BOSTON -- There's a new trend in teeth whitening that is tempting to consumers who want a brighter smile at a better cost.

But as NewsCenter 5's Susan Wornick reported Sunday, dental professionals say buyer beware.

Teeth whitening is a billion dollar industry. Bright teeth are in. There are countless products on store shelves. And now there's even a new option.

"What we really focus on is bringing value teeth whitening to clients and results," said Matt Dispensa, owner of SmileBright.

Store fronts like SmileBright at Natick Collection, and the Ultimate Smiles kiosk at South Shore Plaza are popping up at malls everywhere. They promise to whiten your teeth for a fraction of what dentists charge.

"It's not worth whitening your teeth at $250 per hour," Dispensa said.

"The kiosk and store fronts are not regulated," said Dr. Steven Spitz, a prosthodontist/implant dentist at SmileBoston Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry

"The people working in these dental kiosks do not have any dental training at all," said Dr. Helaine Smith, of Boston Cosmetic Dentistry & Dental Implants.

"This is true. We're not trained," Dispensa said.

And they don't have to be. A handful of states have banned teeth whitening services like this. In Massachusetts, it's legal. State law only regulates dental professionals who touch your mouth. Dispensa said his employees never touch the clients mouth.

"They give you the materials, and you have to put the materials in the mouth yourself," Spitz said. "It's not a controlled environment."

Spitz said he's worried about the lack of oversight. He also said there is a potential danger with the main bleaching agent, known as carbamide peroxide.

"You definitely want to be aware of sensitivity and burning gums, as well as having the light shining in the mouth for burns around the lips and cheeks," Spitz said.

"This is not a dental process. We don't diagnose people," Dispensa said.

Smith says having non-dental professionals whiten your teeth is her biggest concern.

"Here in our office, we are often very up front with regard to the issues that patients have with their teeth, such as may be crowns, decay, fillings and different reasons why teeth will not whiten in an hour, like at the mall kiosks claim," Smith said.

Ultimate Smiles told us they're not breaking any laws. And Dispensa, owner of SmileBright, said he'd welcome regulation. He said his emploeyes don't pretend to be dental professionals and they have clients sign waivers acknowledging that.