Teeth whitening law in the UK: the rules for dental practices
Tooth whitening is one of the few treatments where the product law, the professional rules and the advertising code all apply at once. Here is what each one says, and what it means for how your practice offers and markets whitening.
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Teeth whitening law in the UK rests on three things. Product law sets the hydrogen peroxide limits and says who may use stronger products. The Dentists Act and the GDC decide who may carry out whitening at all. The CAP Code governs how you advertise it. For a dental practice the rules are workable, but they are specific, and they catch practices out on under-18s, on delegation and on before and after photos. This guide sets out each layer, with links to the source.
The hydrogen peroxide limits: 0.1% and 6%
The legal limit for peroxide in teeth whitening products comes from the cosmetics regulation. The version that applies in Great Britain, on legislation.gov.uk, sets the limits for hydrogen peroxide present or released, which includes carbamide peroxide released during use:
| Hydrogen peroxide present or released | What the law allows |
|---|---|
| 0.1% or less | Oral products including toothpaste, mouth rinse and whitening products can be sold to the public. |
| More than 0.1%, up to 6% | Tooth whitening products may only be sold to dental practitioners. For each cycle of use, the first use must be by a dental practitioner or under their direct supervision, if an equivalent level of safety is ensured. After that, the product can be given to the patient to complete the cycle. Not to be used on anyone under 18. |
| More than 6% | Above the maximum the regulation allows, so not permitted for cosmetic tooth whitening. |
The GDC's tooth whitening position statement restates these limits for registrants. It adds that an appropriate clinical examination should be carried out first to check for risk factors or other oral pathology, that exposure should be limited to the intended frequency and duration, and that breaching the regulations is a criminal offence. Trading Standards enforces the product rules, not the GDC.
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Teeth whitening for under 18s
Products containing or releasing between 0.1% and 6% hydrogen peroxide cannot be used on anyone under 18. The GB regulation says so directly, and the GDC's position statement adds that the restriction does not apply where the use is wholly for treating or preventing disease.
For a practice, that has an advertising consequence as well as a clinical one. Whitening promotions aimed at school leavers or prom season, or social ads with an audience that includes under-18s, invite enquiries you cannot legally treat with a professional-strength product. Set age targeting on paid social to 18 and over and keep the creative clearly adult.
Is teeth whitening illegal for non-dentists?
Yes. Carrying out tooth whitening is the practice of dentistry, and only registered dental professionals can do it. The GDC's page on what the law says explains that whitening can only safely and legally be offered by registered dental professionals regardless of the product used, a position confirmed by the High Court in GDC v Jamous in 2013. Section 38 of the Dentists Act 1984 makes it a criminal offence for someone who is not registered to practise dentistry or to offer to.
The GDC's position statement says the same: where someone is not registered with the GDC, they are not entitled to provide tooth whitening, and the GDC will continue to prosecute people who do it illegally.
Can beauticians do teeth whitening?
No. A beautician who is not GDC-registered cannot carry out tooth whitening, even with a product under 0.1%. The GDC draws the distinction clearly: products under 0.1% can be sold legally, but an unregistered person using them to provide whitening treatment is still practising dentistry.
Who in the dental team can carry out whitening?
Only a dentist can prescribe tooth whitening. The GDC's standards FAQ says the first application must be carried out by a dentist, or by a dental hygienist, therapist or clinical dental technician working under the dentist's supervision.
For hygienists, the GDC's answer to a registered hygienist asking whether they can offer whitening is yes, provided they are registered, the patient has been assessed as suitable by a dentist who has prescribed it, and they have developed the additional skill.
Can a dental nurse do teeth whitening?
The GDC position statement and CAP's advice list dentists, and hygienists, therapists and clinical dental technicians working to a dentist's prescription. Dental nurses are not on that list. Check the GDC's scope of practice guidance before delegating any part of a whitening treatment, and check that your indemnity covers whoever carries it out. The GDC says registrants need indemnity for any treatment they provide.
How to report illegal teeth whitening
If you know of someone offering whitening who is not registered, report it to the GDC, which says it considers all allegations of illegal practice reported to it and has a prosecution policy setting out how it acts. If the concern is about a product, such as one sold to the public above 0.1%, the GDC says it passes that information to Trading Standards.
Advertising teeth whitening: the CAP Code rules
The CAP Code applies to whitening ads on your website, social media and search, as much as to print. CAP's advice on teeth whitening and its 2024 dental ads guidance set out the main points:
- Who can advertise it. CAP says tooth whitening may only be carried out by registered dentists, dental therapists, dental hygienists and clinical technicians working to a dentist's prescription, and that marketers in doubt should check with the GDC before advertising.
- Evidence for results. You must hold evidence that the product or service genuinely whitens teeth. Claims such as a number of shades whiter, or how quickly results appear, need specific evidence. The ASA has upheld complaints where the studies behind shade claims were not adequate.
- No fast or permanent promises without proof. CAP says marketers should not promise results after one use, or long-term results, without evidence.
- Before and after photos. These must be genuine, not digitally enhanced to exaggerate the whitening, and reasonably representative. CAP treats them as testimonials, so you need signed and dated proof and the patient's permission.
The GDC adds its own requirement for social media and deal sites: make clear that the treatment may not be appropriate for every patient and that it depends on a satisfactory assessment. For whitening, where the law itself requires an examination first, that line is not a formality.
Does an NHS dentist cover teeth whitening?
No. The NHS website's page on teeth whitening says it is not available on the NHS and has to be paid for privately. If your practice is mixed, make that clear wherever you advertise whitening, because the GDC requires practice publicity to say whether a practice is NHS, mixed or wholly private.
How long does teeth whitening last?
The NHS website says the effect may last for around three years when following your dentist's advice, and that whitening is not permanent. If you quote a duration in an ad, use cautious wording like this and make sure you can back it up. A claim of permanent or lifelong results is exactly the kind of long-term claim CAP warns against.
How much is teeth whitening in the UK?
Prices vary between practices and between methods, so there is no single figure, and any national average you read is a guess. What the rules do say is that you must be clear about yours. GDC standard 2.4.2 says you must give clear information on prices on your website. Under the CAP Code, a "from" price must not exaggerate how many patients pay it, and if an assessment is required first and carries a charge, the ad should not hide it.
A whitening compliance checklist
- Every whitening product in the practice is within the legal limits, from a supplier that sells professional products only to dental practitioners.
- Every patient has a clinical examination and a prescription from a dentist before treatment.
- The first application in each cycle is carried out by a dentist, or under a dentist's supervision by a hygienist, therapist or clinical dental technician with the skill.
- No one under 18 is treated with a product above 0.1%, except wholly for treating or preventing disease.
- Ads hold evidence for every claim, use genuine and consented before and after photos, show clear prices, and are not targeted at under-18s.
- Social posts say the treatment may not suit everyone and depends on an assessment.
Whitening is also one of the treatments people search for by place, so it is worth having a clear, compliant whitening page that can rank. Our guides to SEO for dental practices and Google Ads for dentists cover how to compete for those searches without overclaiming.
See who wins whitening searches near you
Practice Radar's Insight plan shows search demand and content gaps in your market, so you can see how often people near you search for whitening and which practices hold those searches.
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