Eleanor Pittard shares how to promote your dental lab business effectively while staying compliant.
If you’re running a dental lab or a clinical dental technician (CDT) clinic in the UK, there are some important rules to keep in mind when it comes to marketing.
The General Dental Council (GDC), the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram all have guidelines you need to follow. Knowing these rules will help you stay compliant while still promoting your business effectively.
GDC guidelines
In case you weren’t aware, the GDC has clear rules for marketing and advertising dental laboratory services and CDT clinics. It’s not necessarily something that you would think about when putting together an ad, but it is important to bear in mind the following:
- All claims must be truthful, clear and evidence-based
- Avoid misleading information or exaggerated claims about restorations, dentures or other prosthetics
- CDT clinics must ensure that patient testimonials are not used in marketing
- Any qualifications, experience or specialist titles must be accurate and not misleading
- Pricing must be transparent and include all relevant costs
- Before-and-after images must be genuine and not digitally altered.
ASA guidelines
The purpose of the ASA is to ensure that marketing remains ethical across industries, including the dental industry. Their key rules include:
- No misleading claims – statements must be backed by scientific evidence
- No pressure selling – marketing must not exploit fear or urgency
- Use a sensitive approach to aesthetic treatments – avoid language that undermines confidence
- Use transparent terms on discounts and offers – ensure no hidden conditions.
Meta advertising rules
On top of the GDC and the ASA, you also have to pay attention to what social media platforms like and don’t like. Otherwise, you end up spending all that time putting together an ad and then suddenly find that Meta doesn’t allow it to be published – and it isn’t always that obvious as to why. I’ve outlined a general rule of thumb to live by to make it more likely that your ads will be approved first time.
What does Facebook allow and prohibit?
Allowed:
- Educational content about dental prosthetics, dentures and restorative solutions
- Promotions for general services (eg denture repairs, implant-supported prosthetics, laboratory partnerships)
- Informative ads that do not pressure users or make exaggerated claims
- Laboratory branding, including behind-the-scenes videos and craftsmanship highlights.
Prohibited:
- Ads that create negative self-perception (eg ‘Are your dentures making you look old?’)
- Before-and-after photos (Facebook does not allow these in health-related ads)
- Any claims guaranteeing specific results from dentures or restorations.
What does Instagram allow and prohibit?
Since Instagram is owned by Meta (Facebook’s parent company), its rules are largely the same.
Allowed:
- Lifestyle images showcasing confident denture wearers (with permission)
- Short educational videos about how dental prosthetics are made
- Offers and promotions for dental professionals and patients.
Prohibited:
- Before-and-after transformation images
- Misleading captions about the longevity or effectiveness of treatments
- Language that implies someone is ‘less attractive’ without treatment.
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