Show the smile. Name the procedure.
Dental ads split in two. Meta exempts dental products such as whitening kits from its age rule, but ads for cosmetic procedures, in-office whitening included, target 18 and older. TikTok bars creator posts for cosmetic clinics and names dental surgeries. In California, a before-and-after must say what was done and that results vary. And a monthly price for veneers is a credit term with rules of its own. Each line below is quoted, with the date we read it.
For a dental practice, a compliant ad names the treatment and the dentist, targets adults for cosmetic procedures on Meta, and shows a before-and-after only with the patient's written marketing authorization. In California that photo must name the procedures performed, match in presentation, and say the same results may not occur for all patients. A monthly payment in an ad brings the financing terms with it. TikTok creator posts for the practice are prohibited.
Every rule on this page was read on the platform's or regulator's own page on 26 September 2026. Rules change; the date is on each item.Four rules on every dental ad.
- 18-plus on Meta for cosmetic procedures, in-office whitening included. Dental products such as whitening kits are the named exception.
- A before-and-after names the procedure, matches lighting and pose, and says results vary. That is California's rule for every healing arts licensee.
- A monthly price brings its terms. For installment credit, an ad that states a payment must also state the down payment, the repayment terms and the APR.
- No creator posts on TikTok. Its Branded Content Policy prohibits cosmetic clinics and names dental surgeries.
Five lines that get flagged.
- A photo that flatters. California bars a before-and-after that is not comparable in presentation or does not name the procedures performed. An image of a model needs a prominent note that it is a model.
- A payment with no terms. "Veneers from $199 a month" states the amount of a payment. Under the Truth in Lending rules for installment credit, that brings the down payment, the repayment terms and the APR into the ad.
- A smile that insults. Meta bans cosmetic procedure ads with statements of inferiority about physical appearance. "Embarrassed by your teeth?" is the shape. "Porcelain veneers, planned with you" is not.
- An audience built from patients. Google lists surgical procedures and injections as sensitive health content, so implant campaigns run without remarketing, Customer Match or lookalikes.
- Botox for TMJ as a keyword. Botox is on Google's prescription drug list. In the US it can appear in ad copy and on the page, but bidding on it needs certification.
What Meta, TikTok and California say about dental ads.
Each card quotes its source's own page, read on 26 September 2026. We run this read on every dental ad and smile photo before it goes live.
Everyday care or a cosmetic procedure: what changes
| Your ad sells checkups, cleanings or whitening kits | Your ad sells veneers, implants or a makeover | |
|---|---|---|
| Meta | Whitening products are exempt from the 18-plus rule. In-office whitening is a cosmetic procedure, so 18-plus. Still no statement of inferiority about appearance. | 18-plus. No statement of inferiority. Before-and-afters allowed for adults, with the patient's written authorization. |
| No certification. Keywords on the service and the place. | No certification. Surgical procedures and injections are sensitive content, so no remarketing or Customer Match. Botox stays in the copy, not the keywords. | |
| TikTok | Creator posts are prohibited for medical institutions and treatments. Ads may be allowed for adults. | Cosmetic clinic ads may be allowed for adults. No before-and-after results in TikTok ads, and no creator posts. |
| California | A standard consultation fee or a range of fees; any other fee statement discloses all the variables. | Before-and-afters name the procedures, match in presentation and say results may not occur for all patients. |
| Financing | "Payment plans available" states no installment credit terms. | "$199 a month" states a payment, so the down payment, repayment terms and APR come with it. |
Platform lines read on each platform's own page on 26 September 2026; California and federal rules read the same day. Section 651 governs dentists licensed in California; other states set their own advertising rules, and we read yours.
Looked after, not looked at.
The two phones show a weight loss ad, but the rule behind them covers cosmetic dentistry too. Meta bans cosmetic procedure ads with statements of inferiority about physical appearance. "Hiding your smile in photos?" talks about the person. "Porcelain veneers, planned with you" talks about the treatment.
Same dentist, same page. One line makes the viewer feel looked at, and one makes them feel looked after. The phones are an illustration, not a client's account.
Every dental post, read by a person.
No tool removes the compliance read. Every ad and every smile photo is read by a person against Meta's cosmetic procedure rules, TikTok's rules, your state's dental advertising rules and, where a payment is named, the lending rules, two rounds, before it runs. Anything that names a prescription drug, such as Botox for TMJ, gets a drug-ad review, which is why a creator program for prescription products adds $1,000 a month.
- ClaimsNo "painless," "permanent" or "guaranteed." What the treatment is, who does it and what it costs.
- ConsentA written marketing authorization from every patient shown, separate from treatment consent, on file with the photo.
- PhotosSame light, same angle, same distance before and after, with the procedure named and a note that results vary.
- The pageAny monthly price on the page carries the lender's terms, and fee lines match what the front desk quotes.
Newport Beach office. Clients anywhere.
Platform rules are national; dental advertising rules come from each state's statutes and dental board. We run this from Newport Beach, where section 651 applies, and work remote with practices across the United States.
Get the account read first.
Fifteen minutes. Bring the smile ad that got rejected, or the financing offer you want to run. We will tell you which line needs work and what runs instead.
Asked by dental practices.
Can a dental practice run before-and-after photos in ads?
Do dental ads on Facebook have to target 18 and older?
Can we advertise a monthly payment for veneers or implants?
Can we run Google Ads for cosmetic dentistry and implants?
Can influencers promote our dental practice on TikTok?
Can a patient's smile appear in our ads?
Do you work with dental practices outside California?
Sources, all read on September 26, 2026: Meta Transparency Center, Health and Wellness (change log Jul 22, 2026); TikTok Branded Content Policy (effective August 31, 2026), Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals (September 2026) and Misleading and False Content (April 2026); Google Ads, Health in personalized advertising, Restricted drug terms and the prescription drug list; California Business and Professions Code 651; 12 CFR 1026.24; 45 CFR 164.508.