General anxiety surrounding dental visits and the saturated dental market can make it hard to attract suitable dental patients. To attract new patients, try implementing some of the best marketing ideas for dentists. Along with creating awareness about your brand and the services you provide, the right marketing approach can help you build relationships with patients and other businesses who might refer them to you.
A multi-faceted approach to marketing your business is the best way to achieve that. Below, find some of the most effective marketing ideas for dentists for long-term growth.
The best marketing ideas for dentists
1. Buy ads on Google
Searching for a dentist can be a stressful and time-consuming process. Make it easy for potential patients to find you by investing in Google Ads, which can put you at the top of the search results when someone’s looking for a dentist in their area.
“People don’t want to spend a lot of time finding a dentist, so don’t make them go through four pages to find you,” says Vinh Nguyen, a dentist at Crystal Creek Dental in Texas.
2. Establish a nice-looking website
Making your practice easy to find is among many great marketing ideas for dentists. Potential patients will likely keep digging to learn more about you. Nguyen sees his website as the first impression of his practice—and this impression can be the difference between someone booking an appointment or continuing their search.
Aim for an informative website that helps people picture themselves at your office. “If you have a bare-bones site that hasn’t been updated in ten years, people might wonder if your equipment is also dated,” Nguyen says.
3. Sign up with services like Zocdoc
Signing up for a user-friendly service like Zocdoc makes it easy to find new patients — and, just as importantly, for potential patients to book appointments with you. “We like how people can quickly make appointments through Zocdoc without the hassle of calling the office,” says Nguyen. “It’s a win-win for the patient and us.”
4. Send direct mail
Direct mail may take longer to yield results than electronic marketing, but it’s still useful. Nguyen suggests hiring a direct mail company that targets different demographics.
You can also send print ads to patients who live near your office. “Someone might get a toothache and remember your dental office’s mailer, which could make them more likely to contact you when they need help,” says Nguyen.
Social media marketing ideas for dentists
One of Nguyen’s favorite marketing ideas for dentists is showing off his practice on social media. “These days, everyone is on social media, and to reach the different demographics of patients in your practice, you have to incorporate it,” he says.
5. Facebook ads
Facebook ads can be effective in attracting particular demographics. You can purchase ads geared toward specific types of people, which can help build awareness about your brand online (even when people aren’t necessarily looking for a dentist).
6. Instagram ads
While Facebook tends to attract older patients, Nguyen says people in their twenties and thirties spend more time on Instagram. Like Facebook, you can purchase ads the app will show toward specific types of people — for example, local females in their thirties who are interested in wellness. Then, you can tailor your ads to appeal to these people.
7. Content marketing
Rather than directly advertising your practice, content marketing establishes you as an expert. For example, you could post TikTok videos or Instagram reels sharing information about common dental conditions and how to resolve them. “This type of content can provide helpful information, but it also familiarizes people with you, your staff, and your office,” says Nguyen.
Email marketing ideas for dentists
Email is one of the most effective but relatively low-cost marketing ideas for dentists. It offers a way to keep in touch with your patients about office happenings while keeping your practice and the services you offer at the forefront of recipients’ minds.
8. Personalized email campaigns
When it comes to email, the more specific, the better. Nguyen’s office uses software that aggregates email addresses for certain patients, then sends out campaigns directed toward services they might want or need. For example, suppose you’ve spoken to a patient about dental implants. In that case, you can add their contact information to a list that sends occasional emails about the benefits of implants and how they work.
9. Appointment reminders
Sending emails or text messages to remind patients about upcoming appointments can build a positive relationship between you and your patients. Services like Zocdoc will often send reminders to patients for you. As a bonus, appointment reminders can reduce no-shows, saving your practice money. “If someone cancels electronically, we take them off the schedule and can book someone else in their place,” says Nguyen.
10. Community newsletters
Sending electronic newsletters can help your existing and potential patients feel connected to your office outside of appointments. Nguyen’s practice, for example, sends existing patients regular e-newsletters that include information about the services his practice provides, along with informal updates about what’s going on in the staff’s lives.
Investing time and money can feel overwhelming no matter what marketing tools you use. That’s why Nguyen encourages all dental practices to keep up with measuring returns on their marketing investments to determine which methods are worthwhile.
“Train your team to make sure that for every new patient, there’s a referral source,” he says. “That way, you’ll know what’s effective and doesn’t need as much of a budget.”
Dr. Vinh Nguyen’s inclusion in this article is part of a paid Zocdoc promotional program.