AHPRA Advertising Guidelines for Dentists: What You Can and Can't Say (2026)

The short version

AHPRA advertising guidelines apply to every dentist in Australia. You cannot use testimonials, make superiority claims, or promise specific outcomes. The Dental Board of Australia enforces these rules alongside AHPRA, and the Australian Dental Association adds its own layer through Policy Statement 6.9. If your website, Google Ads, or social media promotes dental services, it must comply. Penalties reach $30,000 per breach for individuals and $60,000 for corporations.

This guide covers the specific rules dental practices need to follow, with practical examples for cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, Google Ads, social media, and before-and-after photos.

What advertising rules apply to dentists?

Dental advertising in Australia sits under three overlapping frameworks.

AHPRA and the National Law. Section 133 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law defines advertising as any public communication intended to promote a health service. This captures your website, social media, Google Ads, brochures, signage, email newsletters, and even your Google Business Profile. The rules apply to you as a registered practitioner and to anyone who advertises on your behalf, including marketing agencies, practice managers, and front desk staff posting to your clinic's Instagram.

The Dental Board of Australia. The Board works with AHPRA to regulate dental practitioners specifically. Its code of conduct for dentists includes expectations around professional advertising that align with AHPRA's guidelines. The Board reviews advertising complaints and can impose conditions on your registration.

ADA Policy Statement 6.9. The Australian Dental Association's policy on advertising in dentistry sets additional professional standards for ADA members. While not legally enforceable in the same way as AHPRA's guidelines, breaching ADA policy can result in loss of membership and the professional standing that comes with it. More on this below.

Beyond these three, the TGA regulates advertising of therapeutic goods (relevant for whitening products), and the ACCC enforces the Australian Consumer Law's prohibitions on misleading and deceptive conduct. A single dental advertisement can fall under all of these simultaneously.

The key principle across all frameworks: your advertising must be honest, not misleading, and not create unrealistic expectations. If you would not say it to a patient sitting in your chair during a consultation, do not say it in your marketing.

For a broader overview of how these rules work across all health professions, see our complete guide to AHPRA advertising guidelines in Australia.

Advertising cosmetic dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry sits in a regulatory grey zone that catches many practitioners off guard. It is a health service performed by a registered practitioner, so AHPRA's advertising guidelines apply in full. But because patients often approach cosmetic procedures with aesthetic expectations rather than clinical needs, the pressure to market aggressively is higher. That pressure is exactly where practices get into trouble.

You cannot guarantee aesthetic outcomes. Statements like "Get the perfect smile" or "Achieve celebrity-worthy teeth" create unrealistic expectations. Every patient's anatomy, oral health, and healing response is different. Your advertising must reflect that variability.

You cannot use before-and-after images without meeting strict requirements. This is the most common area of non-compliance in cosmetic dentistry advertising. We cover the specific requirements in a dedicated section below.

You cannot use urgency tactics. "20% off veneers this month" or "Limited spots for smile makeovers" pressures patients into clinical decisions. AHPRA views this as an inducement that undermines informed consent.

You cannot make comparative claims without evidence. "The most natural-looking veneers in Brisbane" or "Better results than traditional crowns" requires objective, verifiable evidence. If you do not have it, do not claim it.

What you can do. You can describe the procedures you offer, the qualifications and training you hold, the materials and techniques you use, and the general process patients can expect. Educational content about cosmetic dental options is fine. Factual descriptions of treatment timelines and recovery expectations are fine. Just stick to what you can verify.

For more on how AHPRA's advertising rules apply to cosmetic procedures specifically, see our guide to AHPRA cosmetic guidelines.

What compliant cosmetic dentistry advertising looks like

| Compliant | Non-compliant | |---|---| | "We offer porcelain veneers. Results vary between patients." | "Get a Hollywood smile guaranteed" | | "Dr Lee completed a Graduate Diploma in Clinical Dentistry (Prosthodontics) at the University of Sydney" | "Dr Lee is Sydney's best cosmetic dentist" | | "Composite bonding typically takes one appointment" | "Transform your smile in just one hour" | | "Book a consultation to discuss whether veneers are suitable for you" | "50% off veneers, this week only" | | "We use CEREC technology for same-day crowns" | "Revolutionary technology for perfect teeth" |

Teeth whitening advertising claims

Teeth whitening is one of the most heavily scrutinised areas of dental advertising because it sits at the intersection of AHPRA regulation and TGA regulation. Get this wrong and you face potential action from both bodies.

The TGA dimension. Whitening products containing more than 6% hydrogen peroxide (or more than 18% carbamide peroxide) are classified as therapeutic goods. Advertising these products must comply with the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code. You cannot make therapeutic claims about these products unless they are included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG).

Claims you cannot make. "Whiten your teeth by 8 shades" promises a specific outcome that varies between patients. "Safe and painless whitening" downplays sensitivity risks that are well documented. "Permanent whitening results" is simply false. "Better than over-the-counter products" is a comparative claim requiring evidence.

Claims you can make. "We offer in-chair and take-home whitening treatments." "Whitening results vary depending on the type and degree of staining." "A consultation will help determine whether whitening is suitable for you." "Our whitening treatments use [brand name], which is registered on the ARTG."

Shade guides and numbers. Avoid promising specific shade improvements. Saying "up to 8 shades whiter" with an asterisk and fine print does not make it compliant. AHPRA looks at the overall impression of the advertisement, not just the disclaimers.

Social media traps. Before-and-after whitening posts are extremely popular on Instagram and TikTok. Every one of them needs to meet AHPRA's before-and-after photo requirements. A quick phone snap under the dental light does not cut it. Neither does a ring-light selfie in the waiting room.

Before-and-after photos for dental practices

Before-and-after photos are the single biggest source of AHPRA advertising complaints against dental practices. The rules are strict, and for good reason. Poorly presented clinical images can mislead patients about likely outcomes.

AHPRA requirements for before-and-after photos

Every before-and-after image you publish must meet all of the following:

Standardised conditions. Same lighting, same angle, same distance, same background. If your "before" was taken under fluorescent clinic lights and your "after" was taken with a ring light, that is non-compliant.

No filters or editing. No colour correction, no brightness adjustment, no smoothing, no cropping that changes the apparent result. The images must accurately represent what happened.

Written patient consent. You need documented consent from the patient specifically for the use of their images in advertising. General treatment consent forms do not cover this. The consent must be informed, meaning the patient understands where and how the images will be used.

Prominent disclaimers. Every set of before-and-after images must include a clearly visible statement that results vary between individuals. "Individual results may vary" or similar wording, displayed prominently, not hidden in fine print.

Representative outcomes. Your gallery should reflect typical outcomes, not just your best results. Cherry-picking only exceptional results creates misleading expectations.

Practical tips for dental before-and-after photos

Set up a dedicated photo station in your practice with consistent lighting. Use a DSLR or high-quality camera on a fixed tripod. Take photos at the same focal length and distance every time. Document your photo protocol in writing so every staff member follows the same process.

Create a specific consent form for marketing photography that is separate from your clinical consent forms. Have your legal adviser review it.

When posting before-and-after images online, include the disclaimer in the image itself or immediately adjacent to it. Do not rely on it being somewhere else on the page. On Instagram, put it in the caption, not just a hashtag.

Google Ads for dental practices

Google Ads is where dental practices burn money and attract AHPRA complaints simultaneously. The combination of character limits, competitive bidding, and automated ad features creates a minefield.

Common Google Ads compliance issues

Headlines that overpromise. Google Ads gives you 30 characters per headline. The temptation to write "Best Dentist Sydney" or "Perfect Smile Guaranteed" is strong. Both breach AHPRA guidelines. "Best" is an unsubstantiated superiority claim. "Guaranteed" promises a specific outcome.

Responsive search ads. Google's responsive search ads automatically combine your headlines and descriptions in different orders. You might write individually compliant components, but Google could combine them into something non-compliant. Review all possible combinations before going live.

Ad extensions. Callout extensions, sitelinks, and structured snippets all count as advertising under AHPRA's definition. "Free whitening consultation" in a callout extension is still a claim that needs to be accurate and not misleading.

Landing pages. AHPRA assesses your advertising as a whole journey, not just the ad itself. If your ad is compliant but your landing page includes testimonials, unsubstantiated claims, or non-compliant before-and-after photos, you are still in breach.

Compliant Google Ads strategies for dentists

Focus your ad copy on verifiable facts. Your location, your qualifications, the services you offer, and your availability. "Dental Veneers in Melbourne | RACDS-Qualified Prosthodontist | Book a Consultation" is compliant and still compelling.

Use negative keywords aggressively to avoid your ads appearing alongside searches that could create misleading associations.

Review your Google Ads account quarterly for compliance. Google frequently updates ad formats and features, and automated suggestions can introduce non-compliant elements.

Consider running your Google Ads copy past a compliance check before publishing. Our website compliance audit can help identify issues across your digital presence, including landing pages.

Social media for dental practices

Social media is where most dental advertising breaches happen. The informal tone, the speed of posting, and the visual nature of platforms like Instagram make it easy to slip up.

Instagram

Instagram is the platform of choice for cosmetic dentistry marketing, and consequently the platform where AHPRA finds the most violations.

Posts and Reels. Every post promoting your dental services is advertising under the National Law. A Reel showing a veneer transformation is a before-and-after image and must meet all the requirements above. Filters on clinical images are not permitted. Trending audio does not exempt you from compliance.

Stories. Stories disappear after 24 hours, but they are still advertising while they are visible. If a patient reposts a thank-you Story tagging your practice and it contains testimonial content, you should not reshare it.

Comments and DMs. If a potential patient asks "How much for veneers?" in a comment and you respond publicly, that response is advertising. Keep clinical discussions to private consultations.

Highlights. Story highlights are permanent and therefore permanent advertising. A "Transformations" highlight reel full of non-compliant before-and-after images is a persistent compliance breach.

Facebook

Facebook's older demographic means dental practices often target different services here. The same rules apply. Patient reviews visible on your Facebook Business page are effectively testimonials. You cannot control what patients write, but you can turn off the reviews feature or actively moderate the content.

Facebook's ad platform offers detailed targeting options. Be careful with targeting by health conditions or demographics in ways that could be considered exploitative. Targeting "people interested in teeth whitening" is fine. Creating ads that imply a viewer's teeth need fixing based on their profile data is ethically questionable and risks AHPRA scrutiny.

TikTok

TikTok's algorithm rewards engagement, and engagement often comes from dramatic transformations and bold claims. Both are risky for dental practitioners. "Watch this smile transformation" videos need to meet before-and-after requirements. Duets and stitches with patient content can constitute testimonials. The casual, entertaining tone of TikTok does not change AHPRA's expectations.

LinkedIn is lower risk for clinical advertising but not risk-free. Posts about your practice's achievements, new equipment, or team qualifications still need to be accurate and verifiable. "Excited to announce we are the first practice in Queensland to offer [treatment]" requires evidence.

Common AHPRA violations by dental practices

Based on AHPRA enforcement actions and industry patterns, these are the violations that come up repeatedly for dental practices.

1. Testimonials on Google and social media. A patient writes a glowing Google review. You screenshot it and post it on Instagram. That is a testimonial, and you are now actively publishing it. Patient reviews on your website, social media, or marketing materials breach AHPRA's advertising guidelines. You must not solicit, use, or publish testimonials.

2. "Best dentist" and "#1" claims. These appear in Google Ads headlines, website meta descriptions, social media bios, and even clinic signage. Unless you have objective, verifiable evidence to support a superiority claim, it breaches the guidelines. And no, a patient satisfaction survey does not constitute evidence for being "the best."

3. Non-compliant before-and-after photos. Different lighting, filtered images, cherry-picked results, missing disclaimers. This is the most common violation in cosmetic dentistry advertising. The fix is straightforward but requires discipline. Set up a standard photo protocol and follow it every single time.

4. Whitening claims that cross into TGA territory. Promising specific shade improvements, failing to disclose sensitivity risks, advertising unregistered whitening products. These issues attract scrutiny from both AHPRA and the TGA.

5. Urgency and discount promotions. "Valentine's Day whitening special, 30% off." "New patient discount, ends Friday." These create inappropriate urgency around healthcare decisions. AHPRA considers them inducements.

6. Staff posting without training. Your receptionist posts a cheerful "Look at this amazing result!" to the clinic's Instagram. That single post could constitute an unsubstantiated claim and a testimonial simultaneously. Every staff member who posts to your practice's social media needs to understand AHPRA's rules.

7. Third-party marketing agencies. You hire a dental marketing agency. They run Google Ads with "Best Dentist in [Suburb]" headlines and populate your website with patient testimonial sliders. You are still responsible. AHPRA holds the practitioner accountable for all advertising related to their services, regardless of who created it.

8. Misleading qualifications. Listing credentials in a way that implies specialist registration when you hold general registration. Using the title "Dr" in a way that implies medical qualifications for non-medical dental practitioners. Presenting overseas qualifications without context.

ADA Policy Statement 6.9: what it means for your marketing

The Australian Dental Association's Policy Statement 6.9 on Advertising in Dentistry sets out the ADA's position on professional dental advertising. If you are an ADA member, this policy sits on top of AHPRA's guidelines.

Key principles in Policy Statement 6.9

Truthfulness and accuracy. All advertising must be truthful, not misleading, and able to be substantiated. This aligns with AHPRA's guidelines but the ADA emphasises it as a foundational professional obligation.

Professional dignity. Advertising should not bring the dental profession into disrepute. The ADA takes a broader view here than AHPRA. Where AHPRA focuses on consumer protection, the ADA is also concerned with maintaining professional standards and public trust in dentistry as a whole.

Fee advertising. Policy Statement 6.9 addresses the advertising of fees specifically. While dentists can advertise fees, the ADA expects that advertised prices are accurate, inclusive of all foreseeable costs, and not presented in a misleading way. "Veneers from $499" when most patients actually pay $1,200 or more is problematic.

Qualifications and specialisations. The ADA expects members to represent their qualifications accurately. Only dentists registered as specialists with the Dental Board should use specialist titles in advertising. General dentists with additional training can reference their qualifications but should not imply specialist status.

Comparison with other practitioners. The ADA discourages advertising that disparages or unfavourably compares other dental practitioners. This extends to subtle comparisons, like implying other practices use inferior materials or outdated techniques.

What non-compliance means for ADA members

Breaching ADA Policy Statement 6.9 can result in formal complaints through the ADA's internal processes. Consequences can include censure, conditions on membership, or loss of ADA membership. Loss of ADA membership means losing the right to display the ADA logo in your marketing, which many patients associate with quality and trustworthiness.

While ADA membership is voluntary, the practical consequences of losing it can affect patient trust, referral networks, and professional relationships.

Compliance checklist for dental practice advertising

Use this checklist to audit your current advertising across all channels.

Website

[ ] No patient testimonials, reviews, or star ratings displayed
[ ] No superiority claims ("best", "leading", "#1", "most experienced")
[ ] Before-and-after photos meet standardised conditions (same lighting, angle, distance)
[ ] Before-and-after photos are unedited and unfiltered
[ ] Disclaimers visible alongside all before-and-after images
[ ] Written patient consent obtained for all images used
[ ] Qualifications and titles are accurate and verifiable
[ ] No implied specialist registration for general dentists
[ ] Whitening claims do not promise specific shade improvements
[ ] No time-limited discounts or urgency language
[ ] Fee information is accurate and includes all foreseeable costs
[ ] No therapeutic claims about products not on the ARTG

Google Ads

[ ] Headlines contain no superiority claims or outcome guarantees
[ ] Responsive ad combinations reviewed for compliance
[ ] Ad extensions contain no misleading claims
[ ] Landing pages comply with AHPRA guidelines
[ ] Negative keywords exclude problematic search terms

Social media (all platforms)

[ ] All posts reviewed against AHPRA guidelines before publishing
[ ] No testimonial content shared or reshared
[ ] Before-and-after content meets photo requirements
[ ] No filters on clinical images
[ ] Disclaimers included with transformation content
[ ] Comment moderation active for testimonial content
[ ] Staff trained on AHPRA advertising rules

Print and in-clinic

[ ] Brochures and signage comply with the same rules as digital advertising
[ ] Business cards show accurate qualifications only
[ ] In-clinic displays do not include testimonial content
[ ] Fee lists are accurate and current

If your practice needs a thorough review of its digital advertising, our website compliance audit checks against AHPRA, TGA, ACCC, and Privacy Act requirements. For ongoing compliance training for your team, explore our courses for dentists or browse all compliance training options.

Frequently asked questions

Can dentists use patient reviews in advertising?

No. Under AHPRA's advertising guidelines, patient reviews constitute testimonials and cannot be used in advertising regulated health services. This includes Google reviews displayed on your website, screenshots of reviews shared on social media, video testimonials, and written case studies that read like endorsements. You cannot solicit reviews for advertising purposes. While you cannot control what patients write on third-party platforms like Google, you should not actively promote or republish that content.

Do AHPRA advertising rules apply to dental hygienists and dental therapists?

Yes. AHPRA's advertising guidelines apply to all registered dental practitioners, including dental hygienists, dental therapists, dental prosthetists, and oral health therapists. If you hold registration with the Dental Board of Australia, any advertising of your services must comply. Practice owners are also responsible for advertising by employed practitioners and support staff.

Can I offer discounts on dental treatments?

You can advertise your fees, including reduced fees. The issue is how you present them. Time-limited discounts that create urgency ("This week only", "Limited spots") are considered inducements and breach AHPRA guidelines. Ongoing pricing structures, health fund preferred provider rates, and transparent fee schedules are generally acceptable. Avoid framing clinical decisions as retail purchases.

What happens if my marketing agency breaches AHPRA guidelines?

You are responsible. AHPRA holds the registered practitioner accountable for all advertising related to their services, regardless of who created it. If your marketing agency runs non-compliant Google Ads or publishes testimonials on your website, you face the enforcement action, not them. Ensure your agency contract includes a requirement to comply with AHPRA guidelines and conduct regular audits of their work.

Can I advertise cosmetic dentistry on TikTok?

Yes, but every piece of content must comply with AHPRA's advertising guidelines. Transformation videos are before-and-after content and must meet the standardised photo requirements. Duets with patient content can constitute testimonials. Bold claims about outcomes breach the guidelines regardless of the platform. The casual tone of TikTok does not exempt you from compliance obligations.

How do I know if my dental advertising is compliant?

Start with the checklist above. Review every piece of advertising, from your website to social media to Google Ads, against AHPRA's guidelines. Look for testimonials, superiority claims, unsubstantiated promises, non-compliant before-and-after photos, and urgency tactics. Consider a professional compliance audit for a thorough review. Train all staff who contribute to your marketing. Make compliance review a regular part of your marketing workflow, not a one-off exercise. Our compliance training courses can help build that capability in your team.

Sources

Australian Dental Association. "Policy Statement 6.9 - Advertising in Dentistry." ADA, 2025. https://ada.org.au/policy-statement-6-9-advertising-in-dentistry
Therapeutic Goods Administration. "Advertising basics." TGA, 2025. https://www.tga.gov.au/products/regulations-all-products/advertising/advertising-basics
Therapeutic Goods Administration. "Testimonials and endorsements in advertising." TGA, 2025. https://www.tga.gov.au/products/regulations-all-products/advertising/applying-advertising-code/testimonials-and-endorsements-advertising
Avant Mutual. "Advertising your practice: common questions." Avant, 2025. https://avant.org.au/resources/advertising-your-practice-your-common-questions-answered