Technology is reshaping the dental patient experience, from scheduling appointments to building relationships.
Today’s patients are searching for their next dentist online. They are scrolling Instagram for recommendations and reading your most recent Facebook reviews. Checking you out online before they even pick up the phone to call your receptionist.
71% of people looking for a dentist run a search before scheduling an appointment. 86% of users say they contacted a dentist after running a search.
So you need a strong social media presence to offer them a glimpse into your practice.
Planning your social media strategy can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re already juggling a busy practice. Where do you even begin? What platforms are worth your time? How do you create content that’s both engaging and informative?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone, and we have your back!
Let us help you build a social media strategy that will have you, and your customers, smiling.
1. Short-Form Video
We all know how easy it is to get caught up scrolling. TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have taken over the world.
They’re short and engaging, a great way to capture your customer’s attention and showcase your practice, and guess what? It can be really fun!
Some inspiring ideas for content could be:
- Show off your office; give a tour that highlights your friendly staff and showcases your state-of-the-art equipment.
- Share a “Day in the Life” glimpse, going behind the scenes with a dentist or hygienist. Put a relatable face behind the camera, showing how they do what they do.
- Try creating an educational snippet with oral health pointers. Give them your tips in a fun and exciting way. A dentist office from my hometown with a woodland animal theme dressed in animal costumes and sang the tips, with an accompanied trendy tik tok viral dance.
- Before-and-after transformations are an easy way to humble-brag your skillset (with patient consent, of course!)
- Show your followers that you’re involved in the community and share the charitable work you do in your area with a behind-the-scenes look.
My Social Practice shared a fun idea: a floss race. Give two team members identical floss boxes and share a video of them to see who can unravel it the fastest! We love this idea because it lets your customers see that you and your team have fun in the office.
2. AI-Powered Personalization
Artificial intelligence is changing the way we interact online.
You should try using AI tools. They can help you with your social media content and target patients with the most potential.
Enlist the help of AI-driven chatbots who will answer your clients’ questions and can help them schedule appointments.
AI can also help with personalizing your ad campaigns. Run ads based on your target demographics, interests, and online behavior.
You can create an engaging post or enticing caption by using AI-powered content creation tools.
3. Live Streaming
Try going Live! You can interact and connect with your audience through a real-time video.
You could host a Q&A session with a dentist or specialist, demonstrate the newest technology in your office, or explain a procedure – show your following that you are also a great source of information.
Give your patients a virtual tour of your office in real time; share the things that make you and your team unique. Make sure you have fun with it, and make your space feel inviting and warm. You could even create a holiday-themed video with your team, highlighting all of your personalities.
At community events you can stream live, share your love for the city that you serve.
4. Embrace User-Generated Content (UGC)
The key to branding is authenticity, in 2025. Encourage your patients to share their smiling experiences with your practice.
Have patients share testimonials or photos in exchange for a giveaway. Come up with a hashtag for your practice and encourage your patients to use it. You could even create a photo op in your office, with dental related props to make it fun for customers to participate.
Ask your patients to write reviews in exchange for a discounted service or you can choose one winner who gets a prize.
Through social media you can feature your most sparkling patient reviews, along with before-and-after photos (with permission).
5. Collab with Mico-Influencers
A new age word-of-mouth. These days most people can talk about their favorite influencer as if they’re a real-life BFF. They listen to them for advice on everything from fashion to food, workouts, and what to spend their money on.
This also applies to dental advice, so you should definitely be sure to include influencer marketing in your arsenal.
Do you have dental patients with well-established local followings? Reach out to them, make it genuine and sincere, and offer complimentary dental services in return for them to share your brand on their social media.
These influencers have a genuine relationship with their following so when they talk about a positive experience at your office, or even just by saying that you’re their trusted dentist, their people will listen. Through them you enhance your visibility and gain positive brand image in the community.
6. Google Maps and Reviews
Making the most of your Google Maps and customer reviews is a crucial aspect of your social strategy for any dental practice.
Google Maps listings appear at the very top of the search results when people search for a “dentist near me” or “dentist in [your city]” on Google. You have to have a well-optimized Google Business Profile to ensure that your practice shows up in these searches, making it easy for patients to find you. When you come up at the top of the search with positive reviews, that can be the deciding factor for a potential patient.
Reviews that are shared socially are usually pulled from Google, so when your clients link from social media to contact you, it is important to have your listing up to date.
7. Run a Social Ad Campaign
When you’re looking to reach a highly specific audience based on their demographics, location, interests, and even life events – you should try running a targeted social media ad campaign.
You can promote special offers, highlight new services you offer, showcase patient testimonials with these campaigns. They have the potential to give your practice an overall boost of brand awareness within your community.
For example, you could get an inviting video ad in front of local new movers, with a welcome offer for their first cleaning.
You can push traffic to your website, encourage appointment bookings, and reach new potential patients through these ads.
8. Focus on Community Engagement
Social media is about building relationships, not just widespread messages. You need to engage with your local community.
You could sponsor a well-loved local event or a sports team, and use the opportunity to create content. Try sharing team members posts (perhaps displaying your logo on their t-shirts or jerseys), and make sure to tag people and businesses for further reach.
When you partner with other local businesses you will benefit from sharing the advertising cost to promote, along with being able to reach even more potential customers through their tags.
9. Target New Movers on Facebook
32% of new movers say that finding a good dentist is a top priority when moving to a new area. New movers are a great audience to go after, they’re unfamiliar with the area you serve and actively looking for a new dental office.
Create an inviting Facebook video ad of your office and team that targets new movers in your area. Make sure to include a welcome offer for their first cleaning, and a CTA that drives them to your up-to-date Google listing and shining customer reviews.
Social Media Marketing Solutions
With these strategies in your arsenal, are you ready to transform your dental practice’s social media presence?
Watch the new patients roll in, the connections deepen, and your practice thrive. Remember, a winning smile is great, but a compelling online story is even better!
For even more ideas and marketing solutions for your dental practice, contact Welcome Wagon!
Founded in 1928 to welcome new movers to their community, Welcome Wagon is committed to connecting your business with new homeowners through online and offline channels.
