California: Marketing for Dental & Medical Practices

• Los Angeles, CA3,869,089 residents3,827 NPI-registered dentists$81,939 median household income
• Orange County, CA3,149,507 residents3,956 NPI-registered dentists$116,289 median household income

• False or misleading advertising (all healing arts licensees)

  California Business and Professions Code section 651(a) makes it unlawful for a healing arts licensee to disseminate public communications containing a false, fraudulent, misleading, or deceptive statement, claim, or image; subdivision (b) lists examples.

  …to disseminate or cause to be disseminated any form of public communication containing a false, fraudulent, misleading, or deceptive statement, claim, or image…

  Source: Cal. Business and Professions Code section 651(a) (checked 2026-11-01)

• Before and after photos

  Section 651(b)(3)(C) states that "before" and "after" views of an actual patient must be comparable in presentation and must carry a statement that the same results may not occur for all patients; it also requires the procedures performed to be specified.

  …shall contain a statement that the same “before” and “after” results may not occur for all patients…

  Source: Cal. Business and Professions Code section 651(b)(3)(C) (checked 2026-11-01)

• Price advertising

  Section 651(c) states that any price advertisement shall be exact, without phrases such as "as low as," "and up," or "lowest prices," or words or phrases of similar import.

  Any price advertisement shall be exact, without the use of phrases, including, but not limited to, “as low as,” “and up,” “lowest prices,” or words or phrases of similar import.

  Source: Cal. Business and Professions Code section 651(c) (checked 2026-11-01)

• Physician board-certification claims

  For a physician and surgeon licensed by the Medical Board of California, section 651(h)(5)(C) bars any statement of being certified or eligible for certification by a board or association unless it is an American Board of Medical Specialties member board, a board with equivalent requirements the licensing board approved before January 1, 2019, or a board with an ACGME-approved postgraduate training program in that specialty. This note covers physicians licensed by the Medical Board of California only.

  …shall not include a statement that he or she is certified or eligible for certification by a private or public board or parent association, including, but not limited to, a multidisciplinary board or association, unless that board or association is (i) an American Board of Medical Specialties member board, (ii) a board or association with equivalent requirements approved by that physician’s and surgeon’s licensing board prior to January 1, 2019, or (iii) a board or association with an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education approved postgraduate training program that provides complete training in that specialty or subspecialty.

  Source: Cal. Business and Professions Code section 651(h)(5)(C) (checked 2026-11-01)

• Dentist advertising (Dental Practice Act)

  Business and Professions Code section 1680(h) lists, as unprofessional conduct for a dentist, use by the licensee or any agent of the licensee of advertising statements tending to deceive or mislead the public.

  …making use by the licensee or any agent of the licensee of any advertising statements of a character tending to deceive or mislead the public…

  Source: Cal. Business and Professions Code section 1680(h) (checked 2026-11-01)

These notes are not legal advice. Rules change, so check the current rule (or ask a lawyer licensed in California) before you publish.