Before-and-after photos, testimonials and endorsements

Real results from real patients are some of the most convincing marketing a practice has. They also combine three sets of rules: patient privacy, the FTC’s endorsement rules and your state board’s advertising rules. The testimonials chapter of the reviews guide covers written testimonials and reposting reviews in detail; this chapter adds what is specific to photos, video and paid endorsements.

Authorization first, every time

A before-and-after photo identifies a person as your patient and shows their treatment, even when the face is cropped. The conservative rule is that every photo, video, name or story used in marketing needs the patient’s signed authorization first, on a proper form that says what will be used, where and for how long, and that the patient can revoke it. The privacy side is covered in the HIPAA and marketing guide. Keep the signed form, track where each image appears, and take it down everywhere you control if the patient withdraws.

Real, unretouched and honestly presented

• Use your own patients’ cases, treated by the dentists named in the ad. Stock images, manufacturer case photos or another practice’s results presented as yours are misleading.
• Don’t retouch the result. Cropping and color correction to match lighting are one thing; whitening teeth, smoothing gums or editing the smile is another. Some boards require a statement that images are unretouched, or ban altered images outright.
• Match the conditions. Similar lighting, angle and distance in the before and after shots, so the change you show is the treatment, not the photography.
• Say what was done. A smile makeover photo captioned “whitening” when it involved veneers misleads patients about what whitening can do.

Typical results

The FTC’s endorsement guidance says that showing an unusually good result implies it is what most people can expect, unless you make clear what is generally expected. Your most dramatic case is exactly that kind of result. Pair it with honest context, and include any disclaimer your board requires. Some boards have specific rules on testimonials about clinical results; check yours before a campaign built around them.

Paid and incentivized endorsements

If anyone who endorses the practice got something of value, the connection must be disclosed clearly. That includes:

• Patients who received free or discounted treatment in return for a video, photos or posts.
• Influencers and local personalities, whether paid in cash or in treatment. The disclosure should be clear and placed where viewers will see it, in the post itself, not buried in a profile.
• Employees, relatives and vendors who appear in testimonials or reviews.

The practice is responsible for endorsements it arranges, so give any influencer written instructions on disclosure and on not making claims you couldn’t make yourself, and check their posts. Fake reviews and review incentives are covered in the reviews guide.