What You’ll Learn
- The 4-8X Trust Factor: Why patients are 4-8 times more likely to follow AI recommendations than click on Google’s top search result—and how this changes everything about dental marketing
- The Reddit Revolution: How 71% of ChatGPT’s dental recommendations come from Reddit threads (not dental websites) and what this means for your marketing strategy
- Why AI Doesn’t Search Like Humans: The difference between human “dentist near me” searches and AI’s 12+ complex queries scanning 100+ web pages simultaneously
- The Death of “Ranking #1”: Why being mentioned across 50 mediocre sites beats having the #1 Google ranking for competitive keywords
- Google Q&A Gold Mine: The overlooked Google Business Profile feature that AI heavily weights—and why you can (legally) post your own questions and answers
- The “Noisiest Brand” Strategy: Why consistent presence across multiple platforms matters more than perfect SEO optimization
- Essential GEO Tracking Tools: Which software to use (and what to ask marketing companies) to track where AI models actually look for dental recommendations
- Directory Dominance: How AI makes recommendations without ever visiting practice websites—using directories, listicles, and press releases instead
Why Your Dental Practice Needs to Stop Thinking SEO and Start Thinking GEO
TJ Robertson doesn’t mince words when describing the seismic shift happening in digital marketing: “The winners in 2026 are going to be the noisiest brands.” After 15 years in SEO, Robertson recently left his agency position to start fresh, convinced that everything about how dental practices get discovered online is fundamentally changing. His conversation with Adrian Lefler on the Byte Sized Podcast reveals why generative engine optimization (GEO) is the difference between thriving and becoming invisible in the age of AI. No marketing buzzwords here, folks, just reality.
The 4-8X Advantage Nobody’s Talking About
Here’s the stat that should make every dental practice owner sit up straight: people are four to eight times more likely to follow an AI’s recommendation than click on the first organic search result on Google. When ChatGPT or Google’s AI suggests a specific dentist, it carries more weight than traditional search rankings ever did.
Robertson explains the psychology behind this phenomenon: “It’s not this cold list that is left to you to look through. It’s a personalized recommendation with reasoning.” The AI doesn’t just show you options, but tells you why a particular practice is right for your specific needs, creating a level of trust that traditional search results can’t match.
Lefler shares a perfect example: a doctor recently searched ChatGPT for the best dental marketing company, got My Social Practice as the answer, and immediately signed up as a client. No comparison shopping. No reading reviews. The AI said it, so it must be true. This level of instant trust represents a fundamental shift in consumer behavior that’s only accelerating.
Why “SEO Is SEO” Thinking Will Kill Your Practice’s Visibility
The most dangerous advice circulating in dental marketing circles right now? “Don’t worry about GEO—it’s just the same as SEO.” Robertson systematically dismantles this wishful thinking by explaining how AI search behavior differs radically from human search patterns.
When humans search for a dentist, they typically use short phrases like “dentist near me” and review one to three websites before deciding. AI models operate completely differently. They conduct around 12 different searches using full sentences packed with specific details about specialties, insurance, and location. They scan 100+ web pages, pulling “chunks” of information from each source rather than focusing on top-ranking sites.
“It’s no longer about ranking at the top,” Robertson emphasizes. “It’s about being mentioned on pages that rank somewhere in the first few pages for any number of hyperspecific queries.”
This shift means the traditional SEO holy grail—ranking #1 for “dentist near me”—matters far less than appearing across dozens of sites that AI models reference when making recommendations. Your practice doesn’t need to dominate search results; it needs to be everywhere AI looks.
The Reddit Revolution That’s Reshaping Dental Marketing
The data Robertson shares from Peak.ai’s tracking software should shock any traditional SEO practitioner. It turns out, 71% of ChatGPT’s responses about dental practices cite Reddit threads. Not dental websites. Not Google Business Profiles. Reddit.
For Google’s AI overviews, the picture shifts but remains equally revolutionary: 81% cite Google Business Profiles, followed by Yelp, and various social media platforms. Reddit drops to just 4% for Google, showing how different AI models prioritize different sources.
This isn’t just interesting data. It’s a complete rewrite of the digital marketing playbook. As Lefler notes with some amazement, “In the years that we’ve done SEO, Reddit has not been a source of concern, frankly. We didn’t really ever do anything with it.”
Now, dental practices need to actively participate in local subreddit discussions, answering questions and building genuine community presence. The days of focusing solely on your website and Google rankings are over.
The Directory Game Has Changed (And Nobody Noticed)
Robertson reveals another counterintuitive truth: AI models often recommend businesses without ever visiting their websites. Instead, they base recommendations on mentions across directories, listicles (“Top 5 Dentists in Bozeman”), press releases, and discussion forums.
The math is simple but powerful. If AI scans 100 websites and finds 15 mentioning your practice while only 8 mention your competitor, you win, regardless of whether your website ranks higher in traditional search. This explains why practices with mediocre websites but strong community presence increasingly outperform those with perfect SEO but limited reach.
Press releases, long dismissed as useless for SEO, suddenly matter again because “ChatGPT loves them.” Listicle articles that never ranked well in Google can sit on page three and still drive AI recommendations. Every mention, linked or unlinked, contributes to what Robertson calls the “noisiest brand” advantage.
The Tools That Separate Winners From The Soon-to-be-Invisible
While 92 companies have rushed to create GEO tracking software in the last six months, Robertson relies primarily on Peak.ai to identify which sources AI models reference when answering dental queries. This intelligence drives entirely new marketing strategies.
The software runs 50+ prompts daily through ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI, tracking which websites get cited. For dentists, the results consistently show local subreddits, Google Business Profiles, Yelp, and social media dominating citations. Traditional dental websites often don’t even make the list.
Armed with this data, smart practices can create content where AI actually looks rather than where traditional SEO wisdom suggests. It’s the difference between fishing where the fish are versus where they used to be.
Your 90-Day GEO Action Plan
Robertson and Lefler agree on immediate steps every dental practice should take:
Activate Your Google Q&A Section: The most overlooked goldmine sits right in your Google Business Profile. The Q&A section gets heavily weighted by AI, especially Google’s Gemini. Robertson reveals you don’t need patients to ask questions. Google actually allows you to post and answer your own questions. Load it with 10 targeted questions about your services, approach, and differentiators.
Pick One Platform and Get Loud: Whether it’s Reddit, LinkedIn, Medium, or TikTok, choose where you’re comfortable creating content and commit to consistent presence. The “noisiest brands” win in 2026, not the ones with perfect websites. Robertson advocates “lurking” on local subreddits, understanding community conversations before contributing valuable insights.
Think Chunks, Not Pages: Every piece of content should work as a standalone answer. Don’t assume readers have context from other parts of your page. Include your practice name, specialty, and location naturally within each section. Yes, calling yourself “the best” actually helps with AI rankings, even if it feels uncomfortable.
Track What Matters: Ask any potential marketing partner: “How are you tracking the sources that large language models look at before recommending my brand?” If they can’t answer coherently or claim “SEO is SEO,” run. The landscape is shifting too fast for yesterday’s strategies.
The Uncomfortable Truth About Tomorrow
Robertson’s prediction deserves serious consideration: “In the next few years, we’re going to see a bunch of Gen Z digital marketing startups just come and start taking everyone’s cake.” He envisions young marketers who never learned traditional SEO constraints crushing established agencies through pure AI-native thinking.
For dental practices, the message is clear. The question isn’t whether to adapt to GEO, it’s whether you’ll adapt fast enough to remain visible. As Robertson notes, by the time the changes you make today manifest in results, AI-driven search will likely dominate patient acquisition entirely.
The practices thriving in 2026 won’t necessarily have the best websites or highest Google rankings. They’ll be the ones who understood early that being everywhere AI looks matters more than being #1 where humans used to search. The shift from SEO to GEO is already here, rewarding those brave enough to embrace the chaos of constant presence over the false comfort of traditional optimization.
In This Episode:
TJ Robertson, Founder of TJ Digital
TJ Robertson is the founder of TJ Digital and has been helping businesses grow through digital marketing for 15 years. He started his agency after seeing how AI was transforming the marketing landscape while most traditional agencies were falling behind.
TJ specializes in AI optimization—helping businesses show up when potential customers search in ChatGPT, Google’s AI mode, and other AI platforms. He’s worked with hundreds of service-based businesses, including many in healthcare, and is known for his transparent approach where clients can see exactly what’s being done with their marketing budget.
Adrian Lefler, CEO and Co-founder of My Social Practice
Adrian Lefler, CEO of My Social Practice, is a seasoned expert in the dental marketing industry with 14 years of experience. He is widely recognized for his engaging and informative presentations. Based in Suncrest, Utah, Adrian shares his life with his wife, four children, and a lively mix of pets. My Social Practice is a leading dental marketing company, and Adrian is passionate about helping dental professionals succeed in this dynamic field.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is generative engine optimization (GEO) different from traditional dental SEO?
GEO focuses on being mentioned across multiple platforms where AI models gather information, rather than ranking #1 on Google. While traditional SEO targets short keywords like “dentist near me” for human searchers who review 1-3 sites, GEO optimizes for AI models that run 12+ searches using full sentences and scan 100+ web pages. Success in GEO means appearing in Reddit discussions, directories, press releases, and social media—places AI consistently references—rather than just optimizing your website.
Which platforms should dental practices prioritize for AI visibility in 2025?
ChatGPT citations come 71% from Reddit (particularly local subreddits), while Google’s AI heavily favors Google Business Profiles (81%), followed by Yelp and social media platforms. Dental practices should prioritize: actively participating in local Reddit communities, maximizing their Google Business Profile Q&A section, maintaining presence on Yelp and social platforms, and creating “listicle” content that may only rank on page 3 of Google but gets heavily referenced by AI models.
What's the most important question to ask a dental marketing company about GEO?
Ask: “How are you tracking the sources that large language models look at before recommending my brand?” If they can’t explain their tracking methodology or claim “SEO is still SEO, nothing’s changed,” they’re behind the curve. Look for agencies using tools like Peak.ai or similar software to monitor AI citations, creating content on Reddit and other platforms beyond websites, and understanding that unlinked mentions matter as much as backlinks for AI recommendations.
