Guide · Chiropractic clinics

What a chiro
site may say.

The College of Chiropractors of Ontario rewrote its advertising standard in 2025 and renamed it "Communication to the Public". It is unusually specific: it tells you which verbs to avoid, which titles count as a specialty, and how a new-patient offer has to be worded. Here is what it says for your website.

Published 2026-09-21 · Formory Group

The rules are in Standard of Practice S-016: Communication to the Public, approved by the College's Council on November 28, 2024 and in effect since February 21, 2025, and in the companion Guideline G-016, which explains each clause. Both name websites and social media explicitly, along with print, video, podcasts and materials in your office.

The standard applies to chiropractors practising alone, in groups, in multidisciplinary clinics and through professional corporations. A chiropractor is responsible for anything an employee or a third party produces on their behalf, which includes the agency that builds and writes the site.

Every communication must be accurate, factual and verifiable, readily understandable, and must clearly communicate that you are a registered chiropractor in Ontario and a member of the College. G-016 suggests the simplest way to do that online: a reference to the CCO website on your professional website and social media pages.

Chiropractors are among the professions allowed to use the title "doctor" under section 33 of the Regulated Health Professions Act, and CCO Policy P-010 confirms it, provided it is clear and unambiguous that you are a chiropractor. G-016 recommends titles such as "chiropractor", "Doctor of Chiropractic" or "DC", and says terms like "medicine", "physician", "osteopath" or "neurologist" mislead the public. You may list adjunctive services such as acupuncture or exercise counselling, as long as it is clear you offer them as a chiropractor.

Testimonials about the benefits of chiropractic in general may be used anywhere. Testimonials that refer to a particular chiropractor or office may be used only on the chiropractor's own website, and only if each one is accurate, verifiable and recorded in the patient health record; used with the patient's written consent; not obtained through pressure, coercion or incentives; accompanied by a disclaimer that results may not be typical or may vary; and not about care the chiropractor gave their own family.

That rules out testimonial ads on Instagram or in paid campaigns. It also makes an automatic Google review feed on your website hard to square with the standard, because each quote would need written consent and a record in that patient's file. A small, curated set of consented testimonials with a visible "results vary" note is what the standard contemplates.

Advertising must not guarantee success of care, expressly or by implication. G-016 is specific: avoid "will help" and "does relieve", and use expressions such as "may be able to help" or "has been shown to relieve". Health claims must fall within chiropractic scope, be supported by generally acceptable evidence, and cite their source and the level of that evidence without exaggerating it.

No comparisons with another chiropractor's or health provider's practice, qualifications or expertise. The guideline warns against comparatives such as "more" or "better" because they imply a comparison, but says "safe" and "effective" may describe the chiropractic profession in general. You may name specific techniques within scope, but not claim a technique is superior or endorse exclusive use of a product or brand of equipment.

You may only call yourself a specialist, or say you are "specializing in" something, if you hold one of the specialties recognised in CCO Policy P-029. G-016 lists five Canadian fellowships: FCCS(C), FCCR(C), FRCCSS(C), FCCOS(C) and FCCPOR(C).

The guideline names "Paediatric Chiropractor", "Obstetric Chiropractor" and "Chiropractic Neurologist" as titles that will be perceived as a specialty. You may express an "interest in" or a "focus on" an area instead. Memberships in associations other than the College belong only in a CV or the biography section of your website or social profile, not in ads or headlines.

Someone may endorse you, such as a sports team or another professional, only if they have real expertise in what they are endorsing, you have been properly assessed as providing it, and you disclose any financial or other benefit exchanged for the endorsement.

The social media part of S-016 applies to the clinic's accounts as much as to your own. You may share general health information within chiropractic scope, but not give clinical advice, communicate a diagnosis or guarantee results through social media. Scheduling and other patient communication should go through secure private messaging. Patients must never be identifiable in posts, even if they have made themselves known publicly. The standard also warns about copyright when sharing journal articles and other material.

You may publish fees, provided they are accurate, complete and clear, with no hidden fees. A promotional fee must state its timeframe, must not be limited to a set number of people, and must not oblige the patient to book follow-up visits. "New patient exam $49, until October 31" can work; "first 20 callers only" cannot. G-016 adds that online coupons, contests and giveaways are inappropriate.

Offers linked to a charity must name the charity and state the amount or percentage donated. And the solicitation clause matters for marketing plans: a chiropractor must not contact potential patients, or allow anyone to contact them, by telemarketing or electronic methods. Cold email campaigns to prospective patients are out.

A compliant chiropractic site states each chiropractor's name and title, links to the College, describes services in "may help" language with sources where claims are made, publishes fees with any promotion dated, and keeps affiliations in the bios. If it uses testimonials, it uses a few consented ones with the disclaimer, on the website only. Our notes on websites for chiropractors and setting up a Google Business Profile cover the practical side, and our guide to physiotherapy website rules shows how a multidisciplinary clinic's physio pages differ.

This is a plain summary of CCO Standard S-016 and Guideline G-016 as of September 2026, not legal or professional advice. The College of Chiropractors of Ontario can answer questions about specific wording.

• College of Chiropractors of Ontario — Standard of Practice S-016: Communication to the Public
• College of Chiropractors of Ontario — Guideline G-016: Communication to the Public
• College of Chiropractors of Ontario — Policy P-010: Use of Professional Titles, Designations and Credentials

Physiotherapy Clinic Website Rules in Ontario: What You Can Say · RMT Website Rules in Ontario: Testimonials, Titles, Receipts · What Belongs on a Service Business Home Page

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