The General Dental Council (GDC) sets out standards for how dental practices can advertise their services. This guide summarises the key rules in plain English – both for your own practice marketing and for content you submit to Dentist-London.com.
This is a summary, not legal advice. For the full GDC guidance, visit www.gdc-uk.org.
What You Can Say
- Factual information about treatments you offer and the qualifications of your team
- Prices, provided they are accurate and up to date – if you list a price, you must honour it
- Details about your practice, facilities, and opening hours
- That you offer NHS or private treatment (or both)
- Patient testimonials and case studies, provided patients have given informed consent and results are representative
- Before and after photos, with appropriate consent and clear labelling
- Information about financing options, provided terms are clearly stated
What You Cannot Say
- “Best dentist in London” or similar superlative claims – unless supported by independently verified evidence such as an award
- “Guaranteed” outcomes from any treatment – no dental treatment can be guaranteed
- “Pain-free” treatment – you can describe techniques that minimise discomfort, but cannot guarantee the absence of pain
- Misleading price comparisons or “was/now” pricing that overstates savings
- Claims that imply services are better or safer than other practices without verified evidence
- Content that could cause unnecessary anxiety to encourage patients to seek treatment they may not need
What This Means for Your Listing on Dentist-London.com
When you claim and update your listing, the same GDC standards apply. We review all submitted content before it goes live. We will not publish:
- Superlative claims (“best”, “number one”, “London’s finest”) without verified evidence
- Guaranteed outcome statements
- Any content that would constitute a breach of GDC advertising guidance
If we need to edit submitted content to bring it into compliance, we will notify you and explain what was changed and why.
Verify Your GDC Registration
Patients can verify any dental professional’s registration via the GDC online register at gdc-uk.org. We link to this from our site footer.
Further Resources
- GDC Standards for the Dental Team: www.gdc-uk.org/standards-guidance/standards-and-guidance/standards-for-the-dental-team
- GDC Guidance on Advertising: www.gdc-uk.org/standards-guidance/standards-and-guidance/guidance-on-advertising
- ASA (Advertising Standards Authority): www.asa.org.uk