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Safe Smile

Editorial Policy

Last reviewed:

This page sets out how Safe Smile produces editorial content, how we maintain independence from the clinic partners who fund the publication, and the standards we hold ourselves to on sourcing, authorship, and corrections.

Independence

Safe Smile is supported by clinic partnerships. Editorial content is independent — clinics pay only for inclusion in our directory and clearly labelled sponsored sections, never for coverage in articles or guides.

The mechanics that enforce independence are structural, not editorial:

  1. Editorial content does not name specific clinics. Treatment pillars, guide hubs, and editorial articles do not mention specific cosmetic dental clinics in body copy, suggestion boxes, or "find a dentist" calls to action.
  2. Editorial content does not link to the directory. When the directory exists, links to it appear from the directory pages themselves and from non-editorial surfaces — not from inside an article.
  3. Sponsored content is structurally separate. Where a sponsored or paid-placement piece exists, it lives at a distinct URL pattern, carries an unmistakable top-of-page marker, and is excluded from the editorial sitemap section.
  4. Sponsored pages carry a clearly visible label. The label reads "Sponsored — paid placement by [Clinic Name]. Not editorial content." in a high-contrast bar at the top of the page.
  5. No clinic earns editorial coverage in exchange for payment. A clinic paying for directory placement does not earn an article, a mention, a quote, or a link from a guide.
  6. No clinic reviews or vetoes editorial content. Drafts that mention a partner's sector, city, or competitors are not shared with that partner before publication.

How we research and write

Every clinical or financial claim is sourced. The source priority order, in descending preference:

  1. Revenue (revenue.ie) — for tax relief, Med 2, qualifying-treatment lists.
  2. HSE (hse.ie) — for medical-card and public-coverage information.
  3. Irish Dental Association — for Irish professional position statements.
  4. Dental Council of Ireland — for the specialist register and regulatory matters.
  5. Citizens Information (citizensinformation.ie) — for general consumer-rights information.
  6. NICE / UK NHS — for clinical guidance where Irish guidance is silent.
  7. Peer-reviewed research — PubMed, Cochrane, established journals.
  8. Manufacturer documentation — for branded-treatment specifications such as Invisalign or Philips Zoom.

A clinic website is a source for what that clinic charges. It is not a source for clinical claims about treatment outcomes, longevity, or risk profiles. Wikipedia, other consumer sites, and Reddit are not citations.

Cost ranges sample published Irish clinic price lists, with the sample size and month disclosed in each article's methodology footnote. Ranges that do not meet that bar — "around €500" without a method — do not ship.

Drafts that contain a claim still being verified carry a VERIFY tag at the unverified phrase. The editorial pass either confirms the claim against a source, narrows it to a sourceable form, or removes it. No piece ships with unresolved VERIFY tags.

Authorship and review

Every article carries a named human editor's byline. We do not publish under an anonymous "editorial team" attribution. The byline is the accountability — it names the person responsible for the piece.

For v1, articles are written and edited by Stephen Creedon (see /team/stephen-creedon). Articles are not yet medically reviewed by a registered dentist. The v2 plan is to engage a named dental advisor registered with the Dental Council of Ireland to medically review treatment pillars and risk articles, credited by name on each one. Until that happens, the editor is the named accountability.

Updates and corrections

Articles are reviewed at least annually for currency of pricing, regulation, and clinical guidance. The "Last reviewed" date on each article is real — if the article has not been reviewed, the date does not move.

Substantive corrections include an "Updated [date]: corrected …" note at the top of the article. Minor copy fixes do not require a public note.

Corrections, factual concerns, or notice of an error: [email protected].

What we won't do

  • Give medical advice. We are not a clinic and we are not your dentist.
  • Recommend a specific treatment for an individual reader.
  • Recommend specific clinics in editorial content.
  • Use marketing or sales language ("transform", "premium", "limited time", and similar registers).
  • Make outcome promises ("guaranteed results", "you'll love your new smile").
  • Use superlatives we cannot substantiate ("best in Ireland", "leading", "top-rated").
  • Use manufactured urgency, countdown timers, or artificial scarcity.
  • Publish before-and-after photos sourced from clinic libraries.
  • Quote testimonials in editorial content.
  • Use AI-generated patient photography or fabricated case studies.

Medical disclaimer

Safe Smile is an independent editorial publication. We do not provide dental treatment and we are not your dentist. The information here is general and may not apply to your individual circumstances — always consult a qualified dental professional.

Contact

General: [email protected]. Corrections: [email protected].