.png)
Beyond the Smile: Why Facial Aesthetics is the Natural Evolution of Modern Dentistry
- Dr Sheila Li
- Jun 9
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 9
By Dr. Sheila Li, Founder of Mediject
Let’s talk about something quietly transforming the landscape of dentistry not just how we practise, but how we see the face as a whole.
For years, dentists have been the quiet custodians of facial harmony. We’ve always worked beyond the enamel. We understand proportion. We operate in millimetres. We transform confidence daily, not just with the smile, but through the way we help people feel seen again.
So the question becomes: Why stop at the teeth?
1. A New Revenue Stream Rooted in Patient Demand
Let’s be candid. While whitening treatments have their place, facial aesthetic treatments such as botulinum toxin and dermal fillers tap into a fast-growing £3.6 billion UK industry.
These services:
Offer high profit margins
Are efficient to deliver
Attract a self-investing, care conscious patient demographic
More importantly, your patients already trust you. They’re not waiting for someone new they’re waiting for you to offer.
2. You’re Already Equipped Clinically and Ethically
This isn’t about starting from zero. As a dental professional, you already have the clinical acumen, anatomical understanding and ethical grounding needed to thrive in this field.
You:
Understand facial structure in depth
Operate with precision and safety
Are trained to manage delicate areas with calm and confidence
You’re not catching up, you’re stepping into something that already fits.
3. The Smile Is Only the Beginning
Aesthetic dentistry has always been about confidence. But confidence rarely stops at the teeth.
Imagine completing a beautiful smile makeover, then offering subtle lip support or softening perioral lines to complete the transformation. The patient sees not only their smile, but their whole self reflected back with new energy.
That’s full-face harmony. That’s where aesthetic medicine becomes deeply personal. That’s how patients become lifelong advocates.
4. Retain, Reimagine, Future Proof
Today’s patients are looking for more than six month check ups. They’re looking for clinicians who can see the bigger picture and offer meaningful care that evolves with them.
By integrating facial aesthetics into your practice:
You reduce patient leakage
You create a new dimension of care
You build resilience into your business during quieter clinical seasons
You can add an additional revenue stream during non operational days at minimal cost
This isn’t about trends. It’s about longevity and leadership.
5. Aesthetic Medicine Isn’t Just Cosmetic , It Can Be Functional
Facial aesthetics is often framed as purely cosmetic, but when used with intention and clinical insight, it becomes a powerful tool to support function.
Take TMD, for example.Botulinum toxin, when used in conjunction with occlusal splint therapy, can help manage hyperactivity of the masseters or temporalis muscles reducing tension, improving comfort, and enhancing long-term outcomes. For patients with parafunction, headaches, or chronic discomfort, this can be life-changing.
These are not superficial treatments. They’re part of a wider toolkit that supports patient wellbeing, structurally and functionally.
And beyond function, aesthetic medicine allows us to see the face with a wider lens, to assess how dental work interacts with soft tissue dynamics.
Ask yourself, when planning a smile:
Are you considering how this affects the face?
Could your aligner treatment unintentionally shorten the upper lip or flatten the midface?
Will labial composites, in a patient with a high or tightly strapped lip line, increase gingival display?
Orthodontics may correct retrusion, but they often change the patient’s profile. Labial build-ups may shift lip posture. These shifts matter.
With the right training, soft tissue fillers can be used to gently balance skeletal Class II or Class III profiles, subtly improving facial harmony without surgical intervention.
In this way, aesthetic medicine isn’t separate from dentistry, it complements it.
This is what modern dentistry looks like: Not isolated teeth, but integrated care. Not cosmetic versus clinical, but cosmetic and clinical. Not either/or, but both.
6. Why Mediject Exists, and How We Support You
Mediject was created with purpose, to give dental professionals a pathway into aesthetics that is safe, clinically robust, and mentorship-led.
What makes us different?
Our training is led by dentists, with dentists in mind
We focus on clinic-ready, real-world implementation
We offer continued mentorship, case support, and guidance after training
We provide structured, ongoing education so you continue to grow with confidence
We don’t teach quick fixes. We build careers grounded in care, strategy, and skill
This Isn’t a Side Hustle. It’s the Future of Care.
Facial aesthetics isn’t a departure from dentistry. It’s a natural progression, an extension of the same principles we already practise every day:
Structure. Symmetry. Confidence.
It’s about treating the face with the same ethical precision and personal presence we bring to every smile.
If you’re ready to:
✔ Grow your practice
✔ Expand your clinical impact
✔ Attract patients who value what you do
✔ Create something sustainable and truly fulfilling
Then now is the time to begin.
Visit Mediject and discover what’s possible, for your patients, your practice, and yourself.
Dr Sheila Li is a multi-award-winning cosmetic dentist and founder of Mediject — a mentorship-led aesthetics academy guiding dental professionals to practise with precision, integrity, and lasting confidence.
Comments