At a glance: can a dentist perform chin liposuction in Brazil?
As of November 2, 2026, Resolution 286/2026 of Brazil’s Federal Council of Dentistry (CFO) included neck and facial liposuction within the scope of dentists registered as specialists in Orofacial Aesthetic Surgery (CEOF), not every dentist. The rules may change. What protects you is checking who operates, their registered specialty, the facility and the diagnosis.
- Current status: a CFO rule for CEOF specialists, which may change.
- Credentials: check registration with the professional council, not just course certificates.
- Diagnosis: liposuction treats superficial fat, not excess skin or the deeper layer.
- Responsibility: ask who operates and who handles a complication, including at night.
- Facility: anesthesia, monitoring and emergency resources suited to the procedure.
- Emergency: rapid neck swelling or difficulty breathing needs care right away.
My deep neck lift page explains how I assess the neck and what deep neck surgery treats. This article answers a question I hear: can a dentist perform chin liposuction? Behind it there is another one that applies to anyone who operates: how do I know the proposed procedure treats what actually creates my double chin, and safely?
Where the Brazilian rules stood on November 2, 2026
CFO Resolution 286, issued on March 20, 2026, recognizes Orofacial Aesthetic Surgery as a dental specialty and lists neck and facial liposuction among the procedures its specialists may perform. It classifies liposuction as a minor procedure that can be done in a dental setting under local anesthesia, subject to minimum facility requirements, and states that it does not restrict procedures of the Orofacial Harmonization (HOF) and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery specialties [1].
Before that, a 2025 technical note from the Minas Gerais Regional Dental Council considered chin liposuction within the scope of HOF specialists, based on CFO Resolution 198/2019 [2].
A legislative decree bill filed in Brazil’s Senate, PDL 177/2026, seeks to overturn CFO Resolutions 283 to 286; as of November 2, 2026, it was still awaiting its initial referral [3]. A pending bill is not an enacted suspension. This can change, so check the current status on the official pages listed in the references before booking treatment. If you are considering treatment in another country, check that country’s medical and dental regulators.
What to check before treating a double chin, whoever performs it
Training and registered specialty
Start with information you can verify, not photos or follower counts. For a physician who presents as a plastic surgeon in Brazil, check the CRM registration and the specialist registration (RQE) in the Federal Council of Medicine physician search. For a dentist, check the CRO registration and registered specialty in the CFO registry search. A course certificate is not the same as a registered specialty.
A diagnosis before a technique
A double chin can come from fat just under the skin, excess skin, bands of the platysma, a thin neck muscle, or fat, muscles and glands beneath it [4]. Liposuction reaches only the superficial fat and depends on elastic skin. If the explanation starts with the technique rather than the exam, part of the conversation is missing. My article on how to reduce a double chin covers these causes.
Who operates and who handles complications
Ask who will perform the procedure from start to finish, what specific experience they have with the neck and who will see you at night or on a weekend. Ask, too, where you would be taken if you needed a hospital.
Facility and anesthesia
Check that the setting suits the procedure and the planned anesthesia, with monitoring and emergency equipment. CFO Resolution 286 itself requires minimum devices and equipment in the settings it describes [1]. I operate in a hospital, under total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA), as in almost all of my surgeries, and I don’t perform chin liposuction on its own.
What can happen and how it should be handled
The ASPS lists among the risks of liposuction contour irregularities, loose or rippled skin, changes in sensation that may persist, damage to nerves and blood vessels, fluid accumulation, infection and the need for revision [5]. A review of submental liposuction identifies hematoma as the main complication, describes others that are rare but significant, such as dents, scar contracture, severe infection and transient facial nerve paralysis, and reports a case of neck hematoma [6].
Swelling that increases quickly or difficulty breathing or swallowing needs emergency care; do not wait for your scheduled follow-up. A complication alone does not prove an error; what you should expect from whoever operates is preparation to prevent what can be prevented, recognize the problem and treat it or refer you. My article on how to choose a plastic surgeon covers other criteria.
Questions
Can any dentist perform chin liposuction in Brazil?
No. As of November 2, 2026, CFO Resolution 286/2026 provided for it for registered specialists in Orofacial Aesthetic Surgery, with specific requirements. The rules may change.
How do I check the credentials of whoever will operate?
For physicians, check the CRM and RQE in the Federal Council of Medicine search. For dentists, check the CRO registration and specialty in the CFO registry search.
Does chin liposuction work for every double chin?
No. It treats the fat just under the skin. Excess skin, platysma bands and fullness beneath the muscle need a different plan.
I had chin liposuction and my neck is swelling quickly. What should I do?
Go to an emergency department right away, especially if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing. A question about credentials should never delay care.
Let’s talk about your neck
If you want to understand what creates your double chin, write to us on WhatsApp: Bruna, my AI assistant, handles the first contact and then puts you in touch with Isanna to arrange a consultation with me. I will examine your neck and face and explain what can be treated, the risks and the limits, and when it is preferable not to operate.
References
- Federal Council of Dentistry (CFO). Resolução CFO 286/2026 and Resolução CFO 198/2019 (in Portuguese).
- Regional Dental Council of Minas Gerais (CRO-MG). Nota Técnica CRO-MG n.º 001/2025. February 24, 2025 (in Portuguese).
- Brazilian National Congress. Projeto de Decreto Legislativo n° 177, de 2026 (in Portuguese).
- Mejia JD, Nahai FR, Nahai F, Momoh AO. Isolated Management of the Aging Neck. Semin Plast Surg. 2009;23(4):264–273.
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Liposuction Risks and Safety.
- Diniz DA, Gonçalves KKN, Silva CCG, Araújo ESM, Carneiro SCAS, Lago CAP, Vasconcelos BCE. Complications associated with submental liposuction: a scoping review. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2022;27(3):e257–e264.