CQC Registration for Cosmetic Procedures: What Changed in 2025
From October 2025, clinics in England offering injectable cosmetic procedures must be CQC-registered. What this means for patients, why it happened, and what to check before booking.
Safety & Regulation: Facial Aesthetics in the UK
Facial aesthetics treatments — including anti-wrinkle injections, dermal fillers and skin boosters — carry clinical risk. Choosing a qualified, regulated practitioner in a properly governed clinical environment is the single most important safety decision a patient can make. This page brings together ClinicSpark's safety and regulation guides in one place.
Regulation guides
Understanding CQC Registration for Aesthetic Treatments in England
A detailed look at what CQC registration means, how to check a clinic's status, and why it matters for injectable treatments.
What Is Save Face Accreditation and Why Does It Matter?
Save Face is the government-approved register for non-surgical aesthetics. What accreditation involves and how to verify it.
Save Face vs BACD vs BCAM: What Each Actually Means
Three accreditation and membership bodies compared — what they check, who they cover, and which ones matter most for patients.
Practitioner safety
How to Check If Your Aesthetics Practitioner Is Qualified
Step-by-step guide to checking GDC, GMC, NMC, Save Face and CQC registers before booking any treatment.
Dentist vs Nurse Injector: Who Should Administer Your Facial Aesthetics?
Regulatory differences, training pathways and what to consider when choosing between a dentist and a nurse injector.
Dentist vs Beauty Salon: What's the Difference for Facial Aesthetics?
Why the clinical environment, prescribing authority and complaint pathway differ between a dental clinic and a beauty salon.
Dentist vs GP for Facial Aesthetics
How dentist and GP training, clinical environment and facial anatomy expertise compare for aesthetic treatments.
Dentist vs Aesthetician for Injectable Treatments
The regulatory gap between a GDC-registered dentist and an unregulated aesthetician — and why it matters for injectables.
Treatment safety
Is It Safe to Get Dermal Fillers from a Dentist?
Why dentists are qualified to administer dermal fillers, the safety advantages of a dental clinical environment, and what to ask.
Is It Safe to Get Lip Fillers from a Dentist?
Lip filler safety from a dental practitioner — anatomical expertise, prescribing authority and red flags to watch for.
Can a Dentist Do Profhilo? Safety and What to Expect
Why GDC-registered dentists are qualified to administer Profhilo, the injection technique requirements and CQC context.
What to Expect at Your First Facial Aesthetics Consultation
What a thorough consultation should include, red flags to watch for, and how a good clinician earns your trust before treatment.
5 Questions to Ask Before Getting Lip Fillers
Practical questions that help you assess whether a clinic is safe, transparent and right for you.
How ClinicSpark verifies listings
Every clinic listed on ClinicSpark is cross-referenced against publicly available UK regulator and accreditation body registers. Trust badges (GDC, CQC, Save Face, BACD, BCAM) are assigned only when independently confirmed through the relevant public register. Payment cannot influence badge assignment.
Read our full verification methodology →
Report a concern
If you spot an inaccuracy, believe a listed clinic is no longer operating, or have a safety concern about information on ClinicSpark, please contact us. For regulatory complaints about a specific practitioner, contact the GDC (dentists), GMC (doctors) or CQC (clinic premises in England) directly.
Last reviewed: April 2026 · ClinicSpark Editorial Team