# Why can't they show Dentist's faces on television? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 19, 2006, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-show-dentists-faces-on-television/345189 "2006-02-19T08:05:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-show-dentists-faces-on-television/345189/1 "2006-02-19T08:05:16Z")
We have an ad showing on TV here in Australia that has some male model pretending to be a Dentist, and they show him from the back so we can’t see his face. “This man is a Dentist,” they claim, “so we can’t show his face on television.” and then they go on to promote some toothbrush or something. I believe it’s a common concept to use for dental advertisements, and America has had many ads like it in the past. So this is obviously a gimmick, right? There’s no genuine conflict of interest problem with showing a real dentist endorsing a particular product, is there? Or are they actually referring to a legitimate legal obstacle? ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-show-dentists-faces-on-television/345189/2 "2006-02-19T10:59:20Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > We have an ad showing on TV here in Australia that has some male model pretending to be a Dentist, and they show him from the back so we can’t see his face. “This man is a Dentist,” they claim, “so we can’t show his face on television.” and then they go on to promote some toothbrush or something. > > I believe it’s a common concept to use for dental advertisements, and America has had many ads like it in the past. > > So this is obviously a gimmick, right? There’s no genuine conflict of interest problem with showing a real dentist endorsing a particular product, is there? Or are they actually referring to a legitimate legal obstacle? I heard an interview of the people that made that ad. AFAICR - the fellow _was_ a real dentist: they picked up a recent graduate from dental school. They could have shown his face, but didn’t … just for the effect. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-show-dentists-faces-on-television/345189/3 "2006-02-19T15:19:22Z")
Maybe he’s that 5th dentist who doesn’t recommend gum and he’s afraid of being targeted by the Evil Gum Alliance. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-show-dentists-faces-on-television/345189/4 "2006-02-19T15:39:35Z")
Aussie Dental Association ruling, maybe? Do MDs get their faces shown? I can’t think of a similar situation in the USA. We do have a sleeper’s bite guard called “The Doctor’s (_NOT Dentist’s_) Night Guard,” which makes me think our ADA wouldn’t allow _Dentist’s_ to be part of a trademark. ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-show-dentists-faces-on-television/345189/5 "2006-02-27T13:46:06Z")
I don’t know about toothbrushes, but in Germany it is forbidden (_verboten_, actually) to quote or show any doctor, or any person claiming to be a doctor, dressed like a doctor etc. in advertising for foodstuffs. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-show-dentists-faces-on-television/345189/6 "2006-02-27T14:10:07Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Why can’t they show Dentist’s faces on television? It might be bad for the crops. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-they-show-dentists-faces-on-television/345189/7 "2006-02-27T14:31:44Z")
There is language in the [ADA code of ethics](http://www.ada.org/prof/prac/law/code/principles_05.asp) which could be interpreted as making it problematic for a dentist to endorse a dental product or service by appearing in a commercial for it. > [@ADA code of ethics](#): > > 5.D.2 Marketing or Sale of Products or Procedures. Dentists who, in the regular conduct of their practices, engage in or employ auxiliaries in the marketing or sale of products or procedures to their patients must take care not to exploit the trust inherent in the dentist-patient relationship for their own financial gain. Dentists should not induce their patients to purchase products or undergo procedures by misrepresenting the product’s value, the necessity of the procedure or the dentist’s professional expertise in recommending the product or procedure. > > In the case of a health-related product, it is not enough for the dentist to rely on the manufacturer’s or distributor’s representations about the product’s safety and efficacy. The dentist has an independent obligation to inquire into the truth and accuracy of such claims and verify that they are founded on accepted scientific knowledge or research. The above language facially applies to products and services sold out of the dentist’s office but concern over the exploitation of the general public’s trust in dentists on matters of dental health care may be sufficient to keep many dentists from doing toothpaste commercials. Whether this is actually why the particular dentist in the American version of the “we can’t show this dentist’s face on TV” ad (which was several years ago) dosn’t turn around, or if the Australian Dental Association has similar guidelines, I have no idea.