The shot list

Twenty to thirty minutes on a phone, once a month. Oak Reel cuts these six takes into a month of short ads, adds captions, checks every line, and sends them to you to approve.

Before filming anything, watch three sample ads made from your practice’s website.

Set up in two minutes

Phone held upright (vertical), at eye level, on a stand or a stack of books.
Face a window or a bright lamp. Light behind you turns you into a silhouette.
A quiet room. Turn off music and close the door. Phone microphones pick up everything.
Work clothes and a tidy background: your office, consult room or treatment room is ideal.
Look at the lens, not the screen. Two or three tries per take is normal; keep them all.

Full-arch dental practices

1
Who you are · 20 to 30 seconds
Your name, the practice, how long you have placed implants and what training you have. Say “general dentist” if that is your licence.
2
What full-arch treatment is · 45 to 60 seconds
In plain words, as you would explain it in a consultation. What is fixed, what is removable, who it suits.
3
The treatment day · 45 to 60 seconds
What happens before, on the day and in the months after. Stick to what your practice actually does.
4
Fixed or removable · 30 to 45 seconds
How patients choose between them, and why the exam decides.
5
The consultation · 30 to 45 seconds
What happens at the first visit at your practice, how long it takes, what the patient leaves with.
6
The invitation · 10 to 15 seconds
“If you want to talk about full-arch options, book a consultation with us at [practice] in [city].”

Also leave out

Questions about the viewer’s own teeth (“Are you missing teeth?”). Meta rejects them.
“Specialist”, unless you hold an ADA-recognized specialty.

Law firms

1
Who you are · 20 to 30 seconds
Your name, the firm, the cases you take and how long you have practised. Say “certified” only for a certification your state bar recognizes, and name the body that granted it.
2
The first call · 30 to 45 seconds
What happens when someone calls or comes in: who they speak to, how long it takes, what to bring, and that it stays confidential.
3
How a case moves · 45 to 60 seconds
The usual steps for the kind of case you want more of, and roughly how long each one takes. Say plainly where it varies.
4
How fees work · 30 to 45 seconds
Your fee arrangement as your engagement letter states it. If you take cases on contingency, say who pays the costs when a case is lost; many states require that.
5
What people ask first · 45 to 60 seconds
The three questions callers ask most, with your honest answers.
6
The invitation · 10 to 15 seconds
“If you have questions about a case like this, call [firm] in [city] and talk it through with us.”

Also leave out

Questions about the viewer’s situation (“Were you injured?”, “Arrested?”). Meta rejects them.
Settlements, verdicts and case results, unless your state allows them and the ad carries its required disclaimer.
What a case is worth, or how it will turn out.

The rules quoted in full, state by state: personal injury advertising rules and criminal defense advertising rules.

Medical practices

1
Who you are · 20 to 30 seconds
Your name, your credential (MD, DO, NP or PA), the practice and the kind of care it gives. Say “board certified” only with the board named.
2
A first visit · 30 to 45 seconds
What a new patient does before the visit, how long they get with you, and what they leave with.
3
The care you offer · 45 to 60 seconds
The services you want more patients for, described as services the practice offers.
4
Getting seen · 20 to 30 seconds
How soon a new patient can usually be seen, telehealth, hours and the plans you take, as they stand this month.
5
What patients ask · 45 to 60 seconds
The three questions new patients ask most, with your answers.
6
The invitation · 10 to 15 seconds
“To book a new-patient visit, call [practice] in [city].”

Also leave out

Questions or statements about the viewer’s health (“Do you have diabetes?”). Meta rejects them.
Cures, “no side effects”, or anything your evidence would not back.
Wait times or plans you cannot promise every week.

Chiropractors

1
Who you are · 20 to 30 seconds
Your name, DC, years in practice and the care you focus on.
2
The first visit · 30 to 45 seconds
The history and exam, whether you take X-rays and why, and what the patient leaves knowing.
3
How a care plan works · 45 to 60 seconds
How you decide the number of visits, how you check progress, and when you refer someone on.
4
What you treat · 30 to 45 seconds
The musculoskeletal care your practice gives, such as back and neck care, in plain words.
5
What patients ask · 45 to 60 seconds
What people ask before booking a first adjustment, such as whether it hurts or how many visits it takes, with your answers.
6
The invitation · 10 to 15 seconds
“To book a first visit, call [practice] in [city].”

Also leave out

Questions about the viewer’s pain (“Is your back killing you?”). Meta rejects them.
Claims about conditions beyond musculoskeletal care. The FTC expects health claims to rest on competent and reliable scientific evidence.
“Cure”, “permanent fix”, or a set number of visits before you have seen the patient.

Med spas

1
Who you are · 20 to 30 seconds
Your name, licence (RN, NP, PA or physician), the spa, and who your medical director is.
2
The consultation · 30 to 45 seconds
What happens at a consultation and how you decide whether a treatment suits someone, including when you say no.
3
One treatment, step by step · 45 to 60 seconds
For a treatment you want more of: what it involves, how long it takes and what the days after look like.
4
Safety · 30 to 45 seconds
Who performs injections and treatments, what you check first, and how you handle a side effect.
5
What clients ask · 45 to 60 seconds
The three questions clients ask most before booking a treatment, with your answers.
6
The invitation · 10 to 15 seconds
“To book a consultation, call [spa] in [city].”

Also leave out

Lines about the viewer’s face or body (“Say goodbye to wrinkles”, “Look younger”). Meta rejects them.
Before-and-after images, unless the client agreed in writing and the result is typical.
A brand name such as Botox for a product you do not use.

Plastic surgeons

1
Who you are · 20 to 30 seconds
Your name, your board certification with the board named, and the procedures you focus on.
2
The consultation · 30 to 45 seconds
What happens at a consultation, who the patient meets, and how you decide together whether surgery is right.
3
One procedure, step by step · 45 to 60 seconds
For a procedure you want more of: the surgery day, where it is done, and the follow-up visits.
4
Recovery and risks · 30 to 45 seconds
A realistic recovery timeline, and the risks you go through at every consultation.
5
What patients ask · 45 to 60 seconds
The questions patients bring to a surgical consultation, such as time off work and when results settle, with your answers.
6
The invitation · 10 to 15 seconds
“To book a consultation with the surgeon, call [practice] in [city].”

Also leave out

Lines about the viewer’s body (“Tired of hiding your stomach?”). Meta rejects them.
“Board certified” without the board’s name.
Promised results, “scarless” or “no downtime”, and before-and-after images without the patient’s written consent.

Dermatologists

1
Who you are · 20 to 30 seconds
Your name, your board certification with the board named, and how the practice splits medical and cosmetic care.
2
A skin check · 30 to 45 seconds
What happens at a full skin check: how long it takes, what you look for, and what happens if a spot needs a closer look.
3
Medical care · 30 to 45 seconds
The medical dermatology you offer, described as services: skin checks, rashes, acne treatment.
4
Cosmetic care · 30 to 45 seconds
The cosmetic treatments you offer, and how you decide which, if any, suits someone.
5
What patients ask · 45 to 60 seconds
What patients ask most at a first appointment, such as how often to have a skin check, with your answers.
6
The invitation · 10 to 15 seconds
“To book a visit, call [practice] in [city].”

Also leave out

Questions about the viewer’s skin (“Struggling with acne?”). Meta rejects them.
Promises of clear or younger-looking skin.
A patient’s skin on camera, unless they agreed in writing.

Every practice leaves out

Prices, monthly payments, interest rates or financing terms.
Promises: “guaranteed”, “painless”, “permanent”, “lasts a lifetime”.
“Best” or “leading”, unless you can show the source.
Any patient or client, unless they have signed your practice’s authorization to appear in advertising.

Not sure about a line? Paste it into the ad checker.