Review every ad before it runs

Knowing the rules helps only if someone applies them before an ad goes live. Most advertising problems in dental practices aren’t deliberate; they are a post someone published on a busy afternoon, an ad an agency launched without asking, or a page nobody re-read after a dentist left. A short, boring review step prevents most of them.

The dentist is responsible, whoever wrote it

Boards generally hold the licensed dentist responsible for advertising done in the practice’s or the dentist’s name, even when an agency, a marketing coordinator or a previous owner wrote it. “Our marketing company did that” is an explanation, not a defense. In a group practice, decide in writing which dentist is responsible for advertising, and make sure every dentist named in an ad has seen it.

A simple sign-off process

1. One reviewer. Name one person, often the office manager or marketing coordinator, who checks every ad, page, post, mailer and listing change against the Dental Advertising Compliance Checklist before it is published.
2. Dentist approval for the risky parts. Anything that makes a clinical claim, mentions a fee or offer, uses a patient photo or testimonial, or describes a dentist’s training goes to the dentist of record for approval.
3. Proof on file first. Every factual claim has its proof saved before the ad runs: the award letter, the patient authorization, the fee schedule.
4. Written approval. An email reply is enough. What matters is that you can show who approved what, and when.

Keep copies

Keep a dated copy of every ad as it ran: a screenshot of the page or post, the print file, the ad text, plus where and when it ran and the proof behind its claims. Some states require dentists to keep copies of advertising for a set period. Whether or not yours does, a simple folder by month costs almost nothing and is the first thing you will want if a complaint arrives.

Agencies and vendors

• Put it in the contract: nothing is published in the practice’s name without your written approval.
• Give the agency your state board’s rules and this checklist at the start, and again when the account changes hands.
• Ask what they publish automatically, such as ad variations, social posts or directory listings, and how you will see it.

The guide to hiring a dental marketing agency covers what else belongs in the contract.

Re-check what is already live

Old ads don’t expire on their own. Once a year, and whenever a dentist joins or leaves, an offer ends or the rules change, go through the website, profiles and running ads with the same checklist.

When to ask

If you aren’t sure whether a claim, offer or photo is allowed, ask before it runs, not after. Many state boards will answer general questions or point you to the rule; a healthcare attorney can advise on your specific ad. This guide is general information, not legal advice. More compliance guides are in the compliance hub.

Your checklist

The free Dental Advertising Compliance Checklist puts every part of this guide on one page. Use it for every new ad, and once a year for everything already live.