Dental before and after photos: the rules for posting them, and a shot and caption template

Updated 2 November 2026 · Written by Reyansh Juneja and Naman Dhiman, the co-founders of SOVE7GN, who run the campaigns and review the clips

A dentist can post before and after photos on social media when the patient has signed a written authorization, the two photos are taken the same way, nothing is edited, and the post says results vary. Most problems come from the last three: a brighter "after", a filter, or a caption that reads like a promise.

Which rules apply to a dental before and after post?

Several at once: the dental ethics code, your state or national regulator, the federal consumer protection rules and patient privacy law. Here is what each one asks of a single post.

Most US states have their own dental board advertising rule. Texas and California are the two we quote because their wording is specific. Our cautious reading: a post built to meet both will pass most other boards, but read your own board's rule once.

What is the shot template for a dental before and after?

The same five shots, before and after, from the same marked spots. Phones change exposure and color on their own between shots, which makes an honest result look edited, so lock focus and exposure before each one.

Same room, same single light (overhead operatory light off), same distance, same lens. If the after is taken months later, check the setup against a printed copy of the before. For video, film both halves in one continuous take where possible: a slow pan from the before photo on a monitor to the patient's smile is harder to fake and easier to trust.

Never use a stock image, a lab's marketing photo or another dentist's case. California requires anyone "other than an actual patient, who has undergone the procedure being advertised" to be labeled as a model, and Texas allows photos of actual patients of record only.

What should the caption say?

Use this template under every before and after post, filling only true facts:

[Treatment] for [patient first name or "a patient"], [number] visits over [time]. Photos taken under the same light, unedited. Dr [Name], general dentist. Actual results may vary; the same results may not occur for all patients. Shared with [patient]'s written permission.

Each part has a job. The treatment name meets California's "identify the procedures" rule. "Same light, unedited" tells viewers you followed the shot template. "General dentist" meets ADA Code 5.I for a general dentist announcing services. The two results lines cover Texas and California. The consent line is a reminder that the signed form exists; it is not the consent itself. UK practices add their GDC registration number to the profile and the ad.

For a reel, put the treatment name and "Actual results may vary" on screen as well as in the caption, because many viewers never open the caption. Our cautious reading: on-screen text in the first frame of the after is the safest place.

What consent do you need before posting?

A written authorization that names the photos and video, the platforms (organic and paid), how long you will use them and how the patient can withdraw. HIPAA's marketing authorization rule is in 45 CFR 164.508, and our patient photo consent form page lists every clause, including the UK and Canada versions. Do not tag the patient or show their name unless they ask you to in writing. Our HIPAA social media rules page covers the enforcement cases.

How do before and afters fit into a content plan?

As one post type out of several, not the whole grid. A feed of only before and afters looks like a catalog, and the patient cannot tell how you work. Pair each result with the dentist explaining the case: why this treatment, what was hard, what the patient asked. Our teeth whitening Instagram and veneers marketing pages show this for the two most common cases, and dental reel ideas maps one reveal into about 20 clips.

One hour of long video usually gives us 12 to 20 clips. We cut them and write captions to the template above. We send 2 example clips for approval and go live within 48 hours. Entry is $2,000 a month for 2 clips a day. See how we work with founder-led practices or book a 30-minute call.

Questions people ask