UK dental practice advertising has to meet two sets of rules at once. The General Dental Council (GDC) requires advertising to be accurate and not misleading, and sets out what a practice website must show, including GDC numbers and a complaints procedure. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) applies the CAP Code, which means every objective claim needs evidence, before and after photos must be genuine, and "Dr" must be clearly explained as a courtesy title.
A practice's marketing now runs across a website, Instagram, Google reviews, email and perhaps paid ads, and all of it is covered by the same standards. Breaking them can lead to an ASA ruling, a GDC fitness to practise investigation or, in some cases, a criminal offence. Healthcare marketing agencies such as Smart SEO Rankings refer to GDC and ASA rules in their dental work, but much of the checking is something a practice manager can do in an afternoon. This guide pulls together the main points from the regulators' own guidance.
Who regulates dental advertising in the UK?
Three bodies matter most for a typical practice:
- The General Dental Council regulates individual dental professionals. Standard 1.3.3 of its Standards for the Dental Team says any advertising or promotional material must be accurate, not misleading and in line with its guidance on ethical advertising. Each registrant named in your marketing shares responsibility for it.
- The Advertising Standards Authority enforces the CAP Code, which covers websites, social media, online ads, leaflets and posters. Section 12 of the code, on health, is the main reference for dental marketers.
- The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) regulates how you use patients' personal data for marketing, including emails and text messages under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
Consumer law also applies. Since April 2025, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 has banned fake reviews, which the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) enforces.
What must a dental practice website show?
The GDC's guidance on advertising is unusually specific about websites. If you run a practice website, it should show:
- the practice's name and geographic address;
- contact details, including an email address and telephone number;
- the GDC's address and contact details, or a link to the GDC website;
- your complaints procedure, and who patients can contact if they are not satisfied with the response: the relevant NHS body for NHS treatment, or the Dental Complaints Service for private treatment;
- the date the website was last updated.
For each dental professional mentioned as providing care, the site should list their professional qualification, the country it was obtained in and their GDC registration number. The guidance also asks practices to make clear whether they are NHS (or equivalent), mixed or wholly private, and to keep staff and service information current.
One thing the website must not do is compare your team's skills or qualifications with those of other dental professionals.
When can a dentist use "Dr" or "specialist"?
These two words cause more problems than almost anything else in dental marketing.
"Dr". The GDC has allowed dentists to use "Dr" as a courtesy title since 1995. The ASA's position, however, is that it must not suggest the dentist holds a general medical qualification. CAP's advice is that anyone using the title should be on the GDC register and should clearly and prominently state that it is a courtesy title and that they do not hold a general medical qualification. Being registered is not enough on its own: the ASA has ruled against a GDC-registered dentist whose use of "Dr" was not qualified. CAP describes not using the title at all, unless you hold a medical degree, as the safest option.
"Specialist". Only dentists on one of the GDC's specialist lists may call themselves a "specialist" or "specialist in" a field. A dentist who is not on the relevant list must not use titles such as orthodontist, periodontist or endodontist, and must not say they are "specialising in" a treatment. The GDC suggests alternatives such as "special interest in", "experienced in" or "practice limited to". Dental care professionals have no specialist lists, so titles like "smile specialist" or "denture specialist" should be avoided.
The GDC also asks registrants not to list memberships, fellowships or honorary degrees in abbreviated form, because patients may mistake them for qualifications.
Which treatment claims need evidence?
Under the CAP Code, you must hold evidence for any objective claim before you make it. For dental marketing the ASA highlights several common pitfalls:
- Whitening results. Claims about how many shades whiter teeth will become, or how quickly, need sufficient evidence. Results must not be exaggerated.
- Braces and aligners. Claims that one system is faster or less painful than traditional braces need robust evidence, usually clinical trial data. Claims about appearance or ease of cleaning are less likely to be a problem.
- Comparisons. Any comparison, stated or implied, needs robust evidence and must be fair, honest and verifiable.
- Unjustified expectations. The GDC separately says advertising should not create unjustified expectations about the results patients can achieve.
Treat words like "painless" or "guaranteed" as claims you would need to prove.
Are before and after photos allowed?
Yes, but they must be genuine and representative. The ASA says images must not be digitally enhanced to exaggerate results, and marketers should hold signed and dated proof that the photos are real. Keep a simple record for each image: the patient's written consent, the dates the photos were taken, and confirmation that nothing beyond basic cropping has been done.
What about social media, offers and facial aesthetics?
The GDC's guidance on social media and marketing websites, which names platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X and Groupon, asks that promotions state the treatment may not be suitable for every patient and depends on a satisfactory assessment. That line belongs on every offer post, not just on the booking page it links to.
Two further rules catch out practices that also offer cosmetic treatments:
- Prescription-only medicines. The ASA notes that some facial injections, including Botox, are prescription-only medicines and cannot be advertised to the public. You can promote a consultation, but not the named medicine.
- Tooth whitening providers. Tooth whitening services can only be advertised and carried out by registered dentists, dental therapists and hygienists, or by clinical dental technicians working to a dentist's prescription.
How should you collect patient reviews?
Reviews are now covered by consumer law, not just platform rules. The CMA's fake reviews guidance (CMA208) explains that it is a banned practice to write, commission or publish fake reviews, or reviews that hide an incentive, and that businesses publishing reviews must take steps to prevent and remove them. The guidance gives the example of offering a refund or gift card to a customer to change a negative review as conduct to avoid.
Asking every patient for feedback in a neutral way, without steering what they say, is not prohibited. The safest routine is a short message with a review link sent to all patients, not only those you expect to be happy. Google's own Business Profile policies go further and prohibit incentives for reviews entirely.
Can you email or text patients about offers?
PECR sets the rules. The ICO's guidance is that you must not send marketing emails or texts to individuals without specific consent. The "soft opt-in" is a limited exception for existing customers who bought, or negotiated to buy, a similar product or service from you, provided you gave them a simple way to opt out when you collected their details and in every message since. Bought-in lists cannot be used under the soft opt-in.
Every marketing message must identify the practice and include a working way to unsubscribe, and you should act on opt-outs promptly.
Quick compliance checklist
Use this table to audit your website, social channels and campaigns:
| Area | What to check | Main source |
|---|---|---|
| Website basics | Practice name, address, phone, email, GDC link, complaints procedure, last-updated date | GDC guidance on advertising |
| Team page | Qualification, country of qualification and GDC number for each clinician; current staff only | GDC guidance on advertising |
| NHS or private | Clear statement of whether the practice is NHS, mixed or private | GDC guidance on advertising |
| Titles | "Dr" qualified as a courtesy title; "specialist" used only by those on a GDC specialist list | ASA/CAP advice; GDC guidance |
| Claims | Evidence held for whitening, aligner, speed or pain claims; comparisons verifiable | CAP Code section 12; ASA advice |
| Photos | Genuine, not digitally enhanced, with signed and dated proof and patient consent | ASA advice |
| Social offers | "May not be suitable for everyone, subject to assessment" wording on every promotion | GDC guidance on advertising |
| Medicines | No public advertising of prescription-only medicines such as Botox | ASA advice |
| Reviews | No fake, bought or incentivised reviews; neutral requests to all patients | CMA fake reviews guidance |
| Email and SMS | Consent or valid soft opt-in, sender identified, unsubscribe in every message | ICO guidance on PECR |
Repeat the check whenever your team changes or you launch a new treatment. Whoever writes the posts, the registrants named in them remain responsible.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to show GDC numbers on my practice website?
Yes. The GDC's guidance says that where a website mentions you as a dental professional providing care, it should show your professional qualification, the country it was obtained in and your GDC registration number.
Can my dentists call themselves "Dr"?
The GDC permits it as a courtesy title, but the ASA expects it to be clearly and prominently qualified as a courtesy title, with a statement that no general medical qualification is held. CAP describes avoiding the title as the safest option.
Can a general dentist say they specialise in implants?
No. Only dentists on the relevant GDC specialist list can describe themselves as specialists or as "specialising in" a field. Phrases such as "special interest in" or "experienced in" are acceptable alternatives.
Can we offer patients a discount for leaving a review?
This is risky. CMA guidance requires incentivised reviews to be clearly disclosed and genuine, and Google's Business Profile policies prohibit incentives for reviews altogether. A neutral request to all patients is the safer approach.
Sources
- General Dental Council: Guidance on advertising
- ASA/CAP advice: Dental, general
- ASA/CAP advice: Use of the term "Dr", dentists
- CAP News: Brush up on your dental ads
- GOV.UK (CMA): Reviews and social media endorsements, guidance for businesses
- ICO: Electronic mail marketing (PECR)
General information only, not legal or regulatory advice. GDC, ASA, CMA and ICO guidance is updated from time to time, so check the latest versions on their websites and take professional advice if you are unsure whether a campaign complies.
