The Churn
The Underground Instagram Braces Hustle is Running Wild in Atlanta
Mike JordanFebruary 16, 2021
The COVID era has bolstered quite a few new, or should we say “different” business opportunities, especially on social media. Some folks are turning their homes into ghost kitchen operations; others are running hairstyling salons. Folks are getting it how they live.
One hustle you may have missed: the world of underground braces.
The rundown: Folks on social media are offering “cosmetic” dental services, such as installing braces, cleaning and repairing chipped teeth, and performing other maintenance. And this whole thing seems to be gaining popularity with customers and potential service providers.
As Desus and Mero discuss above, it looks like the wave began in Detroit. It popped up in New Jersey. It also appeared in Houston, and other places. Now it’s come to Atlanta, and yeah, we think it’s time for a family conference.
This is tricky stuff. On one hand, we’re not knocking anybody’s hustle or judging. On the other hand, this shit is janky, and we’re worried.
So here are a few things that need to be said about underground braces.
Brace yourselves. Maybe not literally…
These folks aren’t dentists.
There are quite a lot of steps to becoming a legit dentist. It’s notably easier to become nationally certified by the Dental Assisting National Board, which does lend credibility, but still doesn’t make you a dentist. And it seems like different states set different rules on what it takes to get certified, so there’s a lot that’s not clear. Maybe this is “legal,” you know? Or maybe it’s super-sketchy and wild AF and people are crazy.
Having any type of service done by someone backed by an association or regulatory body gives you peace of mind about the quality of work you’re paying for, and the consequences bad faith actors engaging in malpractice will pay for doing you dirty.
Meeting someone on IG whose bio includes the words “no refund” and “cash only,” and giving them hundreds of dollars to put on a white jacket like BRS Kash and play in your throat?
Hmm…
The prices are questionable.
The cost ranges between $300 and $500 to get both your top and bottom teeth put in cosmetic braces by these brace-placers. According to U.S. News & World Report, the average cost is between $3,000 and $6,000. And hey, who doesn’t love a discount?
But damn, that’s eBay- and bando-level savings. Fixing your teeth, as Cardi B told us, ain’t cheap. One must ask oneself, “Why is this price 10 times lower than average? Could this be unwise?”
Some only want to take cash.
No receipts is a big red flag, no matter what the eff you’re paying for. Why would an unlicensed orthodontist not want to track payments for the services they provide? Maybe because it’s the jux.
There are “giveaways.”
Marketing is essential to any business. Actual medical and dental professionals have marketing budgets — it’s totally normal! But IG contests for free dental work, meaning the provider isn’t getting paid at all? That’s a lot of faith in human decency when you live in a capitalist society like America. No shots. We hope… ?
They’re throwing shade at each other.
Folks are coming in for their procedures without following the proper protocols.
When your underground dentist has to post on IG that too many folks aren’t brushing their teeth before appointments, it all becomes clear how grimy this stuff can be, and why you want your dental professional to know proper methods of sanitation and sterilization. Otherwise, like the post below suggests, it’s alllllllll bad.
The marketing messaging is kinda rough.
It’s one thing to have typos in your Twitter posts, which you can’t edit. It’s another thing to leave up an IG post trying to attract customers to your pseudo-dentist operation and your words are legit incoherent.
These folks are teaching others how to be Instagram dentists
Part of the game seems to be teaching others how to be almost-dentists. It’s one thing to recruit folks to help you sell Herbalife or prepaid legal. It’s something else entirely to charge people up to $2,500.
[ED NOTE: We edited the screenshot to hide the account and we’re not linking to the IG page, but you’ll find it if you’re looking.]
The photos on these IG accounts are terrifying.
It’s a bunch of mouths being held open by cheek retractors, which looks super-frightening.
Check out the (hopefully) photoshopped image below, which looks like somebody has two mouths — certainly a bigger problem than the need for teeth-alignment.
This all points to a larger issue.
We know, folks; life is real. Dental issues can be painful and crippling, in both the physical and financial sense. The fact that this is even a thing gives us a damning look at the state of healthcare in this country.
It shouldn’t be like this. Dentists are expensive, and saying they’re too expensive isn’t unfair.
Maybe these makeshift teeth technicians are doing the work actual dentists won’t when patients don’t have the money or insurance to cover costs. That would be altruistic!
Maybe we’ll find out the people doing this mouth work are actually fixing dental issues in a way that proves dentists are wildly overpaid.
Maybe this is all just something that folks want to do, and in America you kinda have the right to do a lot of stuff, even not wear a mask in certain places during a pandemic. That would be enterprising! If legal…
And it’s not like this is the first time people have let folks who aren’t actual dentists do fashionable things in their mouths. Veneers have risen in popularity thanks to influencers (although Pusha T sees them as proof that you’re struggling).
And if you’ve never heard of Eddie’s Gold Teeth, well, you’re not as “Old Atlanta” as you think you are.
There’s another possibility here that needs to be settled: Are people who genuinely need dental work being manipulated and exploited by people who want to make money from a trend?
Are these Instagram dentists people who genuinely care about their community, or are they getting rich putting stuff in your mouth that only a trained, legitimate dentist should be handling?
While it’s all touted as “cosmetic,” some people actually need braces, and aren’t getting them just for the clout. Plus, some of these accounts offer a variety of services beyond braces, such cleaning and repairing broken teeth (i.e., veneers).
And yo, didn’t they tell folks to avoid having dental work done during the pandemic unless it was an absolute emergency?
Look, we’re not trying to shut anybody down or stop anybody’s money — we know that’s considered “hating.” But we’re a little worried about this whole thing.
On one hand, you wanna say that this is an affordable option for people who don’t have an option at all, which is depressing. On the other hand, GTFOHWTBS.
Have you had braces installed or any other oral service by one of these professionals? Are you satisfied with the results? Do you have complaints? Or are you in this line of work, and willing to speak to Butter.ATL about what you do, anonymously?
Email us: editors@butteratl.com
And please, watch your mouth.
