Short answer
On a Canadian dental website, describe each dentist by the category in which they are registered: general dentist, or specialist in a recognized specialty. In Ontario, only dentists with a certificate of specialist registration from the RCDSO may call themselves specialists, and terms like “cosmetic dentist”, “implant specialist” and “holistic dentist” are not permitted because they suggest specialties that do not exist. General dentists may list the services they provide.
Recognized specialties
The Canadian Dental Association lists ten dental specialties recognized by the Canadian Dental Regulatory Authorities Federation, as of March 2024: dental anaesthesia, dental public health, endodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, oral medicine and pathology, oral and maxillofacial radiology, orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics and prosthodontics.4
Provinces can list them differently. The RCDSO’s 2023 article counts eleven recognized specialties in Ontario, listing oral medicine and oral pathology separately: dental anaesthesia, endodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology, orthodontics, paediatric dentistry, periodontics, prosthodontics and public health dentistry.1 Use your own regulator’s list.
The word “specialist”
The RCDSO says dentists may hold themselves out only by their registration category, either general dentist or certified specialist, and that only a dentist who holds a certificate of specialist registration from the College may use the specialist title.1 A dentist must not imply specialist status without that certificate.
Its advertising guidelines add that when an advertisement refers to an area of dental practice, it must clearly disclose whether the dentist is registered as a general practitioner or a specialist, and if a specialist, in which specialty.2 The Advertising with Integrity summary puts it simply: clearly state if you are a general practitioner or specialist, and specify your area of specialty where applicable.3
Terms that imply a specialty
Some popular descriptions are not specialties at all. The RCDSO gives three examples of impermissible terms: “cosmetic dentist”, “implant specialist” and “holistic dentist”.1 Others in the same family, such as “smile makeover specialist” or “TMJ specialist”, would likely raise the same concern.
The fix is usually simple. Describe the service, not the person. “Dr. Patel is a general dentist who provides dental implants” is clear and accurate. “Dr. Patel, implant specialist” is not, unless Dr. Patel holds a specialty registration that covers it.
General dentists who focus on one area
The RCDSO’s article uses the example of a general dentist who limits their practice to orthodontics. That dentist must make clear they are a general dentist who practises orthodontics.1 On a website, that could look like this:
| Wording | Why |
|---|---|
| Dr. Lee, general dentist. Dr. Lee’s practice focuses on orthodontic treatment. | States the registration category first and describes the focus accurately. |
| Dr. Lee, orthodontist | Implies a specialty registration Dr. Lee does not hold. |
| Our orthodontic specialists | Inaccurate unless every dentist referred to is a registered orthodontic specialist. |
Practice names
Names need the same care. The RCDSO says that if a practice name refers to a specialty, it must be one of the recognized branches of dentistry, and all dentists practising in the office must be registered specialists in that branch.1 A clinic called “Riverside Orthodontics” where a general dentist also practises would not meet that rule in Ontario. This matters for multi-location groups that name clinics around one service.
Qualifications and memberships
Ontario’s advertising guidelines prohibit references to continuing education, College positions or society memberships, and to degrees or diplomas not required for registration.2 Team bios sometimes list courses, fellowships and associations by habit. Check each item against your regulator’s rules before publishing.
Where titles appear on a website
Titles turn up in more places than the team page. Check all of them:
- Team bios and headshot captions.
- Treatment pages, especially headings like “Meet our implant specialist”.
- Page titles and meta descriptions, which appear in search results.
- Structured data, such as Person or Dentist markup with a job title.
- Image file names and alt text.
- The practice name, logo and footer.
- Google Business Profiles for each practitioner.
A short audit you can do today
Search your website for these words: specialist, specialists, cosmetic dentist, implant specialist, holistic, orthodontist, periodontist, endodontist, oral surgeon, pediatric dentist. For each result, check whether the dentist referred to holds that specialty registration. Rewrite any that do not. If the list is long, a compliance-focused redesign may be quicker than editing page by page.
A team page template
A consistent format makes accurate titles easier. For each dentist, a short profile could include:
- Name, written as the dentist is registered.
- Registration category: general dentist, or the specialty in which they are registered.
- The services they provide at the practice, described as services.
- The locations and days they work, for multi-location groups.
- Languages spoken.
- A short personal note, if they want one, such as what they enjoy about their work.
Leave out lists of courses, memberships and degrees that your regulator does not allow in advertising.
Practices with general dentists and specialists
Some practices have both. Be precise on every page. A treatment page about orthodontic care should say whether treatment is provided by a registered orthodontic specialist, a general dentist, or both, and who patients will see. Headings such as “Our orthodontists” work only if every person under them holds that specialty registration. Otherwise, “Orthodontic care at our practice” followed by accurate profiles is the safer structure.
Frequently asked questions
Can a general dentist offer orthodontic treatment?
A general dentist who provides orthodontic treatment can say so. In Ontario, the RCDSO’s example is a general dentist who limits their practice to orthodontics: they must make clear that they are a general dentist who practises orthodontics, not a specialist.
Can I describe my practice as a cosmetic dentistry practice?
Describing services is allowed. In Ontario, the RCDSO gives “cosmetic dentist” as an example of a term that is not permitted because it suggests a specialty that is not recognized. Listing cosmetic treatments that a general dentist provides is different from calling the dentist a cosmetic dentist.
What should a team bio include?
The dentist’s name, their registration category as a general dentist or the specialty in which they are registered, the services they provide and languages spoken. Ontario prohibits references to degrees or diplomas not required for registration, continuing education and society memberships in advertising, so keep bios to what your regulator allows.
Do these rules apply to hygienists and other staff?
Dental hygienists and other professionals have their own regulators and title rules. Describe each person by their actual profession and registration, and check with their regulator if you are unsure.
Sources
- RCDSO: Use of qualifications, titles, and designations (26 September 2023) Regulator
- RCDSO: Advertising Guidelines Regulator
- RCDSO: Advertising with Integrity Regulator
- Canadian Dental Association: Dental specialties Professional association
Checked on 29 October 2026. Rules change, so confirm the current version with the regulator before you publish.
