What You’ll Learn
- Why most dental AI content lacks soul and personality—and how to fix it
- The “Pepsi Test” method that proves brand style guides create dramatically better results
- How to capture and leverage your authentic voice for AI content generation
- Why storytelling remains irreplaceable (and how to use AI to amplify your stories)
- Practical steps to create a brand style guide in under an hour
- The editing strategies that transform generic AI output into compelling patient communications
Table of Contents
- How to Transform Robotic Dental AI Content Into Copy That Actually Connects With Patients
- The Soul Problem: Why Your Dental AI Content Falls Flat
- The Pepsi Test
- Brand Style Guides for Dental AI Content
- Why Stories Matter More Than Ever
- The Path Forward: Practical Steps for Better Dental AI Content
- FAQ
How to Transform Robotic Dental AI Content Into Copy That Actually Connects With Patients
Adrian Lefler welcomed two copywriting heavyweights to the Byte Sized Podcast studio this week for a conversation that got right to the heart of what’s wrong with most dental AI content today. Kevin Henry, the veteran dental journalist who’s been writing industry copy since last century (his daughter’s joke, not ours), and Shawn Zajas, branding expert and champion of “authentic brilliance,” pulled no punches in their assessment of the current state of AI-generated dental content.
The verdict? Most practices are doing it completely wrong. Ouch. Luckily, we have the solution.
The Soul Problem: Why Your Dental AI Content Falls Flat
Kevin Henry doesn’t mince words when describing the biggest issue with dental AI content: “It doesn’t have personality. To me, it doesn’t have a soul.”
After 25 years in dental journalism and in his role currently serving as Editor-in-Chief at DrBicuspid.com, Henry sees countless AI-generated submissions that all share the same fatal flaw. They read like robots completed a task, checked a box, and moved on. There’s no connection, no humanity, no reason for a patient to feel anything about what they’re reading.
The problem becomes even more apparent when you consider what Zajas points out about dental AI content amplification. AI excels at scaling content production, but without a distinct voice to amplify, all you’re doing is “amplifying sameness.” Visit a thousand dental websites describing dental implants, and 990 of them will say exactly the same thing in exactly the same way.
The Pepsi Test
To prove their point about authentic dental AI content, the team conducted what they called the “Pepsi Test.” Using Claude AI, Zajas created identical prompts in two different environments: one with a brand style guide based on a real dentist’s voice and perspective, and one without any context at all.
The prompts were intentionally terrible. For the social media post, Zajas simply asked: “Can you make a post for our dental office about National Dentist Day?” No role, no context, no task specifics. Just the bare minimum.
The results were striking. The generic version produced exactly what you’d expect: “Happy National Dentist Day. Today we celebrate the dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to keep our smiles healthy and bright.”
The version with the brand style guide, on the other hand, started with: “I get it. National Dentist Day can feel like just another marketing opportunity. But let me share what this day really means to me.”
Henry immediately spotted the difference, noting how the style guide version talked about food as medicine, the digestive system, and working together as a team. It had personality. It had perspective. Most importantly, it reflected a piece of the soul of the practice’s dental brand and voice.
Brand Style Guides for Dental AI Content
The game-changer in this equation is something most dental practices have never heard of: a brand style guide specifically designed for AI content generation. This isn’t your typical corporate branding document with logo specifications and color codes, but a living document that captures the dentist’s voice, philosophy, stories, and unique perspective on patient care.
Zajas demonstrated this by interviewing one dentist with just a handful of questions about her practice philosophy and approach to patient care. That simple conversation became the foundation for dramatically better dental AI content across every format, including thank you letters, social media posts, website copy, and blog articles.
The beauty of this approach is its simplicity. Once you have a brand style guide in place, you can use the same basic prompts that everyone else uses, but your results will be completely different. The AI has context. It understands your voice. It knows your stories.
Why Stories Matter More Than Ever
Both experts agreed that storytelling remains the one thing AI cannot replicate authentically. As Lefler pointed out, “AI can’t create stories for you because they’ll be hallucinations.”
The solution is that dentists need to become story collectors. Henry suggests dentists share stories about patients who impacted them or moments that changed their practice philosophy. Zajas recommends dentists record voice memos on their drive home, capturing the day’s experiences while they’re fresh.
These stories become gold for dental AI content. Take that voice memo, transcribe it, feed it to your AI with your brand style guide, and suddenly you have authentic, engaging content that no other practice can replicate.
The Path Forward: Practical Steps for Better Dental AI Content
The experts offered clear guidance for practices ready to level up their content game:
Start Simple: Don’t overthink it. Begin by answering basic questions about why you got into dentistry, what excites you about your work, and what challenges you’ve overcome.
Record Everything: Kevin emphasizes the value of transcripts. Every team meeting, patient consultation explanation, or casual conversation about dentistry could become content gold.
Edit Ruthlessly: Even with a perfect brand style guide, AI output needs human editing. As Henry notes, “I never take it at face value and just publish it. I always go back through it.”
Embrace Imperfection: Zajas makes a compelling point about human imperfection adding character to content. “It’s our humanity that we actually have to lead with in this age of AI.”
Dental AI content doesn’t have to be soulless. With the right approach, it can be authentic, engaging, and uniquely yours. The tools are available. The methodology works. The only question is whether you’re ready to stop amplifying sameness and start amplifying your authentic brilliance.
In This Episode:
Kevin Henry, Editor-in-Chief at DrBicuspid.com
With more than 20 years in the dental publishing industry, Kevin Henry is the former group editorial director for Dental Products Report and managing editor for Dental Economics. Currently, he is the editor-in-chief for DrBicuspid.com. He has spoken to dental assistants throughout the world, in person and through the Dental Assistant Nation podcast series, reminding them of the important role they play every day in their practice. He is also certified as a DiSC trainer, helping dental practices learn how to understand each other better through personality assessments and training.
Shawn Zajas
Shawn Zajas is a brand strategist, podcast producer, and founder of the Authentic Influence Collective. With over a decade of experience in dentistry and media, he helps purpose-driven leaders uncover their unique brilliance and amplify it through custom studio builds, personal branding, and strategic content creation. In a world of AI-generated noise, Shawn believes authenticity is the new competitive advantage and he’s on a mission to help others share their voice with clarity, confidence, and impact.
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 can dental practices ensure their AI-generated content doesn't sound robotic?
The key to authentic dental AI content is creating a comprehensive brand style guide that captures your unique voice, philosophy, and patient stories. By providing AI with context about your practice’s personality and approach to care, you transform generic outputs into content that reflects your authentic perspective. Additionally, always edit AI-generated content and incorporate real patient stories and personal experiences that only you can tell.
What's the biggest mistake dental practices make when using AI for content creation?
The biggest mistake is using basic, one-sentence prompts without any context or personality, resulting in generic dental AI content that sounds identical to every other practice. Most dentists skip the crucial step of establishing their unique voice first, jumping straight to content production and amplifying “sameness” rather than their distinct perspective. Success requires investing time upfront to document your practice philosophy, communication style, and patient stories.
Can AI really help with dental marketing if it can't create authentic stories?
Yes, dental AI content tools excel at amplifying and polishing your authentic stories and voice, saving hours of writing time while maintaining personality. The key is using AI as an enhancement tool rather than a replacement for human experience—record your patient stories, capture your unique perspectives, then use AI with a proper brand style guide to transform these into polished content. This approach can reduce content creation time by 4-5 hours while maintaining authenticity and soul.
How much time should dental practices spend editing AI-generated content before publishing?
While dental AI content can dramatically reduce initial writing time, plan to spend 15-30 minutes reviewing and editing each piece before publication. Focus on adding personal anecdotes, adjusting phrases that feel too perfect or robotic, and ensuring the content truly sounds like your voice. As Kevin Henry emphasizes, even experienced writers edit AI output extensively. The goal isn’t to eliminate editing or writing but to start with a much stronger foundation that captures your practice’s authentic perspective.
