The market for non-surgical cosmetic treatments is booming, with an estimated 7.7million people undergoing these procedures in 2023. This makes cosmetic practice an attractive opportunity for entrepreneurial young dental professionals but it’s important to do your research if you want to set yourself up for success.
This quick guide from the DDU will take you through the different dento-legal areas you need to think about, with links to relevant DDU articles and other resources. And once you’ve finished, read our interview with Andrew Rankin and Jo-Anne Taylor for their expert insights.
Your DDU membership and cosmetic practice
The GDC doesn’t regulate cosmetic practice, but it expects you to uphold professional standards across all areas of your work, which includes having “appropriate indemnity” in place for any task or type of treatment you undertake.
If you’re a DDU dentist member who has been qualified for 3-5 years, we can indemnify you for up to £8,000 of facial aesthetics work per year, free of charge. Once you’ve been qualified for more than 6 years, the free indemnity extends to annual earnings of up to £25,000. Simply contact our membership team (you can do this by logging onto MyMembership) and let us know when you plan to start. We do not currently indemnify DCP members for facial aesthetic work.
The number of members who have informed us they are doing cosmetic practice has been growing year-on-year since the pandemic with a 15.5% jump between 2021 and 2022 alone. Alongside indemnity, DDU members can contact our dento-legal advice line for dento-legal matters and support, and we’ll signpost them to relevant guidance on standards, the law and organisations for cosmetic practitioners.
Training
The GDC says: “You must be sure that you have undertaken training which is appropriate for you and equips you with the appropriate knowledge and skills to perform a task safely." You should also keep up your knowledge and skills with regular CPD.
You’ll find many cosmetic training courses out there but only go for those that:
- have defined learning outcomes
- are from an accredited education and training provider eg regulated by OFQUAL
- provide recognised qualifications on completion
- the course programme is at the necessary level (some are aimed at new entrants while others are CPD for existing providers) and aligned to JCCP competency framework.
The Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP) has a list of approved training and education providers.
The Government is introducing a new licensing and regulation scheme for non-surgical cosmetic practice, which will cover training requirements and competence levels for different procedures (depending on the level of risk). See our interview for more on the planned regulatory changes.
Professional accreditation and standards
Trained and qualified practitioners can join a voluntary professional register if they agree to meet agreed standards on areas such as consent, premises, and complaints handling. Both the following are accredited by the Professional Standards Authority which oversees healthcare regulators:
Patient assessment and consent
Obtaining patients’ fully informed and voluntary consent is both an ethical duty and helps to avoid misunderstandings. This MDU article on cosmetic procedures includes useful guidance on consent, which is applicable to dental professionals too.
This DDU article on communication and consent looks at the need for clear and effective communication throughout the consent process.
The JCCP Code of practice includes a section on consent starting on page 7 and Save Face Standards for Accreditation (A6) covers informed consent
Prescribing
As the only member of the dental team who have prescribing rights, dentists might be asked to prescribe a prescription only medicine (POM) that will be administered by someone else. Our article on Remote prescribing and delegation explains the issues that can arise when prescribing a POM for administration by a colleague.
As a prescriber you must follow the GDC’s guidance on prescribing medicines and be aware of the law on prescribing POMs for cosmetic use. In particular, the Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act makes it a criminal offence to administer botulinum toxin and cosmetic fillers to those under the age of 18 in England, even with parental authority. It’s also an offence to book appointments or arrange to provide treatment to anyone under 18 in England.
The DDU only indemnifies members for treatments with dermal fillers approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A list of FDA approved fillers can be found here. Brand names may differ slightly in the UK, so verify the manufacturer and product on the equivalent UK product.
Report product safety concerns to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Yellow Card scheme.
Premises
The JCCP has produced guidance on premises standards and an audit toolkit for practitioners.
Save Face Standards for Accreditation (B1-5) covers facilities and carries out clinic assessments as part of its accreditation process.
Again, the Government is highly likely to introduce more stringent requirements on hygiene, infection control and premises as part of its planned licensing and regulation scheme for non-surgical cosmetic practice. Details have not yet been published but it’s likely that some high-risk procedures will be regulated by the CQC.
Marketing cosmetic services
Your marketing must be factual, verifiable and must not make unjustifiable claims about quality or outcome. Follow the principles in the GDC’s guidance on advertising your services and the DDU’s guide to advertising your practice ethically.
All advertisements and promotional material on your website must comply with the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code, which is enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority. CAP has also produced guidance on the marketing of cosmetic procedures, which covers before and after photographs, testimonials and financial products.
Finally, be aware that POMs such as botulinum toxin cannot be advertised directly to the general public under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, as explained in this DDU article. Refer to the MHRA’s Blue Guide for more information on advertising and promotion of medicines in the UK.
Organisations for cosmetic practitioners
The Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP)
Save Face has a section on its website for cosmetic practitioners
Cosmetic Practice Standards Authority (CPSA)
British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM) for registered dentists and doctors
British Association of Medical Aesthetic Nurses (BAMAN)
This page was correct at publication on 06/02/2026. Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.
by Leo Briggs Deputy head of the DDU
Leo Briggs qualified from University College Hospital, London, in 1989. He has worked extensively in the community dental service including a brief period overseas. He has also worked in general dental practice.
Leo gained a masters degree in periodontology from the Eastman in 1995 and is on the GDC specialist register for periodontics. From 1995-2017 he provided specialist periodontal treatment in both the salaried dental services and private practice. He started working for the DDU in 2005. Between 2007 and 2009 he worked part time at the DDU and part time as a clinical tutor at the School for Professionals Complementary to Dentistry in Portsmouth. In 2009 Leo went full time with the DDU. In January 2016 he became deputy head of the DDU.