How Compliant are Dental Practice Facebook Pages with Australian Healthcare Advertising Regulations? A Netnographic Review

Abstract

Background

The National Law that regulates the dental and other healthcare professions in Australia sets out regulations that dictate how dental practices are to advertise. This study examines the extent to which the profession complies with these regulations and the potential impact that advertising may have upon professionalism.

Methods

A Facebook search of 38 Local Government Areas in Sydney, New South Wales was carried out to identify dental practices that had pages on this social media site. A framework for assessment of compliance was developed using the regulatory guidelines and was used to conduct a netnographic review.

Results

266 practice pages were identified from across the 38 regions. 71.05% of pages were in breach of the National Law in their use of testimonials, 5.26% of pages displayed misleading or false information, 4.14% of pages displayed offers that had no clear terms and conditions or had inexact pricing, 19.55% of pages had pictures or text that was likely to create unrealistic expectations of treatment benefit and 16.92% of pages encouraged the indiscriminate and unnecessary utilisation of health services.

Conclusions

This study found that compliance to the National Law by the Facebook pages surveyed was poor.

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