# Trademark Registration for Clinics and Healthcare Businesses

> Clinic trademarks are registered in Nice class 44 in Turkey. Extra classes for dental, aesthetic, physio and vet clinics, descriptive-name risks, doctor names.

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Trademark registration for clinics means recording the name of a healthcare business, such as a dental clinic, polyclinic, medical center or veterinary clinic, in the TÜRKPATENT (Turkish Patent and Trademark Office) register and protecting it throughout Turkey. **The core class is Nice class 44, which covers medical services, veterinary services and hygienic and beauty care; words such as "dental", "clinic" or "aesthetic" cannot be registered on their own, so a distinctive element is required.**

Below you will find, in order, the classes each type of practice needs, the descriptiveness risk in healthcare names, doctor names and what happens when partners split up, the difference between a sign, a license and a trade name, branch growth, and the filing steps.

## Which Nice Class Is a Clinic Trademark Registered In?

The service mark of a clinic or healthcare business is registered in class 44. The Nice Classification is the international system that groups the goods and services in a trademark application into 45 classes; TÜRKPATENT classifies applications according to this system (Article 11(3) of Industrial Property Law No. 6769, known as the SMK). Under the version of the Nice Classification that WIPO has in force for 2026, class 44 covers medical services, veterinary services, and hygienic and beauty care for human beings and animals.

The explanatory note to the class expressly lists the services that matter most to healthcare businesses:

- Hospital and clinic services, together with telemedicine (medical services delivered remotely)
- Dentistry, optometry and mental health services; the services of a psychologist
- Therapy services such as physiotherapy and speech therapy; dietary advice
- Medical analysis services for diagnostic and treatment purposes provided by medical laboratories
- Pharmacy advice and health spa services
- Veterinary services, along with animal grooming and care

The same note deliberately leaves some neighboring services outside class 44: ambulance transport is in class 39, health clubs and animal training are in class 41, scientific research for medical purposes is in class 42, and animal boarding is in class 43. These distinctions show why the assumption that "everything health-related goes in class 44" is wrong.

## Which Classes Does Each Type of Healthcare Business Need?

Class 44 is the core for every healthcare business; additional classes are needed only if the business sells products, provides training or offers a non-medical service under the same mark. The table below summarizes the typical setups:

| Type of business | Core class | Additional classes as needed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dental clinic, oral and dental health center | 44 | 3 (own-brand oral care products), 10 (own-brand dental appliances), 41 (training for dentists) |
| Polyclinic, medical center, hospital | 44 | 41 (seminars, congresses, training), 35 (only if there are product sales or advertising services for others) |
| Aesthetic and medical aesthetic center | 44 | 3 (skincare products), 5 (products with medical claims, supplements), 10 (own-brand devices) |
| Physiotherapy and rehabilitation center | 44 | 10 (own-brand therapy or massage devices), 41 (courses, training) |
| Psychological counseling center | 44 | 41 (workshops, seminars, online training programs) |
| Eye clinic | 44 | 10 (own-brand eyeglasses and contact lenses) |
| Veterinary clinic | 44 | 5 (own-brand veterinary preparations), 35 (retail sale of pet food and accessories) |
| Medical testing laboratory | 44 | 42 (only if scientific research services are also offered) |
| Health tourism business | 44 (if it provides the medical services itself) | 39 (travel arrangement, transfers), 43 (accommodation and reservations) |

Two details in the table are often missed. Class 35 is not needed to promote your own clinic; it is needed for advertising services offered to others or for bringing together goods for retail sale. Eyeglasses, contact lenses and sunglasses, meanwhile, appear in the class 10 heading in the 2026 version of the Nice Classification. In health tourism, the list is built by breaking the business down into the services it actually provides (medical services, travel arrangement, accommodation).

For aesthetic centers, the line between class 3 and class 5 depends on what the product claims to do; the details are in our guide on [which class a cosmetics brand is registered in](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trademark-class-for-cosmetics-brands). The class map for non-medical beauty services such as hairdressing, skincare and hair removal is covered in [which trademark class a beauty salon falls into](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trademark-class-for-beauty-salons).

### The cost of an extra class

Every extra class carries two costs: the filing fee and the risk of non-use. Under TÜRKPATENT's 2026 trademark fee schedule, the filing fee for the first class is TRY 2,820 (item 02.01.01), for the second class TRY 2,820 (02.01.02), and for each third and subsequent class TRY 3,150 (02.01.28); a registration fee of TRY 7,010 is also paid at the registration stage (02.01.03). The official total for an application covering class 44 alone is TRY 9,830, and for one covering classes 44 and 41 it is TRY 12,650. Current amounts should be checked against the TÜRKPATENT fee schedule, which is updated every year; trademark agent service fees are not included in these figures.

Goods and services that are not put to genuine use within five years of registration without a valid reason become open to a revocation request (Articles 9 and 26 SMK). For a clinic with an uncertain product plan, adding classes is therefore not free insurance; the method for striking the balance is explained in [how many classes a trademark should cover](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/how-many-classes-should-a-trademark-cover).

## Which Words in a Clinic Name Block Registration?

Words that directly describe the type of service, its nature or the place where it is provided cannot be registered alone or as the dominant element of a mark. Article 5(1)(b) SMK treats signs devoid of any distinctive character, and Article 5(1)(c) treats signs consisting exclusively or mainly of indications of kind, quality, intended purpose or geographical origin, as absolute grounds for refusal. The Office refuses such signs on its own initiative, without waiting for an opposition.

### Industry words

Terms such as "dental", "clinic", "polyclinic", "medical center", "aesthetic", "medical", "health" and "smile" are descriptive for healthcare services. A name made up only of these words, such as "Dental Clinic" or "Smile Aesthetics", will be refused. These words can appear in an application next to a distinctive core, but no trademark right arises in them on their own, and in a similarity assessment the weight lies on the distinctive core.

For example, in the name "LUMORA Oral and Dental Health Polyclinic", protection comes from the word "LUMORA" (the name is an example). If someone else files "LUMORA Aesthetics" in class 44, a likelihood of confusion arises; on the other hand, you cannot stop other clinics from using the phrase "Oral and Dental Health Polyclinic".

### City and district names

Names built from a place name and a type of service, such as "Kadıköy Dental" or "Ankara Eye", fall under Article 5(1)(c) because they state where and what kind of service is provided. A place name can complement a distinctive core, but it cannot be the mark itself. There is an exception for names proven to have acquired distinctiveness through use before the filing date (Article 5(2)); for a newly opened clinic, that is not a strategy.

### Misleading health connotations

Signs that would mislead the public about the nature of a service are also refused (Article 5(1)(f)). A beauty salon that offers no medical services but puts "medical center" or "medical" in its name runs this risk. We cover naming methods and the levels of distinctiveness in detail in our guide on [how to choose a brand name](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/how-to-choose-a-brand-name).

## Can a Clinic Trademark Use a Doctor's Name?

Yes. Article 4 SMK expressly lists personal names among the signs that can constitute a trademark; a doctor's name such as "Ece Yalın Dental Clinic" can be registered if there is no obstacle in terms of distinctiveness or earlier rights (the name is an example). There are two limits. First, an obstacle arises if the same or a similar name has already been registered or applied for by someone else for the same services. Second, an application containing another person's name is refused if that person opposes (Article 6(6)); turning another doctor's name into a trademark without their written consent is therefore risky. We discuss clashes involving common surnames in [whether you can register a name or surname that already exists as a trademark](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/registering-your-own-name-as-a-trademark).

### Who keeps the trademark when partner doctors part ways?

A trademark belongs to whoever is recorded as its owner in the register; who founded the clinic, or whose surname the name is, does not change that by itself. In a clinic opened jointly by three doctors, if the mark was registered in the name of one of them, the others, as a rule, cannot use that name as a trademark after the split without the registered owner's consent; any claims based on earlier joint use can only be pursued through a dispute. If the mark is registered to the company, it stays with the company.

If a doctor whose surname appears in the mark leaves, Article 7(5)(a) SMK comes into play: a trademark owner cannot prevent natural persons from stating their own name honestly and in the ordinary course of business. The limits of this exception depend on whether the specific use is honest; it should not be read as a general permission to use the name as the brand of a new clinic.

The way to avoid the dispute is to include a clause in the partnership or company agreement stating who will own the mark, whether a departing partner may use the name, and, where necessary, how the mark will be assigned. A trademark assignment requires a written, notarized agreement (Article 148(4)) and recordal in the register; under the 2026 fee schedule, the assignment recordal fee is TRY 5,960 (item 02.01.06). For a comparison of ownership options, see [whether to register a trademark in your personal or company name](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trademark-in-personal-or-company-name).

## Why Don't a Sign, a License or a Trade Name Give You Trademark Rights?

A shop sign, a health license and a trade name do not protect the name before TÜRKPATENT; under Article 7(1) SMK, trademark protection is obtained through registration. What each of the four records provides breaks down as follows:

- **Shop sign:** Shows that you actually use the name; on its own it creates neither a register entry nor an exclusive right.
- **License and operating permit:** Allow you to operate under health regulations; they grant no trademark right in the name.
- **Trade name and business name:** Recorded in the trade registry; they do not provide nationwide trademark protection for services.
- **Trademark registration:** Grants an exclusive right throughout Turkey in the selected classes; the registered owner can even prohibit use of the sign as a trade name or business name (Article 7(3)(e)).

A trademark application also does not require a license or an open business; the name can be secured by filing while you prepare to open. Unregistered use, for its part, is not worthless: a person who acquired rights in an unregistered mark or in a sign used in trade before the filing date can oppose a later application (Article 6(3)) or ask a court to invalidate it after registration (Article 25). Proving that right takes evidence and time; a registration provides the same protection with a certificate. For a detailed comparison of these concepts, see [the differences between a trade name, a business name and a trademark](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trade-name-business-name-and-trademark-differences).

### Health regulations apply separately

The promotion and naming of healthcare services are also subject to Ministry of Health legislation, independently of trademark law. A trademark registration does not certify compliance with that legislation: a name registered by TÜRKPATENT may not be usable in a given form if it conflicts with the signage or promotion rules of health legislation. Before you finalize the name, check the relevant health regulations separately.

## How Should a Trademark Be Structured for Branches, Chains and Franchising?

A single registration covers every branch; trademark protection is not limited to a province or district but extends throughout Turkey. Opening a branch does not require a new application; what it requires is that the mark is registered in the name of the party that will carry the growth, with the right scope.

In a chain model, the mark is usually registered to the parent company; separate companies running the branches, or franchisees, use the mark under a license agreement (Article 24). Use with the owner's consent counts as use by the owner (Article 9(3)), so the five-year genuine use requirement can also be met through licensed branches. For the trademark clauses a franchise agreement should contain, see our guide on [trademarks in franchising](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trademarks-in-franchising).

Branch names that add a district to the core mark, such as "LUMORA Bostancı" or "LUMORA Çankaya", do not have to be registered separately; use in a form that differs in elements without altering the distinctive character also counts as use (Article 9(2)(a)). If the chain will brand its own appointment app as a separate product, a downloadable app falls in class 9 and browser-based software services in class 42.

## What Are the Steps for Filing a Clinic Trademark?

The application follows the same path as any trademark registration; what is specific to a healthcare business is that decisions on the name and the list must be made together with health regulations and the ownership structure in mind:

1. **Choose the name:** Pick a distinctive core that does not depend on industry or place words.
2. **Search:** Check for identical and similar records in class 44 and in any additional classes you plan, including variations in pronunciation and meaning; a free [trademark search](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/hizmetler/marka-sorgulama) tool can be used for a first screening.
3. **Classes and list:** List the services you provide in class 44 and, in additional classes, only the goods and services you genuinely plan; the [goods and services list](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/drafting-the-goods-and-services-list) cannot be broadened after filing.
4. **Applicant:** Decide together with your partners whether the mark will be registered in a doctor's name or the company's name.
5. **Health regulation check:** Separately confirm that the name can be used on signage and in promotion.
6. **File:** Apply through EPATS, TÜRKPATENT's electronic filing system, or through a registered trademark agent.
7. **Publication and opposition:** An application that passes the examination on absolute grounds is published in the Official Trademark Bulletin, and a two-month opposition period runs from publication (Article 18).
8. **Registration:** If there is no opposition, or oppositions are rejected, the TRY 7,010 registration fee is paid and the mark is entered in the register; protection lasts 10 years from the filing date (Article 23).

## Conclusion

- Trademark registration for clinics takes place in class 44, which covers medical, dental, mental health, physiotherapy, medical laboratory and veterinary services.
- Additional classes (3, 5, 10, 35, 39, 41, 43) are added only if the same mark is used for products, training, sales or non-medical services.
- "Dental", "clinic", "aesthetic", "medical" and city or district names cannot be registered alone; protection comes from the distinctive core.
- A doctor's name can be a trademark, but another person's name is a ground for refusal upon opposition, and partners should agree in writing who will own the mark.
- A shop sign, a license and a trade name do not confer trademark rights, and a trademark registration does not certify compliance with health regulations.

### Shall we prepare your clinic trademark for registration?

Webx handles application and opposition proceedings before TÜRKPATENT in its capacity as a registered trademark agent (marka vekili). If you want to [register your clinic's trademark](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/hizmetler/marka-tescil), share your name, the services you offer and any product or branch plans; we will work out the preliminary search, the class structure and the applicant with you before filing. For any questions, you can reach us through our [contact](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/iletisim) page.

## Sources

- [WIPO — Nice Classification](https://www.wipo.int/en/web/classification-nice) (wipo.int) — Class 44: medical and veterinary services, hygienic and beauty care; Classes 3, 5, 10, 39, 41, 42, 43
- [Industrial Property Law No. 6769 (Türkiye)](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=6769&MevzuatTur=1&MevzuatTertip=5) (mevzuat.gov.tr) — Arts. 4, 5(1)(b)(c)(f), 6(3), 6(6), 7(5)(a), 9, 148(4): signs, grounds for refusal, personal names, use, assignment
- [TÜRKPATENT — Trademark Fees (2026)](https://www.turkpatent.gov.tr/marka-islem-ucretleri) (turkpatent.gov.tr) — Items 02.01.01, 02.01.02, 02.01.28, 02.01.03, 02.01.06
- [TÜRKPATENT — Trademark search](https://www.turkpatent.gov.tr/arastirma-yap?form=trademark) (turkpatent.gov.tr)

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Should a dental clinic also register its mark in class 10?

Only if the clinic will sell dental appliances, instruments or similar medical products under its own brand. Dentistry services fall in Nice class 44, and that class is enough for the service mark. Class 10 covers surgical, medical and dental apparatus; adding it without a product plan means an extra filing fee and a non-use risk during the five years after registration.

### Which class covers psychologist and dietitian counseling brands?

Psychologist services and dietary advice sit in class 44 alongside medical services in the 2026 version of WIPO's Nice Classification. If the same brand runs workshops, seminars or online training programs, class 41 should also be considered. If it will sell its own dietary supplements, class 5 comes into play; in every case, the list should reflect the services and products actually offered.

### Which class protects a platform that offers online health consultations?

Medical services delivered remotely, known as telemedicine, are expressly listed in class 44 of the Nice Classification; delivering the service over the internet does not change its class. If the platform itself is branded as a separate software product, class 9 for a downloadable app and class 42 for browser-based software services may be added. Those additions depend on whether the software is offered on its own.

### Can I register my clinic name if a clinic in another city already uses it?

If there is no identical or similar record in the register, you can file, but the risk does not disappear. If that clinic acquired rights by using the name before your filing date, it can oppose after publication or ask a court to invalidate your registration later. That is why a search should cover not only the TÜRKPATENT register but also actual use online and in industry directories.

### Can I file a trademark application before the clinic opens or is licensed?

Yes. The Industrial Property Law does not make a trademark application conditional on a health license, an operating permit or an open business, so the name can be secured while you prepare to open. However, if the mark is not put to genuine use for the registered services within five years of registration without a valid reason, it becomes open to revocation. Whether the name can be used under health regulations should be checked separately.

### Can a veterinary clinic and a pet grooming service share one trademark?

Yes, and in most cases one class is enough. Nice class 44 covers both veterinary services and hygienic and beauty care for animals, and animal grooming is expressly listed in the class's explanatory note. Animal training falls in class 41 and animal boarding in class 43, so if the same brand also offers those services, the relevant classes should be added.

### Does every branch of a clinic chain need its own trademark application?

No. A registration obtained from TÜRKPATENT is valid throughout Turkey, and every branch opened under the same mark benefits from that protection. A separate application is needed only if branches will carry a different name or logo. If separate companies operate the branches, a written license agreement showing that use takes place with the owner's consent makes both control and proof of use easier.

## Related Resources

- [Trademark Registration](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/hizmetler/marka-tescil): Explains how a trademark application is handled before TÜRKPATENT, from the preliminary search and class selection to the registration certificate.
- [Trademark Search](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/hizmetler/marka-sorgulama): Provides a free tool and method for checking whether a brand name is registrable by searching similar and registered trademarks.
- [Which Trademark Class Do Beauty Centres Fall Into?](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trademark-class-for-beauty-salons): Beauty centres and salons fall into class 44. Your own cosmetic products require class 3, training class 41 and franchising class 35.
- [Which Class Are Cosmetics Brands Registered In?](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trademark-class-for-cosmetics-brands): Cosmetics brands are registered in class 3; dermocosmetics and supplements may fall into class 5 and treatment services into class 44. A guide by product type.
- [Trademark Registration for Salons and Beauty Centres](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trademark-registration-for-salons-and-beauty-centres): Why protect your salon brand before opening branches, granting franchises or launching your own product line? A trademark guide for the beauty sector.
- [Trademarks in Franchising: The Foundation of Growing a Chain](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trademarks-in-franchising): Why is trademark registration essential for franchising? Trademark clauses, class 35 franchise services, franchisee use and post-termination rules.
- [How Many Classes Should a Trademark Cover?](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/how-many-classes-should-a-trademark-cover): How many classes should you register? The balance of use, risk and cost that sets the number, and the real price of both too few and too many classes.
- [Can You Register a Trademark Using the Same Name or Surname?](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/registering-your-own-name-as-a-trademark): Can you register a name that is already a trademark? Not for the same goods; your own name, yes. 8 scenarios under Articles 5(1)(ç), 6(6) and 7(5)(a) SMK.