Laws & regulations

The rules for dental practices.

A dental website sits under more rules than most practices realise. Get one wrong and it is not just a compliance issue: patients notice an out of date team page.

5 specific rules · plus 9 for every clinic · Last reviewed 10 November 2026

How we build for dental practices

01GuidanceGDC

GDC guidance on advertising

Read the source

What it says

A practice website must show the practice name and address, contact details, a link to the GDC, the complaints procedure, and when the site was last updated. Every registrant featured needs their qualification, where it was gained, and their GDC number.

Your website: Compliance details in the footer of every page, and an updated date kept current automatically.
Your systems: Each registrant stored once, with qualifications and GDC number, and shown everywhere they appear.
How we work: We audit the team page against the GDC list before launch and whenever you change the team.

02GuidanceGDC

GDC Standards for the Dental Team: treatment plans

What it says

Patients should get a written treatment plan, and an estimate of costs, before treatment starts.

Your website: Private prices published, so estimates do not come as a surprise.
Your systems: Plans and estimates published to the patient's account, accepted online, with a record of when.
How we work: No direct impact.

03RegulationCQC

CQC Regulation 20A: displaying your rating

Read the source

What it says

Once the CQC has rated your practice, your latest rating and a link to it must appear on your website.

Your website: Your CQC rating on every page.
Your systems: The rating updated in one place when it changes.
How we work: No direct impact.

04RegulationFCA

Consumer credit and patient finance

What it says

Offering patient finance is credit broking, a regulated activity, so finance promotions follow FCA rules.

Your website: Finance wording supplied or approved by your FCA authorised finance provider.
Your systems: Finance applications sent through your provider, not handled in our system.
How we work: We do not write finance promotions ourselves.

05GuidanceNICE

NICE guideline CG19: dental recall

What it says

Recall intervals for adults range from 3 to 24 months, set by each patient's risk.

Your website: No direct impact.
Your systems: Recall reminders driven by the interval the dentist sets for each patient.
How we work: No direct impact.

Every clinic

Plus the rules everyone follows.

These apply to every UK private clinic with a website. Each one is explained in full, with its impact, on the main page.

Guides for dental.

Built in, not bolted on

A site that follows the rules.

We build every rule on this page into the websites and systems we make for dental practices. This is a plain English summary, not legal advice, so check each source and take advice from your regulator, indemnity provider, or clinical lead.

Rules for other clinics