Sound familiar?
- Ads bring NHS enquiries when you have no NHS list open
- An Instagram post about anti-wrinkle treatment was reported to the ASA
- Implant and aligner campaigns get clicks but few consultations
- Before and after photos are your best content but you are unsure what is allowed
- Recall and reactivation emails rely on reception remembering to send them
- Your website does not show your CQC rating or GDC numbers clearly
Key facts
- Google Ads and paid social management from £150 a month + VAT each, plus ad spend paid to the platform
- GDC guidance: anyone advertising dental services must show their GDC registration number; only dentists on a GDC specialist list may call themselves specialists
- Botulinum toxin is a prescription-only medicine; advertising it to the public breaches CAP Code rule 12.12 and the Human Medicines Regulations 2012
- The ASA treats hashtags such as #botox and phrases like 'wrinkle-relaxing injections' as part of the ad
- CQC-rated providers in England must show their latest rating on their website under Regulation 20A
- Google does not allow ads for teeth whitening products containing more than 6% hydrogen peroxide in the UK, according to policy guides
- Monthly, cancel with notice
The rules that shape dental and clinic adverts
Healthcare advertising in the UK sits under several sets of rules at once. The ASA enforces the CAP Code, including section 12 on medicines, medical devices and health-related claims. The GDC's guidance on advertising requires dental professionals to include their GDC registration number when they advertise, keep information accurate and current, and use 'specialist' only if they are on one of the GDC's specialist lists. Phrases such as 'special interest in' or 'experienced in' are acceptable for others. Clinics registered with the CQC must also display their current rating, which we cover below.
On top of the law, the platforms have their own policies. Google classes many health products and services as restricted, and prescription drug terms cannot be used for promotion in the UK without certification. Meta reviews health ads for claims and before and after imagery. We plan campaigns so an ad is approved first time and stays live.
Botox, fillers and the POM rule
Botulinum toxin is a prescription-only medicine. CAP and the ASA's enforcement notice say promoting it to the UK public breaches rule 12.12 of the CAP Code and the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, even when a registered medical professional gives the injection. That covers paid ads, organic posts and influencer content. The ASA also says hashtags count as part of the ad, so #botox in a caption can get a post removed, and indirect phrases such as 'wrinkle-relaxing injections' are treated the same way. In 2024 it ruled against a clinic group for a Facebook ad promoting 'cosmetic injections' that indirectly referred to Botox.
What you can do:
- Promote a consultation for 'anti-wrinkle treatments' as part of a wider range, without naming or implying a POM.
- Advertise dermal fillers, skin treatments and other non-POM services, with claims you can evidence.
- Use before and after images that are genuine, unretouched and typical.
England's planned licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures has been confirmed in principle by government, but law firm commentary from 2026 says no start date has been set. We will update campaigns when it arrives.
Google Ads for private dentistry
Search is the strongest channel for high-value treatments because people research implants, aligners and veneers before they book. We build campaigns by treatment, each with its own landing page that covers price ranges or 'from' prices, finance options, the clinician's name and GDC number, and a clear consultation booking route.
- Negatives: NHS, free, cheap, abroad, Turkey, jobs, dental nurse course, DIY.
- Location: a realistic travel radius for each treatment. People will travel further for implants than for a check-up.
- Bidding: Maximise Conversions moving to Target CPA once booked consultations are tracked reliably.
- Emergency dentistry: a separate campaign with call assets, scheduled to when you can see patients.
Avoid outcome promises such as 'perfect smile guaranteed'. The CAP Code requires evidence for objective claims, and the GDC expects advertising to be legal, decent, honest and truthful.
CQC ratings on your site
Regulation 20A of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 requires CQC-rated providers in England to display their latest rating at each premises and on any website maintained by or for them, with a link to the report on the CQC site. Not every dental practice is rated by the CQC, and unrated providers can use CQC's 'Regulated by' graphic instead. If your clinic is rated, the landing pages we send ad traffic to must carry the rating widget. A good rating is also a strong trust signal on the page itself. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the equivalent regulators are Healthcare Improvement Scotland, HIW and RQIA.
Recall, reactivation and patient email
Existing patients are the cheapest source of treatment plans. We set up email and SMS for hygiene recalls, lapsed-patient reactivation, and follow-up after consultations that did not convert. Under PECR, service messages such as appointment reminders are not marketing, but promotional messages about new treatments need consent or the soft opt-in. Email marketing is from £95 a month + VAT, SMS from £75 a month + VAT, and automation set-up from £195 + VAT one-off.
What you get
- Search campaigns for private treatments: implants, aligners, composite bonding, whitening, hygiene, emergency appointments
- Ad copy and landing pages checked against the CAP Code and GDC advertising guidance
- Meta ads for cosmetic dentistry and non-POM treatments with compliant creative
- Consultation booking tracking in GA4 and Google Ads, including online booking systems
- Patient email and SMS: recall, reactivation and treatment follow-up with proper consent
- Monthly report: spend, consultations booked and cost per consultation by treatment
How it works and what it costs
Google Ads management from £150 a month, social media management from £125 a month and email marketing from £95 a month, all + VAT. Ad spend is separate and paid to the platform. No long contracts.
Free review
We look at your current ads, social, email and analytics, or your plans if you are starting out, and tell you plainly what we would change.
Plan and price
You get a written plan with targets, budgets and a fixed monthly fee before anything starts.
Set up properly
Tracking and consent first, then campaigns, audiences, content calendars or email flows, all in accounts you own.
Run and improve
We manage it every week: search terms, bids, creative, posts and tests, cutting what does not pay and doing more of what does.
Report in plain English
A monthly report on leads, sales and cost per result, not vanity numbers, with what we will do next.
Frequently asked questions
Can we advertise Botox on Instagram?
No. Botulinum toxin is a prescription-only medicine, and the ASA says promoting it to the public on social media breaches the CAP Code, including organic posts and hashtags. You can promote a consultation for a range of anti-wrinkle treatments without naming or implying it.
Do our ads need the dentist's GDC number?
GDC guidance says anyone advertising dental services should include their GDC registration number. Short-format ads rarely have space, so we make sure the number is on the landing page the ad leads to, alongside the clinician's name and qualifications.
Can we call our dentist an implant specialist?
Only if they are on a GDC specialist list for the relevant field. Otherwise use wording such as 'special interest in implants' or 'experienced in implant dentistry', which the GDC guidance accepts. The same applies to orthodontics and aesthetics.
Are before and after photos allowed?
Yes, if they are genuine patients, consented, not retouched, and representative of typical results. Meta and Google both review health imagery, so we test which images are approved before scaling spend.
Do you work with private medical, physio and aesthetic clinics too?
Yes. The same rules on evidence, prescription-only medicines and CQC ratings apply to many private clinics. We adapt campaigns to the regulator that covers your profession, such as the GMC, NMC or HCPC.
What does it cost?
Google Ads management is from £150 a month + VAT, or 10 to 15% of ad spend if higher. Paid social is from £150 a month + VAT. Ad spend is paid to Google or Meta directly. Monthly, cancel with notice.
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Get a free marketing review
We'll look at your ads, social, email and tracking, and tell you plainly what we'd change. No obligation.