iDentistry The Journal identistry_jan_april2019 | Page 34

The Journal
otherwise, any approval, recommendation,
endorsement, certificate, report or statement
with respect of any drug, medicine, nostrum
remedy, surgical, or therapeutic article,
apparatus or appliance or any commercial
product or article with respect of any property,
quality or use thereof or any test, demonstration
or trial thereof, for use in connection with his
name, signature, or photograph in any form or
manner of advertising through any mode nor
shall he boast of cases, operations, cures or
remedies or permit the publication of report
thereof through any mode.
d. A dentist is, however, permitted as an
ethically acceptable practice to make a formal
announcement in press on starting practice, on
change of type of practice, on changing
address, on temporary absence from duty for a
prolonged period of time, on resumption of
practice after a break a prolonged period and/or
on succeeding to another practice.
e. He can also give a press insert about the
availability of new equipment or services
without boastful claims of being the ‘best’ or
‘first’ especially if such services are already
available in other facilities via insertion in
Telephone directories, Yellow pages or on the
internet but will have to only serve as public
information. However, any claim to superiority
or special skills over others will be construed as
unethical practice.
f. Maintenance of websites about dentists or
dental clinics where all information is factual will
not be construed as unethical practice and
websites can also carry details of treatment
facilities available and the fees for the same
which, in fact, helps patients to make informed
choices through a transparent system.
However, websites should not make claims or
statements that are not factual and therefore,
misleading to the public.
With above clear cut deadlines, conflicts in
advertising can be resolved in the minds of
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budding practitioners who consider advertising
as an important tool to generate awareness and
knowledge amongst people but as reiterated
above, advertising by a dentist must not
misrepresent fact or give false interpretations
and should be in such a form that false
expectations of favorable results is not done.
3. Publicity and Signage:
a. Printing of self-photograph or any such
material of publicity in the letter head or on sign
board of the consulting room or any such clinical
establishment shall be regarded as acts of self
advertisement and unethical conduct on the
part of the physician. However, printing of
sketches, diagrams, picture of human system
shall not be treated as unethical;
b. Using or exhibition of any 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 is
considered unethical. These include:
(1) Use of sign-board with the use of such words
which trivialize the dignity of the profession or
notices in regard to practice on premises other
than those in which a practice is actually carried
on, or show cases, or flickering light signs and
the use of any sign showing any matter other
than his name and qualifications;
(2) Affixing a sign-board on a Chemist's shop or
in places where the dentist does not reside or
work.
c. A Dental Surgeon shall not claim to be a
specialist either through displayed signs on the
name board and / or the office stationary
(visiting cards, letterheads, etc.,) unless he has
a special qualification (which is recognized by
the Council) in that Specialty. A Dental Surgeon
can however practice all branches of Dentistry
Vol. 15
No. 1
Jan-April 2019