What You’ll Learn:
- Why dental industry experience matters more than general marketing expertise
- The difference between boutique and scaled marketing services
- How to use your dental network to vet potential partners
- Red flags that indicate a marketing company might not deliver
How to Vet a Dental Marketing Company (From Someone Who Runs One)
Finding a good dental marketing company shouldn’t feel like gambling. But for many practice owners, that’s exactly what it feels like. You hear a convincing pitch, sign a contract, and hope for the best.
Adrian Lefler has been on the other side of that equation for 15 years. As CEO of My Social Practice, he’s watched marketing companies come and go in the dental industry. He’s seen what works, what doesn’t, and why some partnerships fail before they start.
“I know almost every marketing company in the dental industry and almost everybody are straight up people, great companies,” Lefler said on a recent episode of The Authentic Dentist Podcast. “But every once in a while there’ll be somebody that comes into the industry and because there’s so much that you can literally say as long as it sounds good, you can sell it.”
Here are the questions that separate good marketing partners from expensive mistakes.
1. What Do Other Dentists Say About You?
The dental industry is smaller than it seems. Word travels fast when a marketing company delivers results, and even faster when they don’t.
“I would ask the other dentists that you know, that were colleagues of yours, who they’ve worked with and if they had a good experience,” Lefler advised. “That’s a good filter.”
Rather than just getting a reference, the goal is tapping into the informal network that keeps the dental community connected. Study clubs, dental associations, online forums: these are places where dentists share real experiences without the polish of marketing testimonials.
Lefler noted that about a third of My Social Practice’s clients come from referrals by existing clients. That’s not unusual for companies that actually deliver results. If a marketing company can’t point to dentists who enthusiastically recommend them, that’s worth noting.
The flip side is also true: companies that burn dentists don’t last long. “If you burn a dentist, it’s going to come back to bite you big time,” Lefler said. “The dental industry is a big industry but it is really, really tight.”
2. How Long Have You Worked in Dentistry?
General marketing expertise doesn’t automatically translate to dental marketing success. The nuances of how patients choose dentists, what messaging resonates, and where to focus limited budgets require industry-specific knowledge.
“The success, the gains in a marketing campaign, whatever that campaign might be, have a lot to do with the understanding of how patients make decisions,” Lefler explained. “And that is very nuanced to dentistry.”
This doesn’t mean you need a company that’s been around for decades. Some newer companies are founded by people with deep dental industry experience, perhaps former DSO marketers or consultants who understand the space. What matters is that someone on the team genuinely understands dental practices, not just marketing theory.
A related trap: companies that are famous in dental circles for their own marketing but haven’t actually delivered results for practices. Being good at marketing yourself to dentists is a completely different skill than marketing a dental practice to patients.
“You can become a successful marketing company where you become known in dentistry because you know how to market yourself,” Lefler warned. “But that same strategy that got you successful is not going to help a dental practice at all.”
3. What Can You Do With My Budget?
A good dental marketing partner should be able to look at your actual budget and tell you honestly what’s achievable. This requires understanding not just marketing tactics, but which tactics make sense at different investment levels.
“If a doctor is like, I have $1,000 a month or I have $500 a month to spend on marketing, I don’t want to blow it. Of all the things that I could do, what’s something I can do with 500 bucks?” Lefler said. “Versus somebody saying I have $10,000 a month. What do I do?”
A company that truly understands dental marketing can tailor recommendations to your resources. They won’t try to sell you a $5,000 monthly package when your budget is $1,000. They’ll tell you what’s realistic and what results to expect.
Be wary of companies that have only one solution regardless of your situation. Marketing isn’t one-size-fits-all, and a good partner recognizes that a new practice with limited funds needs a different approach than an established practice looking to grow.
What to Expect at Different Budget Levels
| Monthly Budget | Realistic Expectations |
| $300-$500 | Focus on one channel: social media management OR reputation management OR basic SEO foundation |
| $1,000-$2,000 | Combination approach: SEO + reputation management, or modest paid ads with supporting services |
| $3,000-$5,000 | Comprehensive strategy: SEO + paid ads + social media + reputation management with meaningful ad spend |
| $10,000+ | Aggressive growth: significant ad spend for high-value services, full-service marketing, possibly multiple locations |
4. Do You Offer Boutique or Scaled Services?
There’s an important distinction in the marketing world between custom boutique work and scaled, systematized services. Both have their place, but they come with very different price tags and experiences.
Boutique agencies create custom strategies and creative work for each client. They might have brilliant marketers who can develop unique campaigns tailored specifically to your practice. The downside is that this level of customization is expensive.
Scaled agencies have built systems and processes that deliver consistent results across many clients. They’ve invested years developing these systems specifically for dental practices. The advantage lies in cost-effective, proven approaches.
“If you’re like, I need cost-effective marketing, I need to be able to pay not $10,000 a month, I need to pay $300 a month for these services, a boutique agency can’t do it because they haven’t spent 10 years building an infrastructure that delivers that stuff at scale,” Lefler explained.
Neither approach is inherently better. What matters is matching the service model to your needs and budget. Just make sure you understand which type of dental marketing company you’re talking to.
5. How Will You Report Results?
Marketing can feel like a black box. Money goes in, and hopefully patients come out. But you deserve to understand exactly what’s happening with your investment.
Ask specifically how results will be tracked and reported. Can they show you cost per click? Cost per scheduled appointment? Revenue generated from specific campaigns? The best dental marketing partners track the entire journey from ad spend to patient in the chair.
“Every dollar your dental practice invests in advertising should be fully transparent and accountable,” Lefler said. “Every cent, from ad spend to scheduled appointments, is tracked meticulously, ensuring you know exactly whether you’re generating a 3X, 5X, or even 10X return on investment.”
If a company can’t explain their reporting in clear terms, or if they seem reluctant to commit to specific metrics, proceed with caution. Vague promises about “brand awareness” or “engagement” without connection to actual patient acquisition should raise red flags.
The Bottom Line
Hiring a dental marketing company doesn’t have to be a leap of faith. Ask about their reputation among dentists you know. Verify their dental industry experience. Get honest assessments of what your budget can achieve. Understand whether they offer boutique or scaled services. And demand clear reporting on results.
The right marketing partner will welcome these questions. They’ll have straightforward answers and dentist references ready to share. They’ll tell you honestly what’s realistic and what isn’t.
My Social Practice has been helping dental practices grow for over 15 years. We offer scaled services that deliver cost-effective results, with transparent reporting that shows exactly where your investment goes. Want to see if we’re the right fit? Let’s have a conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if a dental marketing company is legitimate?
Start by asking dentists you trust for recommendations. Check how long the company has been in business and specifically in the dental industry. Look for case studies with real practice names and verifiable results. Be cautious of companies that are famous for marketing themselves but can’t provide references from practices they’ve actually helped grow.
What's a reasonable marketing budget for a dental practice?
Marketing budgets vary widely based on practice size, goals, and competition. New practices or those in competitive markets may need to invest more heavily. A general starting point is 3-5% of revenue for maintenance or 7-10% for growth. However, even practices with limited budgets ($300-$500/month) can see results by focusing on one channel like reputation management or foundational SEO.
Should I hire a dental-specific marketing company or a general agency?
Dental-specific companies offer significant advantages. They understand how patients choose dentists, what messaging resonates, and the nuances of local healthcare marketing. General agencies may have broader creative capabilities but often lack the industry knowledge needed to execute effectively. The exception would be premium boutique agencies willing to invest significant time learning your specific market, but this comes at higher cost.
What results should I expect from dental marketing?
Expect clear metrics tied to patient acquisition: cost per lead, cost per scheduled appointment, and ultimately cost per new patient. Good marketing companies track from first click through to booked appointment. For SEO, expect 6-12 months before significant results. For paid ads, results should be visible within weeks but may take months to optimize. Be wary of any company promising specific patient numbers without understanding your market and competition.
About the Author: Megan Nielsen is an SEO strategist and the Grand Overlord of copywriting at My Social Practice. My Social Practice is a dental marketing company that offers a full suite of dental marketing services to thousands of dental practices throughout the United States and Canada.
