The dos and don'ts of advertising

I am one of many dentists in Ontario and want to highlight my services or clinic. What do I need to know?

Dentists must be mindful of how they present themselves to maintain the integrity and standards of the profession. They must also consider and protect the public interest. The College has a practice advisory on Professional Advertising. It sets expectations for dentists as defined in regulations on professional misconduct.

What is an advertisement?

• Materials related to your practice that are broadly defined and may include, for example, websites, newsletters, flyers, and bulletins.
• They may be posted, published, displayed, or distributed to others in various modes or media formats.
• The information may be from you, your clinic, your staff, or a third party acting on your behalf. It includes information for your oral health colleagues, patients, and/or the public. 
• They may also be subject to your obligations of Professional Use of Social Media if they extend beyond your clinic(s).

Who is responsible for advertisements?

Dentists are responsible for all advertisements involving them and their clinic(s). 

• Ask your staff to seek your approval before they post about you and/or your clinic.
• If you have retained a third party to create your advertisements, consider sharing the RCDSO practice advisory with them.
• Remember, you can contact practiceadvisory@rcdso.org and/or seek legal advice to help you align with the College’s and legal expectations.

Associate dentists also have a role to play in maintaining professional advertising.

• Associates must influence and advocate for the professional advertising of the principal dentist and the clinic where they practice.
• Associates must inform the principal dentist and/or clinic owner as soon as they become aware of any inappropriate advertising or misrepresentations. They should request that the information be updated and/or corrected.
  
  

Avoid using statements that are, or may be perceived as:

• Unclear, untrue, misleading, and/or those that are not backed by fact or scientific evidence.
• Claiming uniqueness or superiority in service (i.e. “#1 rated”, “cutting edge technology used”, “hires only top graduates”, “best at”).
• Creating unrealistic expectations (i.e. risk-free care or guaranteed results).
• Offering rewards, benefits, or other incentives (i.e. reduced rates, bonuses, or tiered programs).
• Promoting the sharing of fees/fee-splitting or another benefit one may receive because of an advertisement. Remember, the College has published Guidelines related to Conflicts of Interest.
• Personal or professional references that use profanity or are disparaging or discriminatory of others (see Professional Use of Social Media).

What statements should I highlight in advertising?

If your advertisement refers dental care or any procedure/treatment that is often performed by a specialist, you must clearly disclose whether you are registered with the College as a general practitioner or a specialist. If you are a specialist, you must identify with the specialty you are registered with.

If in doubt or have questions, contact practiceadvisory@rcdso.org