Compliance guide
Compliant dental marketing in Canada
Dentistry is regulated province by province, with federal and provincial privacy and anti-spam law on top. Here is what Canadian dental advertising rules have in common, and how 230fix handles them in every service.
Last reviewed September 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Who sets the rules
Your provincial college sets the advertising rules for your profession. Privacy, consumer and anti-spam law apply to every business.
Your provincial dental college
For example the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO), the BC College of Oral Health Professionals (dentistry’s regulator in BC since 2022) and the Ordre des dentistes du Québec. Each publishes its own advertising standard or advisory.
Competition Bureau
The Competition Act prohibits false or misleading representations, including pricing and “from” offers.
Privacy commissioners
PIPEDA covers private-sector personal information federally. Ontario’s PHIPA governs dentists as health information custodians; BC and Alberta have their own PIPA laws; Québec has Law 25.
CRTC
Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) requires consent, sender identification and an unsubscribe in commercial electronic messages.
Office québécois de la langue française
In Québec, the Charter of the French language requires commercial advertising and websites to be available in French.
What most provincial colleges require
The wording differs by province, so your own college’s standard always wins. These principles appear in most of them.
Truthful, accurate and verifiable
Every claim has to be something you could prove if the college asked.
In practice: we only publish claims you can support, such as years in practice, services offered and hours.
No superlatives or comparisons
Words like “best”, “leading” or “most advanced”, and comparisons with other dentists, are generally not allowed.
In practice: search and ad copy target services and locations, not rankings against other practices.
Testimonials restricted or prohibited
Many colleges ban patient testimonials in advertising outright; others limit them heavily.
In practice: by default we do not use patient testimonials in your advertising. Reviews stay on the platforms where patients leave them.
Specialist titles for specialists only
Only dentists registered in a recognised specialty can call themselves specialists.
In practice: general dentists are described by the services they provide, never as specialists.
Fees and offers stated clearly
Advertised fees must make clear what is and isn’t included.
In practice: every price or offer states exactly what it covers.
You are responsible for ads made on your behalf
RCDSO’s advisory, for example, expressly covers material published by a third party acting for your practice.
In practice: you approve our content, and we keep a record of what was published and when.
How 230fix builds this into each service
Compliance is part of how the work gets done, not a check at the end.
| Service | Where the risk is | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Dental website | All practice advertising rules apply, and Québec practices need French content. | Copy is checked against your college’s standard. Québec sites are built French-first, with English as an option. |
| SEO & AI answers | Superlatives and comparisons creep into search copy. | We optimise for services and neighbourhoods, never “best dentist in…” claims. |
| Google Business Profile & reviews | Using reviews in your advertising can breach testimonial rules; replies can disclose health information. | We request reviews without incentives, keep them on Google, and write replies that never confirm someone is a patient. |
| Social media | Social posts are advertising under every college’s definition. | Posts are drafted to your college’s rules and approved by you, with no testimonials or superiority claims. |
| AI voice & chat | Collecting personal and health information triggers PIPEDA, PHIPA or Law 25 duties. | The assistant collects only what is needed to book, tells callers when calls are recorded, and passes clinical questions to your team. |
| Email & SMS | CASL applies to commercial electronic messages. | Marketing only goes to patients with express or valid implied consent. Every message identifies your practice and includes an unsubscribe. |
Common questions
It depends on your province, and many colleges prohibit them in advertising. We default to not using patient testimonials, which keeps you safe everywhere.
Messages that confirm or facilitate an appointment you already have are exempt from CASL’s consent requirement, but should still identify your practice. Promotional messages need consent; implied consent from an existing patient relationship lasts two years from their last visit or purchase.
Yes. Under the Charter of the French language, commercial websites and advertising must be available in French. English can be offered as well.
Yes. It collects personal information, so collection must be limited to what is needed, patients must be told how it is used, and calls should only be recorded with notice.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and differ between states and provinces, and you remain responsible for advertising about your practice. Check your regulator’s current guidance, and speak to your professional indemnity insurer or a health lawyer about specific situations.
Official sources
Marketing by city
Want your marketing checked?
Our free audit flags compliance risks on your website, profile and social pages alongside your rankings.
Or call/text +1 (661) 727-3766.