Who regulates what
The GDC sets the standards dental professionals must meet, including being honest and trustworthy in how they communicate and advertise. Its guidance on advertising applies to your website, social media and ads.
The ASA enforces the CAP Code for non-broadcast advertising, including paid social, search ads and your own website. It applies to agencies too, including us.
The basics the GDC expects
- Information that is accurate, verifiable and not misleading
- Clear details of the dental professionals named, including their GDC registration
- Only using “specialist” for professionals on a GDC specialist list
- Clear practice contact details and a complaints process
- Never pressuring patients or offering inducements that could compromise their choice
What the ASA looks for
- Substantiation: hold evidence for any objective claim, such as results, “best”, or “painless”
- Genuine testimonials, with evidence they are real and representative
- Before-and-after images that aren’t manipulated or exaggerated
- “From” prices that are genuinely available to a meaningful number of patients
- No advertising of prescription-only medicines, such as anti-wrinkle injections, to the public
Patient consent
Testimonials, case studies and before-and-after images need patient consent. Keep signed consent on file, record what it covers, and make sure patients know they can withdraw it.
If you can’t prove it, don’t claim it. If a patient hasn’t agreed in writing, don’t show them.
Finance and offers
Finance offers and interest-free claims are financial promotions under FCA rules. Keep the detail on your own practice website in approved wording from your finance provider, and link ads to it rather than restating terms.
How we handle it
Every campaign we run goes through a compliance check before launch. We keep substantiation for the results we publish, collect consent for patient content during shoot days, and keep finance claims on your site, not ours.
If you’re unsure about something in your current marketing, we’re happy to take a look on a call.