited adhesion. In 1959, Dr. Michael Buonocore pioneered etching the enamel of teeth to increase retention. In 1978, Dr. Irwin Smigel introduced the concept of tooth bonding to the general public, and an exhibit at the National Museum of Dentistry features his pioneering contributions. In 1983, Dr. Harold Horn presented his work allowing porcelain shells to be bonded with composite resin to the facial surface of the tooth. Dr. John Calamia also pioneered a technique for bonding porcelain to the labial surface of teeth during that same time period. As porcelain veneers were refined and developed in the ensuing years, more dentists embraced the ability to add cosmetic restorative dentistry to the treatment suggestions offered to patients.  

	Today, there are several methods a dentist can choose from to improve the dental appearance of a patient who is not satisfied with the size, shape, length or color of his or her teeth. 

	Four of the more popular methodologies dentists utilize are porcelain veneers, preformed composite veneers, a matrix system to create the veneer and, of course, direct bonding. 

	All of the above systems can be effective in restoring a patient’s smile; however, each has its own unique set of challenges for the general dentist who is looking to provide an affordable, noninvasive option for those patients who do not want to invest a minor fortune to improve their dental appearance and/or do not want to have their healthy enamel irreversibly destroyed to cosmetically enhance their smile.

	Some of the challenges of the above-referenced systems include the following:

	Porcelain veneers, considered by some as the gold standard for cosmetic dentistry, require a sizable investment on behalf of the patient because it is very difficult to restore only one or two teeth with them. Thus, dentists often recommend placing six to 10 porcelain veneers to create symmetry. The cost of this service often results in patients saying, “Let me think about it.” More often than not, dentists realize that has come to mean, “thanks but no thanks.”

	Porcelain veneers also often require tooth reduction, which is irreversible. Additionally, they need a diagnosis appointment, preparation and temporization appointment and one or several try-in appointments to achieve the right size, shape or color. Porcelain veneers also incur a laboratory fee and are not easily repairable (composite resin can be used, but a color disparity is readily apparent after a period of time).

	Preformed resin veneers are an alternative that some dentists find intriguing. However, many find fitting preformed veneers challenging. Preformed veneers might be thought of as a one-size-fits-all shell that is available in small, medium and large sizes and requires trimming to adapt and fit to the tooth. The concern is how a preformed veneer that is fitted to the tooth, adapting it to the margins while customizing the size, shape and overall appearance, solves the patient’s unique set of problems. The following analogy represents the concern some dentists have shared with me: Did you ever do a wax up in dental school and then tried the casting on your patient’s tooth, which, unfortunately, did not seat properly? You attempted to work the margins to get the crown to fit. Sometimes that worked. Often it did not.  

	The preformed veneer technique can be complex and requires a significant investment of time, effort and energy to reverse-fit the preformed veneer to the patient's teeth while attempting to correct the patient’s esthetic issues.  Simultaneously, the preformed veneer has to be customized to solve the patient’s esthetic problem and blend in with the size, shape and appearance of the adjacent teeth. That can be a challenge. 

	Matrix systems also are an interesting option. One system available today reminds me of a product used in the 1980s made by a different manufacturer where dentists attempted to create veneers using labial crown forms. The concept was exciting. Apply the composite into the preformed shell and light cure, then peel the preformed labial veneer crown form away. The goal was to have a finished veneer that required little finishing and polishing.

	After removing the labial crown form, challenges sometimes included air bubbles appearing during finishing and polishing. Fixing that without having an oxygen-inhibited layer to bond to requires removal of the highly polished surface of the veneer. Then re-etching, adding to the defect and rebonding the entire facial surface worked best.  However, it required a significant amount of time. If a spot repair was attempted where the void existed, it was very difficult to have it blend in seamlessly with the remainder of the veneer. It is possible to do-just not easy to accomplish.

	Additionally, because  the anatomy of the labial crown form is predetermined, it does not easily allow the dentist to create the illusion of reality using light reflections and color, which is achievable when a dentist applies composite resin directly to the teeth. Another issue occurred if the labial crown form moved slightly when curing. That created an esthetic challenge where the veneer could create the wrong illusion. While being a rare event, when it did occur, we had to completely remove the veneer and start all over.

Related reading: 5 ways to boost the whitening portion of your practice

	Finally, dentists can directly bond composite resins to the enamel surface of the teeth, but the time, technique sensitivity and difficulty in achieving beautiful esthetics have been well-known limiting factors to many dentists. As one dentist wrote to me, “I am actually losing money doing tooth bonding.”

	As a result, many dentists are looking for an easier, faster, more esthetically pleasing, lab-free, affordable solution to the above options that can be done in one visit.  

	Because dentists are aware of the recent advances in bonding systems used for placing composite restorations, more are revisiting how they might be the solution to their patient’s cosmetic dental problems. Dentists look for a product they can rely on to create natural-looking veneers in a short period of time without utilizing an outside laboratory where they can predetermine if their skill set can meet the patient's expectations before taking on a case without computer imaging.

	Needless to say, there are challenges with placing composite resins to accomplish this goal.

	Some of the problems dentists have in creating in-office composite resin veneers include the following:

		Composites often stick to the dentist's glove or plastic placement instrument, making it difficult to manipulate.

		Dentists often need to build up the veneer with a dentin, enamel and incisal layer, which adds considerable bulk. Add a tint or opaquer, and it becomes even bulkier.  

		The dentist needs to have the artistic talent to shape the veneer. After placement, he or she often spends a lot of time carving the veneer back with burs to create the proper shape and contour. Then the dentist has a lot of finishing and polishing to do. Many dentists do not have the time or desire to do that.

		A composite veneer made chairside can take from 30 to 45 minutes per tooth, including finishing and polishing. Four veneers could require from two to three hours, which can disrupt your daily routine.

		Some patients are not satisfied with the final outcome. The veneer may look too large, too small, too opaque, too translucent or just not have the desired appearance. You can do chairside correction, but that is not always as easy as it sounds. It adds more time to the entire procedure that may not be available in your schedule.

		Dentists know that conventional composite resins are prone to staining and have durability issues.

		After completing the veneer, will the final result match what the patient had hoped for? Is there a way to achieve that result before taking on a case?

 addresses and solves the issues of conventional composites, as well as the concerns associated with porcelain and preformed veneers or matrix systems. ProVeneer is a system where a dentist can custom-make a beautiful veneer from scratch without requiring the artistic skill of a trained dental laboratory technician. 

	Additionally, ProVeneer makes cosmetic dentistry affordable to patients. Not only is there no laboratory bill, but it provides the dentist with a cost-effective system that achieves the final result in one visit where the patient and the dentist can determine prior to commencing work if the best cosmetic dentistry can be the least amount needed to correct the patient’s problem.  

	As a result, hearing patients say, "Let me think about it" is often replaced by your patient saying, "Can you cement that today?" That is a refreshing change.

	ProVeneer also provides the dentist with a step-by-step guide for custom-making a Smile Preview Veneer. This guide is essential to determine if the patient is a candidate for the ProVeneer service. 

	Additionally, the following details some of the reasons why ProVeneer is different than other conventional cosmetic dentistry restorative products.                                                                                                                           

	First, ProVeneer's unique polishabilty allows for a nonporcelain preview veneer to be created as thin as 0.1 mm compared to the conventional composites that are much thicker. 

	Adding a percentage of nonsilanated nanofill particles and high density spheres without altering the resin-to-filler ratio allows the resin matrix to flow around them and react without constraint. 

	Nanoclusters of silane-treated zirconia/silica are homogeny distributed to provide cross-link to surrounding resin and allow for high volume-wise filler concentration.

	ProVeneer eliminates time-consuming layering, and the entire procedure, including any in-office laboratory processing and cementation, takes only 15 minutes per tooth.

	When placing conventional composites, dentists are often aggravated by the tendency of the material to stick to the glove or the plastic placement instruments. That is eliminated with ProVeneer unique Bis-GMA- TEGDMA- UDMA-resin-balanced matrices.

	ProVeneer also masks many tooth discolorations without requiring the use of an opaque agent. 

	Simultaneously, ProVeneer's chameleon ability maintains translucency to create a natural appearance.  

	In my hands, I have found the ProVeneer Resin Based Foundation Material (RBFM) is non-sticky. It goes and stays where you place it. The unique placement and handling properties associated with ProVeneer allow you to create a seamless emergence profile prior to curing the Smile Preview Veneer. 

	After creating several Smile Preview Veneers, light curing and removing the veneers from the tooth, one dentist said, “This is like the ideal preformed veneer. It perfectly fits my patient, it achieves the desired cosmetic appearance and it allows my patient to see if I can correct her problem in just a couple of minutes. Now all I have to do is cement it.”  

	Instead of having the challenges associated with standardized preformed veneers, the ProVeneer is custom-made and fitted to the exact size, shape and margins of the tooth in just two minutes. And, unlike conventional preformed veneers, the dentist has control of the illusions necessary to create a veneer that appears natural in relation to the adjacent teeth.

	After the Smile Preview Veneer is removed from the tooth, the ProVeneer can be cemented to the tooth or cured in your lab if your patient exhibits bruxism or has other oral habits that would benefit from the laboratory phase.

	Additionally, another benefit of ProVeneer is that your patient watches how unappealing teeth transform to a natural-looking smile without tooth preparation or any discomfort. As one dentist recently said to me, “After seeing the Smile Preview Veneer on her tooth, my patient said, 'Why didn’t you tell me about this before?'”  

	To help dentists learn how to create gorgeous veneers using the ProVeneer System, Silmet, in conjunction with the Silverman Institute of Cosmetic Dentistry, is making complimentary ProVeneer training available online for dentists who purchase a ProVeneer System.

	Watch a video below of a patient's reaction to her ProVeneer smile:

Please contact me if you have any questions or if you would like to send me a before photo of a case you are considering for your initial ProVeneer treatment. Send me six photos in jpeg format (medium close-up, full face, centric, protrusive and lateral excursion), and I will do my best to get back to you with comments or suggestions at my earliest opportunity. Please send your photographs to 

	In the next article, I will share tips on how to expand your cosmetic dentistry practice.

Dr. Silverman is a graduate of the Washington University School of Dental Medicine. He is a fellow, American Society for Dental Aesthetics, and a diplomate of the American Board of Aesthetic Dentistry. His consulting services are exclusively in the area of smile enhancement and team building. During the past three decades, Dr. Silverman refined/developed one of the original porcelain veneer systems, was a consultant/clinician for dental manufacturers, developed and taught advanced tooth bonding systems to his colleagues, pioneered one of the original extreme dental makeovers, established the first dental spa in North America and patented one of the original OTC tooth whiteners. Dr. Silverman continues to develop new, simplified cosmetic dental systems and offers dentists unique hands-on training webinars, over-the-shoulder training programs, and a one-day on-site cosmetic dentistry team building programs designed to build bread-and-butter elective cosmetic dentistry practices. He has also served as a consulting and contributing editor to dental publications and writes extensively on how dentists can build the cosmetic component of their general dental practice.

	Disclaimer: Dr Harvey Silverman receives products from Silmet and acts as a consultant to the company. In writing this article, Dr. Silverman did not receive compensation. Silmet also sponsors some of his programs in addition to sponsorship from the EasySmile, Inc.

The dental profession has witnessed great advances in cosmetic dental technology in the last century.

The search for the best veneer system

	Two weeks ago, I trained a dentist online in the 

. Just like every other dentist, he made an EasySmile LifeLike Veneer from scratch in two minutes.

 practice had dwindled. Like many other dentists, he experienced very few patients asking to have 

 in the past several months. I will have more to say about this later.

I’m sure you can appreciate that it is disappointing to hear how fewer patients are having cosmetic dentistry today.

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The good news is that it does not have to be that way. You have patients in your office that want cosmetic dentistry, and you can start doing one or two veneers on several patients 

 if you want. It requires two things for you to do that.

First, stay current with new advances in cosmetic dentistry. As the CEO of EasySmile, Inc., I obviously will suggest that you get trained in the EasySmile LifeLike Veneer System. But other than the obvious reasons for my recommending EasySmile LifeLIke Veneers, there are other reasons you should get involved. 

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The main reason is your patients are looking for easier, faster, more affordable and natural-looking solutions to solve their cosmetic dentistry needs. Unless they know you may have a breakthrough solution to their problem, their angst level often leads them to say, “Let me think about it.”  We all know what that means.

Another advantage of EasySmile Veneers is that you can have all the training done without leaving your office or even at home. The hands-on training is all done online via 

. And you will actually make a veneer in less than two minutes. From scratch. It sounds almost impossible but it is happening with dentists throughout the United States and globally as well.  

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Secondly, if you don't add one simple patient education piece in your office, I can assure you nothing will change. Here's what you need to do. Once you are trained in the EasySmile System we will send you our complimentary dental history update form to pass out to your patients.  

As I said, it is a simple addition. However, it will elicit all the information you need to instantly expand your cosmetic dentistry practice starting next week. It will not take months to incorporate this. 

Back to the dentist I called. When he answered the phone, I expected to hear him say that he was placing a lot of veneers, just as other docs have told me.

To my surprise, when I asked how many veneers he did last week, his response was, "I haven't done any because I haven't seen any cases yet."

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I asked if he had distributed the EasySmile dental history update form (that we sent him after his training) to his patients and he said he had not yet started.

So here's the problem and the obvious solution.

If you want to expand your cosmetic dentistry practice, you need to go beyond technical training. You also need to change your mindset. And get your team involved.

Once you do, you will start to place three to five veneers, maybe more, every week with EasySmile Veneers. We make that easy for you to do.  However, you must have patients fill out our form after you receive your complimentary training or you will be wondering why other docs trained in EasySmile are doing more cosmetic dentistry cases than you are.  

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Don't think about distributing the form. Just do it and see the cases add up every day. Patients want a more self-confident smile if it is noninvasive, affordable and natural-looking. That is one of the key benefits in the EasySmile LifeLike Veneer System.

Some docs who have implemented the EasySmile System have placed up to 52 elective veneers in the first two weeks alone. However, that won’t happen if you ignore what you need to do to get the system going.

Stop diagnosing elective cosmetic dental needs and start co-diagnosing cosmetic dentistry wants

 with your patient. That is why we developed the EasySmile dental history update form (with the appropriate information about patient's desires to enhance their smile).

The good news is you will never "sell" cosmetic dentistry. Our anecdotal studies have shown eight out of 10 patients in every office still have at least one tooth they still want to enhance when given an opportunity to share that information. 

 Two weeks ago, I trained a dentist online in the EasySmile LifeLike Veneer® System. Just like every other dentist, he made an EasySmile LifeLike Veneer from scratch in two minutes.

Building your cosmetic dentistry practice with EasySmile [VIDEO]

	Cosmetic dentistry is one of the few services offered by dentists that patients 

it. The dilemma is many patients cannot afford it and do not want their healthy teeth “filed” down to have a nicer smile.

Silverman Institute of Cosmetic Dentistry

, 80% of patients have at least one tooth they would like to enhance. That’s a lot of untapped cosmetic cases. With 

, dentists can confidently treat these cases. Developed over a 30-year period of time, patent-pending, EasySmile is working to solve that problem, by transforming the 

Free E-Book: Benefits of portable X-rays in the dental office

EasySmile eliminates patients' concerns, such as 

, no tooth preparation and creating natural-looking results that blend seamlessly with the natural adjacent teeth. All of this is done in just minutes per tooth, in only one visit. 

Check out these DPR exclusive interviews with Dr. Harvey Silverman on EasySmile.

EasySmile’s team-centered marketing program aims to create instant case acceptance. Patients replace “Let me think about it” with “Can we do this today?” EasySmile also leverages untapped potential in dental practices, and saves patients thousands of dollars when they require only one to three veneers. This is determined with EasySmile’s patent-pending 

. The Smile Preview Veneer takes only 2 minutes to create. 

At the same time EasySmile provides one of the highest 

-up to $2,000 per hour according to Dr. Harvey Silverman. Beta testing shows that EasySmile-trained dentists have at least one to two EasySmile veneers they can do per day. This represents a new, large revenue stream for dental practices. If a dentist spends only two hours per month placing EasySmile Veneers, Dr. Silverman estimates their revenue will increase by up to $48,000 per year. That’s an impressive ROI while saving patients thousands of dollars and giving them the gift of a more self-confident smile.

Trending Article: The 6 things every dental hygienist should be doing to grow professionally

EasySmile will make cosmetic dentistry more accessible, affordable, more natural looking, fun and easier to do. 

For a limited time DPR readers can receive a free 30-minute hands-on training webinar, free foundation material to create your EasySmile Veneer and the first EasySmile Veneer for a patient free.

On-Demand Webinar: Navigating digital impressions and CAD/CAM in the real world

 Cosmetic dentistry is one of the few services offered by dentists that patients want.  Some patients need it but most actually desire it. The dilemma is many patients cannot afford it and do not want their healthy teeth “filed” down to have a nicer smile.

Explaining the EasySmile LifeLike Veneer® Program for dental practices [VIDEO]

Have you thought about doing a brief survey of your practice for patients who need single veneers? 

Probably not since placing a single veneer is one of the most challenging restorative services. Matching the single veneer to the adjacent teeth is not easy. Quite frankly, very few of us want to take on restoring a tooth with a single veneer.

However, through anecdotal studies done by the 

 we have consistently noticed that 80% of patients (yes, even in your practice) have one or more teeth they don’t like relative to its size, shape or appearance. 

That is a lot of cosmetic dentistry you are leaving untreated. 

In the past, placing single veneer restorations were the exception and not the rule because we had few desirable treatment options. 

Today, placing single veneers to expand your bread and butter cosmetic dentistry practice is simple and stress-free as a result of the new patent-pending 

The EasySmile system opens an untapped gold mine of cosmetic possibilities once you learn how to unlock the demand. EasySmile provides you with the tools to do that. 

		You will not need to purchase expensive equipment.  

		There are no porcelain or composite preformed veneers involved.  

It is fun to do, the veneers look natural and the cost to you and the fees to your patients are very affordable.

It literally takes two minutes to create a custom made EasySmile LifeLike Veneer™ for your patient. The entire procedure, including F&P takes 15 minutes per tooth.

How do you get started placing single veneers?  Even if you are an experienced cosmetic dentist the easiest way is to take the 

  As the name implies, this program goes beyond the scope of a conventional webinar.  You actually do “hands-on training” and create single veneers in the comfort of your practice or at home. 

“Webinar training can be very helpful to anyone who’s time and resources are limited, and let’s be real isn’t everyone’s time and resources limited. This can allow people to see new techniques being used to treat real patients in real time without having to incur the cost of traveling all over the world, spending multiple days in hotels and giving up multiple days form treating patients in their offices and the associated lost revenues. Good technologies should enhance the users life while reducing costs which webinars do, so they should be incorporated into everyone’s continuing education experience.”

I understand and agree with that assessment. My response was that there are times when a "hands-on" educational piece truly enhances the learning experience-which is hard to do in a webinar format. And that's the benefit of a 

The doctor's confidence / comfort level is higher with respect to delivering a new technology (as a result from the hands-on training)-and the patient is the beneficiary.

All webinars are limited to a maximum of four doctors to personalize the training.  At the end of the 2 to 3 hour session you will have created single veneers, learned “no selling” cosmetic dentistry marketing tools that will create demand for your services-and you will have confidence to take on challenging single veneer cases that you once avoided.