Most Instagram advice for clinics is written for American businesses. Most college guidance tells you what not to do, but not what to post. This guide does both, for regulated health professionals in Ontario.
The short answer
You can post a lot: your team, your space, general education and clinic news are safe for every profession. Be careful with anything involving patients: testimonials, photos and before-and-afters each have college rules, and they differ by profession. And never post anything that could identify a patient without consent, promise results, or answer one person’s health question in public.
First, know this: your account may count as advertising
For dentists, an account that identifies the holder as a dentist “is likely to be considered an advertisement” by the RCDSO, according to this legal summary. Assume your own college may see it the same way.
If a post reaches your college, it can be investigated whether your account is public or private (BMS and Gowling WLG). The CPO adds that even personal posts can lead to action if they reflect badly on the profession.
Green, amber, red: what you can post
Screenshot this and keep it next to your phone.
- Team introductions and credentials (accurate)
- A tour of your clinic, with no patients in view
- What to expect at a first visit
- General education: myths, tips, how a treatment works
- Clinic news, hours and community events
- Behind the scenes: cleaning, training, new equipment
- Patient testimonials or reshared reviews
- Patient photos or videos, even with consent
- Before-and-after photos
- Discounts, contests and giveaways
- Paid partnerships and product endorsements
- Using the title “Dr.”
- Anything that could identify a patient without consent
- Answers to one person’s health question in public
- “Cures”, guarantees or “the best in town”
- Health claims you can’t back with evidence
- Replies to reviews that reveal patient details
- Overly personal messages with patients
What each college says
Three questions come up most: testimonials, patient photos, and who can call themselves “Dr.” Here’s a summary as of October 2026.
In Ontario, only physicians, dentists, chiropractors, optometrists and psychologists may use “Dr.” when offering health care (RHPA s.33). A doctorate alone isn’t enough. If your profession isn’t on that list, check your profession’s Act and your college before using it in your bio.
Patient photos: the consent rule
Leaving out a name isn’t enough. As one insurer’s legal guide puts it, “simply omitting a client’s name does not effectively anonymize client’s personal health information” (BMS and Gowling WLG). The CPSO requires physicians to de-identify information or get and document express consent before posting (CPSO).
- Check for hidden identifiers: a face in the mirror, a tattoo, a voice, a name on a screen, a recognisable room, or a story only one person could tell.
- Get consent in writing, for that specific photo and where it will be posted. Keep it in their file.
- Let them say no without pressure. Ask after care, never as part of it, and make clear it won’t affect their treatment.
- Let them change their mind. Remove the post promptly if they ask.
- For massage therapists: the CMTO says not to post or reveal any client information, so avoid patient content altogether.
I agree that [clinic name] may post the photo or video taken on [date] on [Instagram / website]. I understand it may show [describe what is visible]. I can withdraw my consent at any time and the post will be removed. Saying no will not affect my care in any way. Signed: [name], [date].
DMs, comments and following patients
Instagram makes it easy to blur lines that your college expects you to keep.
- Don’t follow patients from the clinic account. The RCDSO suggests that in many cases it may be best to politely decline friend or follow requests (RCDSO).
- Keep DMs to logistics: hours, booking, directions. Move anything clinical to a secure channel.
- Record clinical messages. If a patient shares health details, they belong in their chart.
- Keep the tone professional, even when a patient is friendly. Overly familiar messages are a common complaint trigger.
Thanks for reaching out! We can’t give health advice through Instagram, but we’d love to help. Book online at [link] or call us at the clinic. For emergencies, call 911.
Sharing health advice safely
Educational posts are the most valuable content you can share, and the easiest to get wrong. The CPSO expects physicians to share only evidence-based information and to stay within their expertise, and most colleges expect the same.
Keep it general
“Many people with desk jobs feel tightness here”, not “If your back hurts like this, do this.” General posts can be read as personal advice.
Stay in your scope
Talk about what your profession treats. Leave diagnoses, medication and other professions’ areas alone.
No promises
Avoid “cure”, “guaranteed” and “best”. The CPO notes that a clinic “cannot claim superiority over another one.”
Add a short note
End with a line like the one below, so people know when to see someone in person.
This is general information, not personal advice. Everyone is different, so if something hurts, book an assessment with a registered professional.
30 post ideas that are safe for every profession
None of these needs a patient’s photo, story or review. Pick one a week and you’ll never run out.
- 01A practitioner intro: who they help and why
- 02“Why I became a [profession]”
- 03Your front desk team, by first name
- 04A day at the clinic, with no patients in view
- 05Your credentials, explained in plain words
- 06Myth vs fact about your treatment
- 073 signs it’s time to see a [profession]
- 08What a treatment actually feels like
- 09One desk or posture tip
- 10Answer a question you hear every week
- 11What to expect at a first visit
- 12What to wear or bring
- 13How to book online in 30 seconds
- 14Insurance and direct billing, explained
- 15Parking, transit and accessibility
- 16Your cleaning routine between patients
- 17New equipment, and why you chose it
- 18A course your team just completed
- 19Your space: plants, light, the waiting room
- 20Team lunch or a staff celebration
- 21A local event you’re joining
- 22A shout-out to a neighbouring business
- 23A charity run or fundraiser
- 24A seasonal tip, like walking safely on ice
- 25Holiday hours
- 26A poll: “Where do you feel tension most?”
- 27A Q&A box (general answers only)
- 28This or that: stretch edition
- 29Your team’s favourite book or podcast
- 30“Ask us anything” about how the clinic works
5 questions to ask before you post
Could anyone recognise a patient?
Faces, voices, tattoos, rooms, stories. If yes, you need written consent, or don’t post.
Is it true, and can I back it up?
If you’d be uncomfortable showing your source to your college, rewrite it.
Does it promise or compare?
Remove words like cure, guaranteed, best or better than.
Is it a testimonial in disguise?
Reposted reviews, tagged patient stories and “what our patients say” all count.
Would I say this in front of a patient?
The CPO’s own test: would you do the same thing in real life?
Join clinic owners who post every week together: a weekly challenge, a Sunday call, and a little friendly accountability.
Questions clinic owners ask
Does my personal Instagram count?
It can. If you identify as a health professional, your posts may be held to professional standards, and colleges generally don’t accept “it was a private account” as a defence. Keep personal opinions on an account that doesn’t mention your profession.
Can I repost a patient’s story when they tag the clinic?
Reposting puts it in your marketing, which can make it a testimonial. For most professions, check your college’s testimonial rule first, and never repost if it shows health details.
Can I follow my patients back?
Colleges advise caution. The RCDSO, for example, suggests that in many cases it may be best to politely decline. A clinic account that follows no patients is the simplest rule.
Can I answer health questions in comments or DMs?
Give general information only, invite them to book, and move anything clinical to a secure channel. Clinical messages belong in the patient’s record.
Can I run a giveaway?
Some colleges restrict offering inducements. Check your advertising standard before you run a contest or discount.
Who is responsible if a marketing agency posts for us?
You are. Your college holds you accountable for advertising made on your behalf, so review what goes out under your name.
This guide is a summary, not legal advice, and college rules change. Before you post anything in the amber zone, read your college’s current standards or call its practice advisor. It’s free for members.