What We’re Doing & Not Doing for Dental Practices in 2026

This article originally appeared in March/2026 on DentistryToday.com.

We’re almost a full quarter into 2026, and it’s clear that the same marketing strategies dental practices have relied on aren’t having the impact they used to. The landscape has changed. Thankfully, marketing is dynamic, as is the field of dentistry. The practices that will remain relevant long after the year is over are those that pay attention to what their information-hungry patients expect from healthcare providers. Here’s a breakdown of the current dental marketing trends that are worthwhile and the ones that are past their prime.

What We’re Doing in 2026:

1. Educational, In-Depth Content: With the growing number of patients researching healthcare providers before making any form of contact, information is king. Dental practices that create timely, educational content are rising to the top of the list with research-driven patients. We encourage practices to write blog posts, publish articles, create explainer videos, and more to give patients what they’re seeking: real information that answers their burning questions.
2. Doctor-Led Video: Patients want to see the faces behind the practice, especially the doctors’ faces. “Doctors in videos” is popular with patients for several reasons, namely authenticity. Seeing and hearing a doctor they will potentially trust with their health, as he or she makes a complex procedure more approachable, is always a hit with patients. It builds trust, rapport, and authority. Plus, it humanizes a branch of healthcare that is often portrayed as scary, painful, or even nonessential.
3. Survey Funnels for High-Value Cases: Implant, veneer, and sleep apnea funnels convert inquiries into appointments by making patients feel understood and guiding them to the best solution without pressure. Patients answer questions and are provided with solutions that make sense based on their current needs and future goals. Survey funnels are one way to provide patients with personalized care, thereby enhancing their experience.
4. Tracking Appointment Schedule Rate: Leads are great, but leads alone aren’t enough to grow a practice. To create growth, practices need to convert leads into appointments. However, conversion is only part of the process. Tracking the number of leads that become scheduled appointments gives a practice a pretty good picture of how successful its process is and whether there’s room for improvement. Not knowing how many leads actually make it to the dentist’s chair is like driving a car with a foggy windshield: you’re only getting a fraction of the information you need to safely arrive at your desired destination.
5. Text-First Follow-Up: Yes, patients are still calling practices, but an increasing number are reaching out electronically. Not only is texting an acceptable form of communication for a dental practice, but in many cases, patients prefer it. They respond faster and more often, and many patients are more comfortable texting than speaking on the phone. Texting is easier for patients with busy schedules, eliminating the after-hours phone tag. Additionally, practices that text are viewed as more contemporary and respectful of their patients’ time.
6. Intentional Phone Scripting: When patients call in or a team member contacts a patient who left a message, the conversation is too important to be left to chance. A phone script provides staff with a basic structure that will help convert an interested, qualified patient into a booked appointment. A script is not a sales pitch. It’s a tool for assessing whether the patient is a good fit for the practice. Phone scripts also help team members who aren’t experienced at converting leads into appointments. With a well-written, thoughtful script, more patients book and keep their appointments.
7. Ongoing Call Reviews: The most successful practices are developing their team members’ phone skills as well as their clinical skills. Regular call reviews are a valuable tool in 2026 because they can reveal the practice’s strengths and weaknesses alike. Call reviews provide vital information about what’s working, which team members are engaged, how many patients are responding to marketing, and where the team is falling short.
8. Participating in Local Social Groups: For a dental practice, neighborhood Facebook groups, community forums, and local events are gold mines for visibility. People trust information from people in their community more than marketing. Practices that show up consistently online and in person create trust among their patient base and their surrounding community.

What We’re Not Doing in 2026:

1. Generic, “We Love Our Patients” Messaging: Overused, disingenuous slogans are bad marketing, and patients aren’t falling for them.
2. Thin Service Pages: A few sentences about implants or veneers won’t cut it for patients or search engines that are looking for real information.
3. Insurance-First Messaging: More than low out-of-pocket costs, patients need expertise, high-quality, personalized care that produces reliable outcomes, and it’s the practice’s job to help them understand that.
4. Chasing Cheap Leads: Any low-cost marketing strategy becomes expensive if it doesn’t produce quality, sustainable results.
5. Filling Websites With Stock Photos: Overly produced imagery and perfect smiles are devoid of personality, and in 2026, that won’t fly with patients who reward authenticity.
6. Judging Success by Cost Per Click: While clicks are a good place to start, they don’t indicate ROI. Treatment acceptance, however, does.
7. Ignoring Leads After the First Conversation: Most practices don’t fall short of their new patient goals because of bad marketing. They’re not growing because they neglect the leads their marketing generates.

For 2026 and beyond, we’re changing how dental practices think about marketing, taking their strategies from “throw it all out there and see what sticks” to intentional marketing that produces sustainable growth. The truth is that we didn’t start marketing this way in 2026. It’s been our philosophy for the past decade! The practices we work with have already implemented these strategies and are seeing results.