iDentistry The Journal identistry_jan_april2019 | Page 33

The Journal
patients. Under these cases it is unethical:
a. To indulge in demeaning solicitation and false
promises through advertisements or direct
marketing of individuals, clinics or hospitals in
contravention of the National Advertising
Council or any other body regulating advertising
in the country;
b. To advertise, whether directly or indirectly or
being associated or employed with any
organization 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 handbills, claim vouchers and other
business promotional activities. Registered
charitable organizations including registered
body of Dental or Medical persons which
provide fully free dental care and treatment out
of altruism are however exempted;
c. To be associated with or employed by those
who procure or sanction such false and
misleading advertisements or publication
through press reports that promise
inducements, rebates and false benefits;
d. To employ any agent or canvasser for the
purpose of obtaining patients in a manner that is
commercial; or being associated with or
employed by those who procure or sanction of
such employment;
e. To use or exhibit any disproportionately large
sign, other than a sign which in its character,
position, size and wording is merely such as
may reasonably be required to indicate to
persons seeking the exact location of and
entrance to, the premises at which the dental
practice is carried on, and nowhere else;
f. To allow the Dental Surgeon’s name to be
used to designate commercial articles such as
tooth paste, tooth brush, tooth powder, mouth
washes liquid cleaners, or the like except if such
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articles are fabricated in the dental clinic e.g.
dentures, crowns, bridges, etc.;
g. To permit publication of the Dental Surgeon’s
opinion on any procedure, equipment, in the
general or lay papers or lay journals except
when validated or supported by evidence based
studies;
h. To indulge in surrogate advertisements in the
garb of educating the public through TV
programs, magazines or periodicals. Any public
information disseminated to the public in good
faith and intention should not carry addresses
telephone numbers, e-mail addresses etc., of
the Dental Surgeon or the clinic employing him
to attract patients to their establishment;
i. To advertise in the electronic media, such as in
television programs, that display names,
addresses and telephone number of dentists as
on-screen ‘scrollers’, or, of the clinics employing
such dentists, etc.
2. SOLICITING:
a. Soliciting of patients, directly or indirectly, by
a Dental Surgeon, by a group of Dental
Surgeons or by institutions or organizations is
unethical except when permitted under the
provisions mentioned (below from 2 d., 2 e. and
2 f.).
b. A Dental Surgeon shall not make use of
himself (or his name) as subject of any form or
manner of advertising or publicity through any
mode either alone or in conjunction with others
which is of such a character as to invite attention
to him or to his professional position, skill,
qualification, achievements, attainments,
specialties, appointments, associations,
affiliations or honors and/or of such character as
would ordinarily result in his self-
aggrandizement.
c. A Dental Surgeon shall not give to any
person, whether for compensation or
Vol. 15
No. 1
Jan-April 2019