Three things a cosmetic site does that a general practice site does not
A general dental website is regulated on privacy, prices and honest claims. A cosmetic and implant site does three further things, and all three are where the differences between countries bite.
It publishes before-and-after photographs of identifiable patients. It advertises credit, because it quotes monthly figures. And it makes appearance claims about elective treatment, which regulators read more strictly than claims about routine care.
What follows is orientation on the shape of those differences, not legal advice. Your own regulator's current guidance is the authority, and it changes.
United Kingdom
Who sets the rules. The General Dental Council for registrants and practice conduct, the Advertising Standards Authority enforcing the CAP Code for the marketing itself, and the Care Quality Commission or its equivalents for the practice.
Photography. Permitted in general terms, with the expectation that images are genuine, not digitally altered, representative of what patients can reasonably expect, and supported by claims you could substantiate. Consent for marketing use must be specific and in writing.
Testimonials. Allowed where genuine, but a testimonial cannot carry a claim the practice could not make itself.
Titles. GDC registration numbers displayed for registrants. Specialist titles are restricted to those on the relevant specialist lists, which matters on implant and orthodontic pages.
Whitening. Tooth whitening is restricted in the UK to dental professionals, with limits on the concentration of hydrogen peroxide products, so whitening pages need care in how they describe products and who provides them. Confirm the current position before writing that page.
Finance. Consumer credit is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Quoting monthly figures is a financial promotion, and generally needs a representative example including a representative APR. Whether the clinic needs authorisation depends on the arrangement, so take advice.
Data. UK GDPR, with patient images and health information as special category data. Cookie consent under PECR.
United States
Who sets the rules. State dental boards, each with its own advertising rules, the Federal Trade Commission for deceptive advertising and endorsements, and HIPAA where the practice is a covered entity. The American Dental Association publishes ethical guidance that many boards align with.
Photography. Board rules differ by state, and several address before-and-after images and disclaimers directly. Separately, marketing use of identifiable patient images generally requires a HIPAA authorisation, which is a specific document rather than a general consent.
Testimonials. FTC endorsement guidance applies. Endorsements must be genuine, reflect honest opinion, and disclose any material connection, including anything given in exchange.
Titles. State licence numbers are often required in advertising. Specialty claims are restricted, and some states have specific rules about how terms like cosmetic dentist may be used.
Finance. The Truth in Lending Act and Regulation Z attach disclosure duties to advertisements stating credit terms.
Privacy and tracking. HIPAA where applicable, including agreements with vendors handling protected health information, plus state privacy laws. Tracking pixels on pages that reveal health interest have been an enforcement focus, which is directly relevant to remarketing on treatment pages.
Accessibility. WCAG 2.1 AA is the practical standard, and dental practices have been targets of accessibility claims.
Canada
Who sets the rules. Provincial dental regulatory colleges, each with advertising standards, plus the Competition Act on misleading advertising.
Photography and testimonials. Several colleges restrict testimonials and place conditions on comparative or before-and-after material. Quebec is the strictest jurisdiction, and a site serving Quebec also needs French.
Titles. Registration with the provincial college, displayed, and specialist titles limited to registered specialists.
Finance. Provincial cost of credit disclosure rules apply to advertised credit terms.
Data. PIPEDA and provincial health information legislation. Accessibility requirements apply in Ontario and federally.
Australia
Who sets the rules. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the Dental Board of Australia under the National Law, plus the Australian Consumer Law.
Testimonials. The National Law prohibits the use of testimonials in advertising regulated health services. This is the single biggest difference from the UK and the US, and it reaches reviews the practice uses in its own advertising.
Photography. AHPRA's advertising guidance places tight conditions on before-and-after images. Many clinics choose not to publish them at all. Check the current guidance before designing a gallery for an Australian site.
Claims. No claims that create unreasonable expectations of benefit, and no offers or discounts without their terms and conditions.
Finance and prices. Prices as single figures including GST, and the national consumer credit framework for advertised credit.
European Union
Who sets the rules. National dental councils and national health advertising law, which vary considerably. Some member states restrict comparative imagery for particular procedures, and some restrict health advertising far more tightly than the UK does.
Company details. E-commerce information duties, at their strictest in the German and Austrian Impressum tradition.
Data. GDPR, with patient images as special category data, and ePrivacy consent for cookies.
What is the same everywhere
- Written, specific, marketing consent for every published patient image, held with the case.
- Images unedited and shot consistently, with captions stating treatment, visits and timescale.
- Registration numbers and real training shown for the clinicians who do the work.
- Prices honest, current and inclusive of tax where the market expects it.
- Credit advertising carrying the disclosures its regime requires.
- A privacy notice covering the practice software, forms and any tracking.
- Built to WCAG 2.1 AA.
- A gallery you can unpublish per case, per treatment or per country in a minute.
Where this sits
Every cosmetic dentistry and implant clinic website we build runs a country checklist at the content stage covering photography, consent, testimonials, titles, price and finance wording, and the same checklist runs across the wider dental practice websites we make. Get the consent record and the finance wording right and most of the rest follows.