The AHPRA-aware advertising guide.
The advertising rules that most often catch dental practices out - testimonials, before-and-afters, claims, titles and offers - in plain English. Written to reduce risk, not to replace advice.
Why dental advertising is regulated
Advertising a regulated health service in Australia is governed by the National Law and the advertising guidelines published by AHPRA and the National Boards. The rules exist to protect the public from misleading health claims.
- The rules apply to your website, Google Business Profile, social media, ads and printed material alike - "advertising" is read broadly
- The practice is responsible for its advertising even when an agency produced it, which is why generic agencies are a genuine risk
- Penalties and enforcement action are real, but the more common cost is being forced to unwind campaigns and content at short notice
- Guidelines are updated over time - what was acceptable two years ago may not be today, so review dates matter
Testimonials: the rule practices break most
The National Law restricts using testimonials about clinical aspects of care in health service advertising. This is the single most common breach we see on dental websites.
- Do not publish patient testimonials that reference clinical care - treatment quality, outcomes, pain, healing or diagnosis - in your own advertising
- Reviews that patients leave on third-party platforms you do not control are treated differently from testimonials you select and republish
- Republishing, curating or excerpting favourable reviews onto your own website or ads can turn them into advertising testimonials
- Non-clinical comments (parking, friendliness of reception, ease of booking) are treated differently from clinical ones - but the line is judged in context, so be conservative
- If in doubt, describe your service factually and let third-party review platforms speak for themselves
Before-and-after photos
Permitted, but among the most scrutinised content in dental advertising - the guidelines expect them to be genuine, consistent and not misleading.
- Use real, unedited images of your own patients, with specific written consent for advertising use
- Keep lighting, angle, distance and framing consistent between the two images - inconsistency is treated as potentially misleading
- No filters, retouching or enhancement
- Avoid implying a typical or guaranteed result - outcomes vary by patient, and the content should not create unreasonable expectations
- Keep consent records and originals on file
Claims, superlatives and guarantees
Advertising must not be false, misleading or deceptive, and must not create unreasonable expectations of beneficial treatment.
- Avoid superlatives you cannot substantiate: "best dentist", "leading clinic", "pain-free"
- Never guarantee clinical outcomes, and be careful with implied guarantees ("walk out smiling")
- Comparative claims against other practices need substantiation and are rarely worth the risk
- Scientific or clinical claims should be supported by acceptable evidence, presented in context
- Prices and offers must be clear, honest about what is and is not included, and not used to pressure urgent decisions about care
Titles and "specialist" language
Some words are protected. Using them incorrectly is one of the easiest breaches to commit accidentally in service pages and ads.
- "Specialist" is a protected term - only practitioners registered as specialists in a recognised specialty may use it
- A general dentist with an interest in a field should say so plainly ("dentist with a special interest in orthodontics"), not imply specialist registration
- Check ad copy, page titles and Google Business Profile categories for accidental specialist claims
- Team bios should state registrations accurately, including for hygienists, therapists and prosthetists
A practical pre-publish workflow
Most breaches are process failures, not bad intent. A simple routine catches nearly all of them.
- Review every new page, post and ad against the current AHPRA advertising guidance before it goes live
- Keep a record of what was published, when, and the evidence behind any claim
- Re-review templated content (location pages, service pages) whenever the template changes
- Brief any agency in writing that advertising must follow the National Law, and review their output - responsibility stays with the practice
- When something is genuinely unclear, get advice from your indemnity provider or lawyer before publishing, not after
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