Dental Marketing Industry Regulation: Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) Advertising Guidelines

Did you know that RCDSO regulations prohibit dentists from posting reviews/testimonials/external ratings on their office websites and/or on external social media platforms operated by third parties? This includes references by patients to specific procedures/treatments performed by the dentist. Such actions may be considered a violation of professional misconduct, as described in the Professional Misconduct regulations of the Dentistry Act, 1991 Loi de 1991 sur les dentistes ONTARIO REGULATION 853/93.

Working with a digital marketing agency that specializes in the medical/dental industry has never been more important for dentists and their businesses. 

Gone are the days when phone books were how patients found their dentists. Today, people turn to the internet and social media to find the best dentist in their area. Having a website or using Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to promote your practice are effective ways to drum up new patients looking for a new dentist. Typically, once you have a patient come into your clinic, they will continue to come back, however, a lot of people find visiting a dental clinic an anxiety-inducing experience. With that said, around 75% of people experience fear of the dentist, with 20% avoiding the trip altogether. So, as a dental practice, not only do you need to sell yourself as a knowledgeable professional but also help potential customers overcome their fears. Using online marketing is one of the best ways to achieve this.

However, dental practices experience marketing challenges unique to their geographical jurisdictions. For example, dentists in Ontario Canada need to follow the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) rules and regulations around advertising. The RCDSO has formed an advisory on professional advertising to help dentists understand the legal and professional responsibilities that govern their conduct. 

In this digital age, dental advertising is an important strategy for attracting new patients and creating lifetime patients. As a dentist, marketing is most likely not your strong suit, let alone the RCDSO rules and regulations. And that is okay! As a professional online marketing and consulting group, Wisevu is here to help guide you through this heavily regulated industry and handle all your dental marketing needs in accordance with regulations.

With years of experience in the healthcare and dental industry, Wisevu can take your dental marketing strategy to the next level, help you attract new patients, re-engage existing patients and continually grow your practice. One of the biggest reasons dentists partner with Wisevu is because we understand your industry and do not require hand-holding. We will handle your advertising plan all while following the rules and guidelines set by the authorities like RCDSO for advertising dental practice online so that you can focus on your practice. 

RCDSO Regulations

The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) permits dentists to advertise their services online. However, there are many regulations and “fine print” that must be understood. Dentists may be subject to complaints and professional consequences for violating these regulations. Here are some of the important regulations to follow as they relate to online marketing. 

The definition of professional advertisement is expansive and includes any material related to your practice that is published, displayed, distributed, or used, whether by you or by someone on your behalf. It includes 

Under the Dentistry Act and its regulations, it is an act of misconduct for dentists to publish, display, distribute or use promotional materials having information that: 

• Is unclear, false, or misleading;
• Is not provable, such as patient testimonials;
• Statements that include superlatives, such as “cutting edge,” “state of the art” or any other phrases which suggest higher quality products, services, equipment, or technology used than those of other providers;
• Suggests uniqueness or superiority over other dentists;
• Statements which are likely to create expectations of favourable results or appeal to the public’s fears;
• Refers to any degrees or diplomas not required to obtain a certificate of registration from the College;
• Refers to continuing education, or membership or positions at the College or in societies, associations, academies or similar institutions;
• Refers to practice areas/procedures/ treatments without disclosing if the dentist is a general practitioner or a specialist, and without disclosing the dentist’s specialty, if applicable;
• It is also a violation of the regulations for dentists to use incentive programs, such as giveaways, contests, draws or free products/services, as well as to advertise fees misleadingly.

When advertising your fee, keep in mind the following things:

• Clearly state the fee in your advertisement so that anyone reading will know what you are offering;
• The advertised fee should be the maximum fee inclusive of all services and laboratory costs;
• The advertised fee should apply to all patients, whether or not they were aware of the advertisement or they had dental insurance coverage.

Do not engage in advertising promotion that may result in the sharing or splitting of fees or payments to a third party relating to the amount of business that you get as a result of marketing campaigns.

The RCDSO advertising guideline also states that “even if dentists are not personally involved with the distribution of promotional material about their practice or person, they are accountable if they directly or indirectly permit the distribution of any advertising or promotion of their dental practice”. At Wisevu, we understand this and when you advertise with us, you can rest assured we will consult you on the best ways to ensure you remain compliant. 

Rules for Posting Content on Social Media

RCDSO makes every effort to ensure that content published on social media follows the official policies and comes from approved sources.

The content posted on social media:

• Should not hurt public confidence in the dental profession or compromise your professionalism;
• Does not contain vulgar or inappropriate language, including harassing, racial or sexual terminology;
• Does not mention or discuss specific RCDSO members, employees, dental staff, or individuals;
• Does not contain slanderous or potentially defamatory words;
• Makes false claims, allegations, or conclusions;
• Should not contain a reference to an ongoing case or investigation or post graphic images of treatments;
• Do not provide personal information or information that may identify the third party;
• Standard of patient privacy and confidentiality must be maintained;
• Does not abuse or infringe any intellectual property right or copyrighted material.

The College may restrict a user’s access to a College social media site or channel if it is determined by the College that the user:

• Is impersonating another user;
• Violates any RCDSO policy or terms of use;
• Breaches any existing law, statute, regulation, standard or rule or by-law;
• Has engaged or is presently engaging in unlawful, malicious, discriminatory or harassing behaviour.

At Wisevu, we offer dental marketing services that are in accordance with the RCDSO regulations. Here are the services we offer.

Services Offered

Conclusion

Following all these rules and regulations can be overwhelming for dentists and this is where Wisevu comes in.

We are a talented team of web designers, content marketers, SEO’s, and PPC experts. We provide the most comprehensive online dental marketing solutions while complying with strict regulations. We strive to achieve the best results for our clients at highly competitive rates. To learn more, schedule a free consultation with our dental SEO experts.

Disclaimer

The information stated here does not and is not intended to constitute legal advice. All the content available here is for general information purpose. Readers should contact their lawyer to obtain advice concerning any particular legal matter.

Related Article: Online Reputation Management for Dentists in Ontario – Do’s and Don’ts