Keeping it ethical

The philosopher George Santayana famously once said: “Advertising is the modern substitute for argument; its function is to make the worse appear the better.” This outlook seems to be inconsistent with the obligation for dental professionals to be transparent but in a marketplace in which people are accustomed to information being available at their fingertips, can modern dental services survive without advertising? Indeed some multinational manufacturers and retailers would be quick to point out that advertisements don’t just sell a product or service but also ‘sell’ values and concepts. But it would be a poor indictment of our society if Gillette really was “The best a man can get” and furthermore I must admit that the words “I’m Lovin’ It” do not necessary come to mind when reading the McDonald’s calorie information sheet after consuming copious amounts of French fries.

Television

It was not long ago that many dentists felt the GDC’s approach towards advertising seemed to be stricter than that of other professions. But, as a consequence of considerable pressure from the Office of Fair Trading, the approach towards advertising was relaxed and ever since advertising in dentistry is now considered more acceptable, not only from a regulatory perspective but also a social one. However, notwithstanding the guidance developed by the GDC on ethical advertising, advertising in dentistry is still a contentious issue as demonstrated by a recent national TV advert that ran between January and February, which promoted affordable dental implants to a mass audience.