From March, all dental professionals must comply with new
guidance rules on advertising, as laid down by the General Dental Council.
The new guidance is aimed at ensuring that advertising by
dental professionals is clear and never misleads the public.
The guidance covers all forms of promotion of services by
dental professionals in print and on the internet.
It also guides dental professionals on appropriate use of
specialist titles. Specifically, dental care professionals must not imply they
have specialist status by giving themselves a title with ‘specialist’ in it.
Only those dentists who are on one of the 13 specialist
lists may describe themselves as being a specialist.
Every dental professional has a responsibility to ensure
that any promotional information containing their name, in print or online, is
current and accurate.
Kevin O’Brien of the GDC says,"The duty of all dental
professionals is to put their patients’ interests first. Related to advertising, this means never
making claims that could mislead patients. This new guidance will help to
ensure that patients’ basic right to clear, accurate information is protected
and that dental professionals have helpful guidance to assist them with ethical
advertising.”
