Dental marketing
Dental
advertising rules.
Dental ads must follow the National Law and Ahpra's advertising guidelines. The rules that catch practices most: only registered specialists can present as specialists, and cosmetic dentistry isn't a specialty; no testimonials about treatment or results; every offer states its conditions; and payment plans show the total cost. In a 2023 audit, the Dental Board found almost 1 in 5 dental practitioners advertising online appeared to breach at least one guideline.
Written by Dan Picken, a marketer who checks the sources. Last checked 2 November 2026.What the Board
found.
In August 2023 the Dental Board reported that about two-thirds of dental practitioners advertise online, and almost 1 in 5 appeared to breach at least one guideline. The examples it gave were claiming to specialise in cosmetic dentistry and running specials without terms and conditions.
Neither is hard to fix. Both are easy to get wrong when a page or social post is written in a hurry.
Specialist
titles.
There are 13 recognised dental specialties, including orthodontics, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, paediatric dentistry and oral surgery. Cosmetic dentistry and implant dentistry aren't among them.
Ahpra's guidelines say words like 'specialist', 'specialises in' and 'specialised' are likely to mislead unless the practitioner holds specialist registration. 'Substantial experience in' or 'working primarily in' are described as less likely to mislead.
Title checker
Could your wording
mislead?
Paste a page title, profile, ad or bio, and say whether the dentist holds specialist registration. Checked against Ahpra and the Dental Board on 2 November 2026. The starting text is made up.
Verdict
-
A marketer's check of the words, not legal advice. Specialists still need to name the specialty they're registered in.
Testimonials
and reviews.
Testimonials about clinical aspects, like treatment, pain or results, can't be used in advertising. A practice that republishes Google reviews on its own site is responsible for what they say.
Reviews about service are fine: friendly staff, easy parking, on-time appointments. So pick the ones you show carefully.
Offers and
payment plans.
Any gift, discount or inducement must state its terms and conditions in plain language: who's eligible, what's included, any limits and when it ends. The guidelines note the public takes 'free' to mean absolutely free.
An ad that states an instalment amount must also show the total cost. 'Implants from $50 a week' without the total is a likely breach.
Super-funded
treatment.
The Dental Board has warned about advertising that encourages patients to use their super for dental work. The ATO and Ahpra now treat promoting early access to super for dental procedures as a red flag, Ahpra is trialling AI to find problem ads, and one dentist has had conditions placed on their registration.
If you do treatment patients fund this way, keep it out of your advertising.
How it's
enforced.
Most problems are handled by notifications to Ahpra and the Board. Ahpra publishes its advertising prosecutions. The practical risk for most practices is a complaint, a request to change the ad, and time spent fixing it.
What I see most often
What I'd check first
in a practice's ads.
- 1
'Cosmetic dentist' in titles
Page titles, Google profiles and ad headlines that use it.
- 2
Specials without terms
'New patient special $99' with nothing about what's included or when it ends.
- 3
Weekly prices
Payment plan ads with a weekly figure and no total.
The honest bit. I'm a marketer, not a lawyer. This summarises the guidance published by Ahpra and the Dental Board, checked on the date above. Get advice for anything you're unsure about.
Questions
people ask.
Can a general dentist say they specialise in implants?
Implants aren't a recognised specialty, and 'specialises' is likely to mislead without specialist registration. 'Experience in dental implants' is safer.
How many dental specialties are there in Australia?
Thirteen, including orthodontics, endodontics, periodontics and paediatric dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry isn't one.
Can dentists advertise payment plans?
Yes, but if you state an instalment amount you must show the total cost too.
Can dentists use before and after photos?
They need care: they mustn't mislead or create unreasonable expectations, and for cosmetic procedures the newer guidelines add more rules. See the cosmetic dentistry page.
Related
Keep
going.
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