I consider myself a pretty laid back person, and usually let things roll of my back. But one thing that makes me angry is voice practitioners that use deceptive and misleading promises in their studio or businesses that give the illusion that they can fix vocal problems which include potentially serious vocal pathologies. When vocal health is at stake, my hackles get up.

For example:

“Suffering from a hoarse voice? I can help you ASAP!”

“Sore throat? See me for answers!”

This type of advertising is outrageous and hurts the voice teaching profession as a whole.

If you advertise yourself as a “Voice Doctor,” and do not have MD (Medical Doctor) after your name, and are actively practicing Otolaryngology, then you are NOT a “Voice Doctor.”  

FULL STOP.

A voice teacher is NOT a medical doctor! (Unless they’re an MD!)

To sell yourself or your studio as such is utterly dishonest and moves into something more nefarious, and potentially illegal.

People with sore throats or hoarseness should not be seeing voice teachers, they should report to their nearest health clinic! From there, treatment plans can be developed that MAY include working with a voice teacher. But that should be the FIRST plan of action for anyone suffering with any kind of vocal ailment.

If you are advertising yourself as a “voice doctor,” or offering the cure to vocal ailments through the placebo effect of pills, lozenges, or sprays, then you better know that you are skating on thin ice, and might be courting disaster should a hapless student take legal action against you.

This type of empty promise has no place in the vocal world, and those of us that teach should collectively stand together against such chicanery!