By Adrian Lefler. Published January 10, 2019. Updated October 2026.
Quick Answer: The dental social media marketing strategy that works is relationship-first, not ad-first. Pick the one or two platforms your patients actually use (usually Facebook and Instagram) and post there consistently, two to four times a week. Make most posts about people: your team, your community, and patients who’ve given written permission. Keep promotions to an occasional post. Reply to every comment and review, get your team sharing from day one, and judge results by calls and booked appointments, not follower counts. The 12 principles below show how to put each piece to work this week.
Most dental practices that give up on social media make the same three mistakes. They treat it like an ad channel, they post in bursts and then go quiet for a month, and they judge it by likes. None of that builds the trust that turns a follower into a patient.
The principles below fix all three. Several of them started with Chris Brogan and Julien Smith’s The Impact Equation, adapted from years of running social media for dental practices. If you’re still setting up your accounts, start with our beginner’s guide to social media for dentists, then come back here for the strategy.
1. What is your practice really selling on social media?
Your practice is selling trust, comfort and confidence, not procedures. Patients can’t judge the quality of a crown, but they can judge whether your team seems kind, competent and easy to talk to. That’s what your social media should show.
Think about coffee. A warehouse store sells a cup for pocket change, and a block away people happily pay five times more at a coffee shop. Nobody there asks for a discount, because they’re buying a ritual and a feeling, not just coffee.
Dentistry works the same way. If every post is about a service or a price, you’re competing as a commodity. If your posts show the people, the care and the experience, you’re the practice patients choose and stay with.
Do this week: Write down three words you want patients to use when they describe your practice. Check your last 10 posts against them.
2. Should dental social media posts advertise services?
Mostly no. Organic social media posts should build relationships, and promotions should be the occasional post. Marketing is much bigger than advertising, and social media is where the bigger part happens.
Picture a TV station called the Dr. Jones’ Dentistry Network that airs commercials 24 hours a day: “25% Off Any Dental Service!” The ratings collapse, because nobody watches a channel that only runs ads, and the program director is let go.
The new program director fills the schedule with helpful, entertaining content (team stories, community news, simple oral health tips) and slips in a promotion now and then. People actually pay attention to it.
That’s the heart of good dentist social media marketing: run your feed like the second program director. A simple rule: for every promotional post, publish several that give your followers something.
Do this week: Count the promotional posts in your last month. If they’re more than about one in five, swap the next one for a team or community post.
3. Why should you be interested before you’re interesting?
Because people engage with practices that pay attention to them, not practices that only talk about themselves. Social media is a conversation, so the first job is to listen.
Would you walk into a cocktail party, climb onto the bar with a megaphone and start selling dental services? Of course not. You’d find interesting people, introduce yourself briefly and ask about them. Somewhere in that conversation you’d find a connection point.
Social media works the same way. In practice, being interested means:
- Replying to every comment and review, good or bad
- Congratulating patients and local businesses on their wins (with written permission before you name or tag a patient)
- Sharing and commenting on posts from local schools, teams and charities
- Asking questions in your posts, then responding to the answers
Paid ads and price tags don’t work well in a social feed. Genuine interest does. Your community is also talking about dentists in places you don’t post, like local forums. Our guide to Reddit dental marketing shows how to listen there without being pushy.
Do this week: Spend 10 minutes a day replying to comments and engaging with three local business or community pages.
4. How often should a dental practice post on social media?
Two to four times a week on one or two platforms, every week. Consistency beats volume. A practice that posts three times a week all year will outperform one that posts daily for a month and then disappears.
To keep it sustainable:
- Choose one or two platforms. For most practices that’s Facebook and Instagram. Facebook is used by 71% of U.S. adults and Instagram by 50%, according to Pew Research Center’s 2025 social media survey. Not sure where to start? Here’s which social media platform to focus on.
- Batch your content. Plan and schedule a month of posts in one sitting.
- Assign an owner. One person on the team is responsible for making sure posts go out.
If Instagram is your second platform, our guide to Instagram marketing for dentists covers what works there.
Do this week: Put two to four posting days on your calendar for the next month and name the person responsible for each.
5. Why should your website be the home base for your social media?
Because you own your website, and you only rent your social media accounts. Platforms change their rules, their reach and their popularity every few years. Your website and blog are the asset you control.
Social posts start the conversation, and your website is where people learn more, read reviews and book. That means:
- Link your booking page in every profile.
- Point posts back to your website when it helps (a blog article, a new patient page, online scheduling).
- Keep your practice name, address and phone number identical everywhere.
Social media and your website also support each other in search. More patients now look for dentists on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube the way they use Google. See how social search for dentists works, and how social media and SEO work together.
Do this week: Check that every social profile links to your website or booking page, and that the link works on a phone.
6. How do you show your practice’s personality on social media?
Be warm, human and a little fallible. People like doing business with people they know. Your posts should help patients feel like they’ve met your team before they walk in.
Personal doesn’t mean telling the world you had a Reuben sandwich for lunch and got heartburn. It means being transparent and approachable: the hygienist who runs marathons, the front desk’s favorite patient joke, the doctor admitting they still get nervous at the dentist too.
A few ways to bring it out:
- Share experiences patients recognize. Back-to-school chaos, holiday sweets, the first day with braces. When posts echo what followers are living, they feel understood.
- Let each team member’s talents show. Your team is one of a kind, and so is your culture.
- Keep it local. Make posts about your town, not generic stock content.
- Pick your own comfort zone. Some practices are formal and some are laid-back. Both work if they’re true to you.
You don’t need to be a writer. Write like you talk. Short video is the easiest way to show personality, so borrow from these dental TikTok and Reels ideas.
Do this week: Film one 30-second clip of a team member answering “What do you love about working here?”
7. How do you get your dental team involved in social media?
Make your team your first and most trusted amplifiers. Patients already trust your staff, and each team member has friends, family, gym buddies, church groups and neighbors who are all potential patients.
Here’s how to get started:
- Ask, don’t require. Invite team members to follow, like and share, and thank them when they do.
- Feature them. Team spotlights are some of the most-liked posts a practice can publish.
- Make it easy. Send the post link in your team chat with a one-line suggestion for sharing.
- Train on what’s off-limits. Staff should never post patient photos, names, treatment details or anything that confirms someone is a patient without written permission. A short HIPAA refresher on social media protects everyone.
Video makes team content easy to share. Our guide to dental marketing videos shows simple formats your team can film on a phone. Running several offices? See how DSO social media marketing keeps every location’s team involved.
Do this week: Hold a 10-minute huddle on social media: what to share, what never to post, and who wants to be featured first.
8. How can giving back fuel your dental social media?
Community involvement gives you posts that people want to share. Social media gives your practice a simple, meaningful way to connect with patients and make your community better at the same time.
Not every post has to be about teeth. Good giving-back content includes:
- Sponsoring a local team or school event
- Running a food, coat or toy drive
- Hosting a “sweet swap” after Halloween, where kids trade candy for prizes
- Joining a seasonal giving campaign, like a year-end day of giving
- Asking each team member how they give back, then sharing their answers
When patients appear in event photos, get written permission first. Use a patient photo release form so it’s on file.
For more community and seasonal ideas, browse these Facebook post ideas for dental practices.
Do this week: Pick one local cause and add a giving-back event to your calendar for the next three months.
9. When should a dental practice go after a big social media campaign?
Once or twice a year, on top of your steady weekly posts. Small, consistent actions build the relationship. A bigger swing every so often brings in new people and gives your followers something to rally around.
Good big swings for a practice:
- A cause fundraiser. For example, a campaign to raise a set amount, say $25,000, for a local charity close to your team’s heart. Pick a goal that fits your community.
- A Patient of the Month program. It creates a steady stream of content, and patients love being featured (with written permission).
- A contest or giveaway. Start with these dental contest ideas.
Big campaigns amplify a relationship you’ve already built with steady posting. They can’t replace it.
Do this week: Choose one big campaign for the next six months and put a launch date on the calendar.
10. Is it okay to ask your followers for help?
Yes, occasionally. Your followers like your practice, however many there are, and most are glad to help when you ask clearly and don’t ask too often.
Good things to ask for:
- A Google review after a great visit
- A share of a community event or hiring post
- A referral for friends and family
- Votes in a local “best of” contest
This is community-driven dental marketing: building a group of fans who are happy to tell your story to the people they know. A recommendation from a friend carries more weight than any ad you could run.
Do this week: Post one clear, friendly request, such as asking happy patients to share their experience in a Google review.
11. Do small follower numbers matter for a dental practice?
No. For a local practice, relationships matter more than reach. A few hundred engaged followers who live near your office are worth more than thousands who never will.
Big brands need huge audiences. You don’t. A strong strategy, interesting content and real human connections can bring in new patients from a small following. Steady, helpful posts are how dentists win patients without going viral.
At first it may feel like no one is listening. That’s partly because most of us bring an old push-advertising mindset (newspaper ads, direct mail, billboards) that expects instant results.
So celebrate every small win: a new review, a patient who mentions a post, a team video that gets shared. Those wins are the proof the relationship is building.
Do this week: Write down one social media win from the past month and share it with your team.
12. How do you know if your dental social media marketing strategy is working?
Track calls, messages, booked appointments and “how did you hear about us” answers, not likes. Likes and follower counts show attention. New patients show results.
What to track each month:
- Direct messages and calls that came from social media
- Clicks on your booking link from your profiles and posts
- New patient intake answers. Add social media as an option on “How did you hear about us?”
- Reviews that mention your posts, team or community work
- Engagement on your best posts, so you know what to make more of
Give it time. Social media builds over months, because people need to see your practice several times before they trust it. Here’s how to measure your dental social media ROI in booked appointments and revenue.
Do this week: Add “social media” to your intake form’s referral question and start a simple monthly tracking sheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a dental social media marketing strategy?
A dental social media marketing strategy is a practice’s plan for social media. It covers which platforms you use, what you post, how often, who on your team is involved and how you measure results. A good one focuses on building relationships with local patients rather than running constant ads.
How often should a dental practice post on social media?
Most dental practices should post two to four times a week on one or two platforms. Consistency matters more than volume. A steady schedule you can keep all year will build more trust, and bring in more patients, than daily posting that stops after a few weeks.
Should a dental practice advertise on social media?
Organic posts should mostly build relationships, with promotions as the occasional post. Paid social ads are different: they’re a separate budget and plan, built to reach new people. Many practices use both, keeping their regular feed human and running targeted ads for specific services or new patient offers.
What should a dental practice post on social media?
Post about people first: your team, your community and patients who’ve given written permission. Mix in simple oral health tips, behind-the-scenes clips, events and the occasional offer. For a full list, browse these dental social media post ideas and our dental marketing social media ideas.
How long does it take for dental social media to bring in new patients?
Expect months, not weeks. People usually need to see a practice several times before they trust it enough to book. Practices that post consistently, engage with comments and involve their team typically see more messages and new patient mentions as the relationship builds over the first several months.
Ready to put your strategy to work?
A dental social media marketing strategy that works is simple: show the people behind your practice, post consistently, engage with your community and measure what matters. If you’d rather have a team run it for you, explore our dental social media marketing services or contact our team.
Adrian Lefler is the CEO and Co-Founder of My Social Practice and a recognized dental marketing expert with nearly two decades of experience. He is a trusted voice in dental marketing, AI in dentistry, and emerging technology, and he hosts BYTE SIZED, a podcast focused on dental AI, innovation, and technology.
