Advertising and Active/Inactive Status
Advertising
Mississippi advertising rules prohibit false, deceptive, or misleading statements. A licensee may advertise services, fees, hours, and credentials if the statement is factual and not likely to create an unjustified expectation. Guarantees of results, unsubstantiated superiority claims, and omitted material limits are risky. Use the name under which the license is held and identify professional status accurately. Keep copies of advertisements and the evidence supporting any factual claim.
Active and inactive status
An active license permits practice. Inactive status is a registration status that does not permit practice; it may reduce fees or CE obligations but must be reactivated before seeing patients. Renewal notices and Board records control status, not the licensee's assumption.
Worked example
A hygienist advertises "painless, guaranteed cleanings" and lists "Dr." before her name. The reasoning: a guarantee of a clinical result is misleading, and the title implies a degree she does not hold. Both statements can support discipline even if the clinical care is good.
Traps
- Advertising a specialty or credential not held.
- Assuming inactive status can be used for occasional work.
- Using a trade name that hides the licensee.
- Comparing fees without disclosing material conditions.