Every profession registered with Ahpra works under the same advertising law: section 133 of the National Law, explained in Ahpra’s Guidelines for advertising a regulated health service. Advertising must not mislead, use testimonials, offer gifts or discounts without stating the terms, create unreasonable expectations or encourage unnecessary use. Penalties reach $60,000 per offence for individuals.
The rules are shared across dentistry, medicine, optometry, physiotherapy, chiropractic, podiatry, psychology and the other registered professions, with a few profession-specific layers on top. This guide sets out the common rules in plain language, then covers what each profession group needs to know. For a dental practice, our guide to AHPRA advertising rules for dental practices goes into more detail, and our overview of AHPRA advertising checks explains how practices review their content.
Who do the advertising rules apply to?
They apply to anyone who advertises a regulated health service, whether or not that person is registered. Ahpra’s page on advertising and the law explains that the prohibitions in section 133 apply to “a person”, which covers practitioners, practice owners who are not practitioners, corporate groups and anyone advertising on their behalf, including marketing agencies.
Advertising is read broadly. Websites, social media posts, Google Business Profiles, email newsletters, paid ads, brochures and window signage can all be advertising when they promote a regulated health service. Ahpra’s social media guidance applies the same obligations to practitioners’ social accounts.
What does section 133 prohibit?
Section 133 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law sets out five things advertising of a regulated health service must not do. In plain language, advertising must not:
- Be false, misleading or deceptive, or be likely to mislead. This covers claims that overstate results, hide risks or imply qualifications a practitioner does not hold.
- Offer a gift, discount or other inducement without stating the terms and conditions of the offer.
- Use testimonials or purported testimonials about the service or business.
- Create an unreasonable expectation of beneficial treatment, such as implying a treatment always works or suits everyone.
- Directly or indirectly encourage the indiscriminate or unnecessary use of regulated health services.
Ahpra’s Guidelines for advertising a regulated health service, which took effect on 14 December 2020, explain how the National Boards interpret each of these. Ahpra’s summary of the advertising requirements is a shorter version worth sharing with the team.
What are the penalties for breaching the advertising rules?
The maximum penalty is $60,000 per offence for an individual and $120,000 per offence for a body corporate, according to Ahpra’s advertising and the law page. Unlawful use of a protected title carries the same maximum fines, and an individual can also face imprisonment of up to three years per offence.
Many advertising concerns are resolved without going to court. Ahpra’s advertising compliance and enforcement strategy describes a graduated approach, from education and requests to correct advertising through to prosecution, and Ahpra publishes the advertising cases heard by courts and tribunals. For a registered practitioner, Ahpra notes that a breach of the advertising rules can also be grounds for disciplinary action in relation to their registration. Our article on what an AHPRA advertising breach costs looks at the practical costs as well as the fines.
What counts as a testimonial?
A testimonial is a recommendation or positive statement about the clinical aspects of a service: the symptoms or reason for the visit, the diagnosis or treatment, or the outcome, including comments on a practitioner’s clinical skill. Comments about customer service, communication, parking or booking are not testimonials, and can be used in full. Ahpra’s tool, Testimonials: understand the requirements, works through examples.
Patients are free to leave reviews on platforms the practice does not control, such as Google. The rule applies when the practice uses a review in its own advertising, and advertisers are responsible for removing testimonials from advertising they control, including their own social media pages. Our article on whether a dentist can use Google reviews in advertising applies the same test in detail, and the reasoning carries across to every profession.
How should prices and offers be advertised?
Prices should be clear, accurate and complete. Ahpra’s summary says advertising that includes pricing should be clear, easily understood, accurate, honest and include the total price, not just the initial cost. Advertising with price information that is unclear, inexact or vague may breach the National Law.
Gifts, discounts and other inducements are allowed as long as the advertisement states the terms and conditions. A “free first consultation” or “10 per cent off for new patients” needs the conditions stated alongside it, such as eligibility, what is included and any end date. The guidelines also caution against creating a sense of urgency, such as “for a limited time only”, where it is linked to a suggestion that a person’s health will suffer without treatment and there is no clinical indication for it (Ahpra advertising guidelines).
Which titles can a practitioner use?
A practitioner can use a protected title only if they are registered in that profession, and specialist titles only if they hold specialist registration. Ahpra’s guidance on titles in health advertising says the words “specialist”, “specialises in”, “specialty” and “specialised” imply specialist registration and are likely to mislead if the practitioner does not hold it. Phrases such as “substantial experience in” or “working primarily in” are less likely to mislead.
“Doctor” is not itself a protected title, but the guidelines say that practitioners who use “Dr” and are not registered medical practitioners should make their profession clear, for example “Dr Jones (dentist)”. In the medical profession, only practitioners with specialist registration in surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology or ophthalmology may call themselves “surgeon”. Ahpra notes that this change does not affect the specialist titles used in dentistry and podiatry, or dentists using the title “dental surgeon”.
What evidence do advertising claims need?
Any claim about the benefits of a treatment must be supported by acceptable evidence, or it may be considered false, misleading or deceptive. Ahpra’s guidance on acceptable evidence in health advertising rates evidence on its source, relevance, inclusion of all findings, level, quality and strength, and describes a well-conducted systematic review of relevant randomised controlled trials as the highest level.
The same guidance lists types of evidence that are generally not acceptable for advertising claims, including anecdotal observations from practice, before and after studies with few or no controls, and self-assessment studies. Ahpra also points out that the evidence for a claim in advertising differs from the evidence used in clinical decisions, because an advertisement speaks to everyone and the reader has no consultation to put the claim in context. Factual descriptions of what a service involves generally need no supporting study.
What are the rules for images and before and after photos?
Images must be genuine and must not mislead. Ahpra’s summary of the requirements identifies images that have been edited or enhanced, and images where it is not clear how the treatment caused the benefit shown, as potential breaches. The guidelines say before and after images are less likely to mislead when the two photos match in angle, background, framing, lighting and exposure, any alteration is explained, and the treatment is the only visible change.
Stock photos and AI-generated images call for care when they could be mistaken for a real result. Our articles on before and after photos in dental advertising and AI-generated before and after images go through the detail.
What extra rules apply to cosmetic procedures?
Cosmetic surgery and higher risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures have their own advertising guidelines, which are stricter than the general guidelines. The Medical Board’s Guidelines for registered medical practitioners who advertise cosmetic surgery took effect on 1 July 2023. Among other things, they prohibit testimonials, make practitioners responsible for content delivered by influencers and brand ambassadors, bar advertising targeted at people under 18, and require genuine before and after images with clear warnings about individual results.
Since 2 September 2025, Ahpra’s Guidelines for advertising higher risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures have applied across all regulated professions. The Dental Board has noted that they cover procedures such as anti-wrinkle injections, fillers and veneers (Dental Board of Australia). They require accurate information about risks, rule out minimising words such as “gentle” or “safe” without risk information, and prohibit images of people under 18.
How do the rules apply to each profession?
Each National Board publishes the shared guidelines on its own website, and some add examples or statements for their profession. The core rules above apply in the same way to all of them.
Dental practices
Dentists, dental specialists, dental hygienists, oral health therapists, dental therapists and dental prosthetists all advertise under the Dental Board of Australia’s advertising page. The issues that come up most are specialist wording used by general dentists, before and after photos of cosmetic work, testimonials drawn from Google reviews, and veneer advertising, which now also sits under the non-surgical cosmetic guidelines. Our dental advertising rules guide and our hub on AI for dental practices cover these in more depth.
Medical practices
General practices, specialist practices and cosmetic clinics follow the Medical Board of Australia’s advertising page, together with the cosmetic surgery advertising guidelines where they apply. The “surgeon” title restriction is specific to the medical profession, and specialist wording needs particular care: a specialist GP with an interest in children’s health should not describe themselves as a paediatric specialist. Our hub on AI for healthcare practices covers medical and other settings.
Optometry practices
Optometrists advertise under the Optometry Board of Australia’s advertising page. Retail optometry often advertises prices, packages and offers on frames and lenses, so the rules on total prices and stating the terms of an offer come up more often than in most professions. Our guide to optometry advertising rules and our hub on AI for optometry practices go further.
Physiotherapy, chiropractic, podiatry, psychology and other allied health
Each of these professions has its own National Board advertising page: physiotherapy, chiropractic, podiatry, psychology, occupational therapy and osteopathy. A few points are specific to these groups:
- Physiotherapists who hold a college award, such as a specialist title from the Australian College of Physiotherapists, need to name the awarding body, as Ahpra’s titles guidance shows.
- Descriptive terms such as “sports chiropractor” can be helpful, provided they do not imply specialist registration. Ahpra publishes chiropractic advertising examples and similar pages for osteopathy and Chinese medicine.
- Podiatric surgeons hold specialist registration, so the specialist title rules apply to them in the same way as to dental specialists.
- Psychologists with an area of practice endorsement can refer to it, and those without one should avoid wording that suggests they hold it.
Multi-discipline clinics should check each practitioner’s wording against their own profession’s registration, since one page can describe several professions.
Self-regulated professions and veterinary practices
Some health professions are not registered under the National Law, including dietetics, speech pathology and exercise physiology. They are generally regulated through their professional associations, many of which belong to the National Alliance of Self Regulating Health Professions, and the Australian Consumer Law applies to their advertising as it does to any business (ACCC: false or misleading claims). Veterinary practices also sit outside Ahpra: vets are registered by state and territory veterinary boards, such as the Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW. Our guide to veterinary advertising rules and our hub on AI for vet practices cover that side.
How can a practice check its own advertising?
Start with Ahpra’s self-assessment tool, which walks through the main questions for any piece of advertising. Then build a short routine around it:
- List everywhere the practice advertises: website, Google Business Profile, social accounts, newsletters, ads and printed material.
- Check each page and post for testimonials, specialist wording, prices without totals, offers without terms and claims that need evidence.
- Look at every image and ask whether it is genuine, unedited and clearly linked to the treatment it shows.
- Correct or remove anything that may need attention, and keep a note of what was changed and when.
- Make one person responsible for checking new content before it is published, and repeat the full review at least once a year.
For Australian dental practices, Trilbii supports this review. The AHPRA Advertising Checker checks social posts, ads and page drafts against the AHPRA advertising guidelines, and the AHPRA Website Checker reviews a practice’s website page by page. Both flag content that may need attention, explain why, and suggest a rewrite for the team to review. Trilbii was built in dental, its marketing and operations tools do the same jobs in optometry and vet clinics (see AI for vet practices), and if you would like to see it working, book a demo.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The Guidelines for advertising a regulated health service are shared by all the National Boards, and section 133 of the National Law applies to anyone advertising a regulated health service. Some professions have extra guidance, such as the cosmetic surgery guidelines for medical practitioners.
Up to $60,000 per offence for an individual and $120,000 per offence for a body corporate, according to Ahpra. Ahpra’s approach to lower risk matters starts with education and a request to correct the advertising, and the maximum applies to each offence.
No. Ahpra’s titles guidance says “specialist”, “specialises in”, “specialty” and “specialised” imply specialist registration. Wording such as “has substantial experience in” or “works primarily in” is less likely to mislead.
Yes. Section 133 applies to any person who advertises a regulated health service, so an agency can be responsible for what it publishes. The practice and its practitioners remain responsible for advertising published on their behalf.
No. Veterinarians are registered by state and territory veterinary boards, not by Ahpra. Their advertising is shaped by those boards and by the Australian Consumer Law.
Sources
- Guidelines for advertising a regulated health service, Ahpra, effective 14 December 2020
- Advertising and the law and Summary of the advertising requirements, Ahpra
- Testimonials: understand the requirements, Titles in health advertising and Self-assessment tool, Ahpra
- Acceptable evidence in health advertising, Ahpra
- Advertising compliance and enforcement strategy and Advertising cases heard by courts and tribunals, Ahpra
- Guidelines for registered medical practitioners who advertise cosmetic surgery, Medical Board of Australia, effective 1 July 2023
- Guidelines for advertising higher risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures, Ahpra, effective 2 September 2025, and New cosmetic procedure guidelines published, Dental Board of Australia
- National Board advertising pages: Dental, Medical, Optometry, Physiotherapy, Chiropractic, Podiatry, Psychology, Occupational therapy, Osteopathy
- Social media: how to meet your obligations under the National Law, Ahpra
- National Alliance of Self Regulating Health Professions; False or misleading claims, ACCC; Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW
Last reviewed 6 October 2026.
Read next: AHPRA advertising rules for dental practices | What an AHPRA advertising breach actually costs | Optometry advertising rules
The same five prohibitions apply to every registered health profession, whoever writes the advertising.
Section 133 in brief
Advertising a regulated health service must not:
- be false, misleading or deceptive
- offer a gift or discount without stating the terms
- use testimonials
- create an unreasonable expectation of benefit
- encourage unnecessary use of health services
Maximum penalty: $60,000 per offence for an individual, $120,000 for a body corporate.
