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Dental Council of India (DCI) has circulated the gazette with Revised Code of Ethics. The amendments have been made with respect to changing scenario of dentistry in India. I’m sure that this can definitely uplift the status of dental profession in the country if followed by every (licensed) practicing dentist. There are modifications in various sections of the Revised Code of Ethics; however, we will discuss only about the advertisement and soliciting sections in this blog post. This blog will be very useful for dentists to know the norms and abide by law.

Let’s see what the authority says on Advertisement by Dentists

A. Advertisement

A Dentist or a group of Dentists may advertise provided that they maintain decorum, keeping in mind the high moral obligations and the value that society places on the important nature of their work and the moral character and integrity expected of them.

The following is considered as Unethical:

1. To indulge in demeaning solicitation and false promises through advertisements or direct marketing of individuals, clinics or hospitals.

2. To advertise directly or indirectly or being associated or employed with any organizations or company including corporate bodies that indulges in such activities in a manner which gives unfair professional advantage by cold targeting vulnerable groups and conducting camps and other promotional activity in schools, colleges, old age homes and distributing hand bills, claim vouchers and other business promotional activities. Registered charitable organizations or medical bodies which provide fully free dental care & treatment are exempted.

3. Misleading advertisement or publication through press reports that promise inducements, rebates & false benefits.

4. Appointing or paying agent or canvassers for bringing in patients.

5. Use of sign boards at places other than actual location of the clinic.

6. Publicizing name in the commercial articles like toothbrush & tooth paste except for the ones fabricated in the clinic itself.

7. Publicizing articles or opinions on any procedures in lay papers or journals without any evidence.

8. TV interview, magazines, periodicals or public awareness program in magazines or periodicals with name, telephone numbers or email addresses.

9. Advertisement in the electronic media, such as television programs, that display names, address, phone number of dentists as on screen “scrollers”.

B. Soliciting

Soliciting of patients directly or indirectly by a dental surgeon, by group of dental surgeons or by institutions or organizations is unethical. A dental surgeon is however permitted as an ethically acceptable practice to make a formal announcement in press regarding the following:

1. On starting practice.

2. On change of type of practice.

3. On changing address.

4. On temporary absence from duty for a prolonged period of time.

5. On resumption of practice after a break a prolonged period.

6. On succeeding to another practice.

7. About the availability of new equipment or services without boastful claims of being the “first” or “best” specially if such services are already available in other facilities.

8. Inserts in Telephone directories, yellow pages or on the internet is permissible.

9. Maintaining Websites where all information is factual will not be construed as unethical practice.

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DR PRANAV AGALE

FOUNDER & CEO

Pranav is a practice marketing consultant on a mission to help doctors streamline their practices and grow ethically. In 2013, he bootstrapped and founded Praxis360 to fuel his mission.