If you run a clinic in Dubai, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) now has formal standards for what your social media ads can say and show. Words such as "the best", "safest", "100%" and "immediate results" are out, results must be backed by evidence, risks must be mentioned, and before-and-after photos are only allowed under strict conditions.
The rules apply to every DHA-licensed private health facility and healthcare professional, and the DHA says breaking them leads to disciplinary action. Below is a plain-English summary of what has been published, a checklist to audit your accounts, and how the same thinking should shape your clinic website. Always confirm the details with the DHA before you publish, because this post is a summary, not legal advice.
What the DHA announced
On 17 August 2026 the DHA's Health Regulation Sector issued circular CIR-2026-00000144, announcing the "Standards for Medical Advertisement Content on Social Media", with a supporting document called "Guidelines for Social Media Advertisement".
Key points from the circular itself:
- Who it covers: "All licensed Health facilities & healthcare Professionals – Private Sector Dubai".
- Why: the DHA points to the spread of health service advertising on social media and says it is "imperative to ensure the credibility of medical advert content and its conformity with the traditions and conventions of the UAE."
- Penalty: "Failure for compliance with this will result in taking the suitable disciplinary actions." The circular does not list fine amounts.
The detailed rules sit in the standards document attached to the circular. Local media reported on them in early September, notably Khaleej Times and The National. The sections below are based on that reporting, so download the full standards from the circular page and check the exact wording before you change your policy.
Words and claims you can no longer use
According to Khaleej Times, the standards list words that clinics and doctors must not use in social media ads:
| Banned word or phrase | Typical example in a clinic post |
|---|---|
| unique, one of a kind, exclusive | "Our exclusive laser protocol" |
| the best, distinguished, famous, pioneer | "Dubai's best dermatologist" |
| safest, has no side effects | "The safest filler, no side effects" |
| the only, incomparable, unprecedented | "The only clinic offering..." |
| magic, miraculous | "Miracle skin in one session" |
| assured success, 100%, absolutely certain | "100% guaranteed results" |
| immediate results | "See immediate results" |
The same report says ads should not claim one service is "better", "as safe as" or "safer than" another, and that ads must not mislead, "create an unnecessary need for a treatment or service", take advantage of patients' lack of medical knowledge, or scare people about their health.
Two positive requirements stand out:
- Evidence: any result you show or describe must be "backed by evidence".
- Risks: ads "should also mention the risks linked to the treatment", and for surgical or invasive procedures a warning must appear "in a clearly visible place".
The National adds that providers must not imply that their doctors are superior or suggest guaranteed results.
Before-and-after photos, patient content and influencers
This is the part that affects aesthetic, dental and dermatology clinics the most. As reported by The National:
- Before-and-after photos are only permitted if they are unedited, show the same patient, are taken with the same lens and come with written patient consent. No Photoshop "or equivalent editing software".
- Patient content: written consent is needed whenever a patient's pictures, videos or statements are used in social media advertising.
- Live streaming: promoting a procedure by live-streaming a patient under general anaesthesia is prohibited.
- Influencers and filming on site: facilities are responsible for any promotional material filmed on their premises, including content filmed on personal devices by patients or influencers.
That last point matters. If an influencer films a "glow-up" visit in your clinic and posts it with "best clinic in Dubai, zero downtime", your facility may carry the responsibility, not only the influencer.
What you can still say
The rules do not stop you marketing. According to Khaleej Times, permitted content includes clear facts about the services or products you offer, contact details, office hours, approved qualifications and titles, safety and quality accreditations, and evidence-based public health information.
In practice, strong compliant posts look like this:
- Explainers: "What happens during a root canal, step by step, and what recovery usually involves."
- Meet the doctor: name, DHA-approved title, qualifications and areas of practice, without "the best" or "famous".
- Facts and logistics: services, timings, location, languages spoken, how to book.
- Health awareness: evidence-based tips that link to a recognised source.
- Real patient stories: only with written consent, unedited photos and the risks stated.
Calm, factual content also tends to build more trust with patients comparing clinics, which is what you want anyway.
A 30-minute audit checklist for your clinic
Work through your Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn and Google Business Profile posts, plus any ads currently running:
- Search your captions for every word in the table above (and the Arabic equivalents you use). Edit or archive posts that contain them.
- Check every before-and-after image. Can you show it is unedited, same patient, same lens, with written consent on file? If not, take it down.
- Collect consent records for any patient photo, video, review clip or quote you have posted, and store them where your team can find them.
- Add risk wording to posts and ads about treatments, and a clearly visible warning for surgical or invasive procedures.
- Remove comparison claims such as "safer than surgery" or "better than Botox".
- Brief influencers and staff in writing. Share the banned-word list and the photo rules before anyone films on your premises, and agree that you review content before it goes live.
- Check doctor titles against what is approved on their DHA licence.
- Download the official standards from the DHA circular page and keep a copy with your marketing team or agency.
If your marketing is handled by an agency, ask them to confirm in writing that they have read the standards and to show you their approval process.
Does this apply to your clinic website too?
The circular is specifically about social media. But most clinic websites reuse the same phrases and photos as their Instagram feed, and every ad you run sends people to your website. A landing page that says "100% painless, guaranteed results" undermines a compliant ad and sends patients the wrong message.
We recommend treating your website with the same standard:
- Rewrite service pages to remove superlatives, guarantees and comparison claims.
- Add a short "risks and recovery" section to each treatment page.
- Use only before-and-after galleries you could defend under the social media rules, with consent on file.
- Show each doctor's approved title and qualifications on their profile page.
- Make booking, timings and location easy to find, since these are exactly the facts the DHA says you can promote.
Check with the DHA whether any other advertising approvals apply to your website or offline ads. This is the approach we take on our clinic website design projects in Dubai: clear, factual pages that convert without relying on claims that regulators are now removing.
Frequently asked questions
Who do the DHA social media advertising standards apply to?
According to DHA circular CIR-2026-00000144, they apply to all DHA-licensed private sector health facilities and healthcare professionals in Dubai. Reporting from September 2026 also says facilities are responsible for promotional content filmed on their premises, including by influencers.
Can Dubai clinics still post before-and-after photos?
Yes, but only under strict conditions. As reported by The National, the photos must be unedited, show the same patient, be taken with the same lens and come with the patient's written consent.
What happens if a clinic breaks the rules?
The circular says non-compliance will lead to "suitable disciplinary actions". It does not publish fine amounts, so ask the DHA directly if you need to know the specific penalties.
Can I say "best clinic in Dubai" if a magazine gave us an award?
"The best" is on the banned list reported by Khaleej Times. You can state facts about approved accreditations, but check the full standards or ask the DHA before referring to awards in an ad.
The bottom line
The DHA standards push clinic marketing in Dubai away from hype and towards evidence, consent and clear facts. Audit your social accounts now, brief anyone who creates content for you, and bring your website in line so your ads and landing pages tell the same honest story.
If you want help rewriting your clinic's posts and service pages so they stay compliant and still bring in bookings, talk to our team. You can also see how we approach social media marketing for clinics.