Dental Social Media Tips for Boosting Awareness and Engagement

Social media is a dynamic arm of digital marketing that can help dentists spread the word about their practices and attract patients, especially younger ones who are more inclined to share, comment or like posts.¹

Social media platforms can offer information and invite virtual conversations that allow for direct interaction that other types of marketing cannot.¹ The impact can be powerful when you get your dental practice established on social media and follow best practices.

Choose the Best Social Media Platforms for Your Dental Practice

Your dental office doesn’t have to participate in every social media platform, but it can be a good idea to be present in the places that matter most to your patient base. For instance, if you have plenty of videos to share, Instagram, YouTube or TikTok might be the right destination. Consider your offerings and how they fit into a social media site as you make your decision.

Social media marketing for dentists can deliver plenty of opportunities to present the unique vibe of your dental office, whether you’re all business or you bring a bit of fun and creativity into the mix.²

• Instagram. Instagram is a busy, hip environment of visual storytelling, with options to use creative or interactive features when posting videos or photos.
• Facebook. This well-established platform has more than 3 billion monthly users.³ Facebook gets plenty of views and offers engagement with patients through posts, stories, polls and more.
• YouTube. This video-sharing platform is an open forum to post videos about all things dental and related to your dental office. They have over 2.5 billion monthly users.³
• TikTok. The short-form videos of TikTok have become a cultural phenomenon, ideal for dental teams that have plenty of energy and personality to share.
• Yelp. Business review sites like Yelp squeak into the social media category, thanks to the patient feedback relevant to potential patients in search of a new dentist.
• X (formerly Twitter). If you have plenty to say but not a lot of spare time to say it, X is a platform for dentists who keep things simple and to the point.
• LinkedIn. This is networking for professional referrals and an opportunity to post blogs or lengthier responses to dental news.
• Pinterest. You can save and categorize your favorite dental recommendations and finds on social media’s bulletin board.
• Google My Business. This local business listing service helps increase online visibility and patient reach.

Ideas for Social Media Posts

Any social media platform can be powerful for dentists, though Facebook and Instagram are often a great place to start because of their popularity. Common posts can apply to multiple platforms, especially when you engage consistently with well-written, timely material. Through your chosen platform, you can:

• Communicate with patients through comments, direct messages or hashtags
• Feature before-and-after photos of new smiles
• Highlight day-to-day activities at your dental office with videos or photos
• Offer seasonal giveaways and contests
• Play up office updates, like new procedures or an updated look
• Post bright and easy-to-digest infographics
• Present educational tips
• Promote local events that involve your dental practice
• Provide oral health recommendations
• Share patient testimonials
• Spotlight your office and staff
• Target specific age groups

Identify Your Dental Brand and Stick With It

You have the power to turn your social media platform into the space you want it to be and humanize your brand while establishing yourself as an expert. How you verbally and visually communicate sets your identity as a practice, puts a face to an expert and builds a deeper connection with followers.²

• Amplify your personality. Whether your dental office focuses on pediatric dentistry, cosmetic dentistry or otherwise, reflect personality and professionalism in dentist social media posts that match your offerings, from kid-friendly colors to sleek smile makeovers.
• Choose a style. Pick the colors, fonts and tone of voice that represent your practice and use them consistently. Cohesive aesthetic choices are visually appealing.
• Make the most of visuals. Dental work is naturally visual, so high-quality images on social media can include everything from features of your team to candid photos of the office to stunning smile makeovers.
• Partner with influencers. Collaborating with local influencers can help you expand your practice's visibility and reach new audiences. Approach potential partners with an option for you both to deliver nuanced storytelling.²

• Stick to your themes. Monday before-and-after photos and Wednesday toothbrushing tips are examples of content strategies. Balance your platform with consistent but varied content so followers look forward to updates.

Develop a Curated Social Media Content Strategy

Social media may not be your favorite online destination, but it can matter to your audience. Knowing your demographic and target market is critical to choosing the right social platform to meet people where they virtually spend time.²

Populating social media can feel like a hefty task to manage, but with the right research, training and effort — and some best practices like the ones to follow — your dental office can make an impact. And the effort just might boost office morale.

• Create a process for developing content, writing material and taking photos or videos.
• Engage with commenters to elevate their experience with your social media.²
• Follow a posting schedule and create a content calendar.²
• Make the most of dental tie-ins to holidays, awareness days and seasonal shifts.²
• Respond as soon as possible to people who ask questions.¹
• Use social media management tools to schedule regular, consistent posts.

Use Social Media to Address Dental Patients' Biggest Questions

Many people who want or need dental care usually research their options online before deciding to see a professional. Social media is often a destination for research and has the power to influence health decisions.¹ Any active or former patient who has contributed an opinion to social media or a popular review site evaluating a dentist could be read by anyone at any time.¹

Questions about cost are often at the front of patients' minds. Dentists can take advantage of their social media dental marketing by reminding people about available payment plans or a patient financing solution like CareCredit. Keep your big benefits visible through easy social postings.

Dental Social Media Marketing Done Responsibly

Spending time online may seem like it has the potential to eat up resources and energy, but a solid patient engagement plan and positive patient experiences can deliver powerful results that help your reputation prosper. Social media marketing for dentists is a supplement to traditional methods of promoting your practice.¹ Here are some strategies for your dental office to consider:⁴

• Establish a social media policy. Don’t allow social media to be an employee free-for-all. Dental social media management involves identifying a dedicated social media dental marketing person on your team who maintains voice, tone and appropriate behavior.
• Get permission for everything. Obtain written consent, authorization and a release signed by every patient and/or guardian who might be featured on social media. Patients may be thrilled about their new smile, but they may not want their face on your social feed.
• Maintain HIPAA compliance. Privacy laws extend to social media exchanges, so avoid inadvertently establishing a doctor-patient relationship through any conversations.¹
• Recognize that real-world laws apply. Like privacy laws, discrimination and employment policies — along with copyright and trademark content laws — apply on social media as they do in the real world. Social media laws evolve as questions arise.

Social media marketing for dentists can be an important tool in your digital marketing strategy to showcase your office and smile results. The various platforms offer multiple ways to explain the care you offer and support your community through authentic engagement.

A Dental Patient Financing Solution for Your Practice

Want to help more patients move forward with the dental care they want or need? Consider offering the CareCredit credit card as a financing solution. CareCredit allows patients to pay for out-of-pocket dental care costs over time while helping enhance the payments process for your practice.

When you accept CareCredit, patients can see if they prequalify with no impact to their credit score, and those who apply, if approved, can take advantage of special financing on qualifying purchases.* Additionally, you will be paid directly within two business days.

Learn more about the CareCredit credit card as a dental patient financing solution or start the provider enrollment process by filling out this form.

Author Bio

Elizabeth Weiss is a freelance writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience in content development for dentistry, orthodontics and cosmetic dermatology. She focuses on making healthcare topics accessible to readers and contributes to many fields, from family and estate law to industrial services and landscape design.

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