5 Dental Marketing Myths for Small to Mid-Size Practices Debunked

Common Myths in Dental Marketing

Looking to take your small to mid-size dental practice’s online marketing to the next level? With the competitive landscape increasingly crowded with larger group practices, dentists can’t afford to sit on the sidelines. Dental marketing agencies are a dime a dozen, but it takes the right mix of people, processes, and tools to generate leads, grow patient volume, and increase practice profitability. 

At DentalScapes, we’re passionate about helping small to mid-size practice dentists and orthodontists navigate an increasingly complex, multi-channel digital marketing environment. No matter what your focus or speciality, steer clear of these 5 dental marketing “myths” to maximize your practice’s online impact:

5 Dental Marketing Myths for Small to Mid-Size Practices - DentalScapes

Myth #1 — Marketing for dentists isn’t so different from marketing for other professions. 

This is just flat-out false. The practice of dentistry is both an art and a science, and the same is true of effective dental marketing. Today, consumers have more options than ever when it comes to choosing a dental provider, and a practice’s digital marketing must meet the potential patient at every stage. It’s not a one-and-done process, either — dental and orthodontic practices also need to focus their marketing efforts on keeping patients engaged and driving referrals.

Be wary of digital marketing agencies that position themselves as “dental” marketing experts without the experience and results to back it up. You know better than anyone that dentistry is complicated, and dental concepts must be boiled down into easily consumable content that potential patients can understand. At DentalScapes, our senior advisor is a practicing dentist, and all content is reviewed by a licensed dentist before being published.

Myth #2 — Small and mid-size dental practices can’t compete with larger group practices.

Sure, larger group practices are spreading rapidly across the country. Sure, they often flood the market with high-budget PPC, display, and social media advertising. But it’s a mistake to believe that small to mid-size, family-owned dental practices can’t compete with the big boys (and girls). This is especially true when it comes to local SEO for dentists and orthodontists. With the right keyword research, optimized content, management of Google Business Profiles, review campaigns, and more, small and mid-size dental offices can punch above their weight and outrank and outperform even their biggest competitors. 

Myth #3 — PPC is cost-prohibitive for smaller dental practices.

PPC for smaller general dental and specialty dental practices can often feel like a “David and Goliath” situation. Small practices are up against larger group practices with oversized budgets and marketing resources. Don’t be intimidated. With in-depth keyword research, strategic targeting of high-intent “long-tail” keyphrases, and the right ad copy, you can lower patient acquisition costs and keep your practice competitive. Especially in combination with effective dentist SEO, PPC gives small and mid-size dental practices an equal opportunity to “own the SERP” and grow new patient volume at maximum ROI.

Myth #4 — Email is dead. Small to mid-size dental practices shouldn’t bother.

Email is far from dead. In a recent survey, 59% of consumers said that email marketing influenced their buying decisions, and email is an especially important marketing channel for small to mid-size dental practices where cultivating lifelong relationships with potential and current clients is key. Both email newsletters and automated email sequences (sometimes called “drip” campaigns) are critical to dentists and orthodontists’ success in acquiring new patients, increasing patient retention, and driving referrals. Along with SMS texts, email can also help ensure patient appointment compliance and drive add-on services. On a time-cost basis, it doesn’t get much better than email marketing for general dentists, orthodontists, endodontists, and others.

Myth #5 — Social media isn’t worth the investment.

In 2022, social media is an increasingly “pay-to-play” channel for dental practices. The fact is, potential and current patients expect small to mid-size dental practices to be active on social media, and practice owners should expect to invest. On Facebook alone, 76% of American adults can be reached with a paid advertisement. From “boosting” Facebook and Instagram posts to running lead-generation campaigns on TikTok, with the right strategy, dental and orthodontic practices can effectively leverage social media to raise awareness, engage with potential patients, and ultimately drive new appointments with social media. Moreover, by using sophisticated targeting options, even the smallest dental practices can compete with big-budget group practices — a small investment can go a long way. 

Ready to take your dental marketing to the next level?

At DentalScapes, we believe that with the right mix of people, processes, and tools, dentists can leverage digital marketing to grow the practices of their dreams. We offer full-service digital marketing services for dentists (including general dentists and specialists) and focus on smaller to mid-size practices. If you’re ready to take your practice to the next level, schedule a free strategy call and let’s talk!