For dental practices and dentists, marketing is extremely important to reach the target audience and ensure a steady stream of patients. One part of a good marketing strategy is knowing the current trends and statistics, allowing you to make more informed decisions with your budget, approach, and goals.
Below, we’ve shared dental marketing statistics 2026-2025 to help you tailor your strategies and stay ahead of the rest. Keep reading to learn more.
- 71% of People Run a Search Before Booking an Appointment
- 97% of Dentists Use Facebook as Their Main Social Media Page
- Dentists’ Ad Conversion Rate Is Just Under 2%
- 35% of Dental Website Traffic Comes From Paid Search
- Only 26% of Dentists Have Online Booking
- 77% of Patients Read Reviews Before Choosing a Dentist
- 65% of Family Dental Practices Rely on Email Marketing
- Direct Mail Has a 4.5x Higher Open Rate Than Email
- Dental Practices Are Increasing Their Marketing Budgets by 12%
- Half of Dentists Are Unsure Which Platforms To Leverage
71% of People Run a Search Before Booking a Dental Appointment
Around 71% of people who want to visit a dentist will first look them up on a search engine like Google before they book an appointment. This statistic serves as a major indicator of how patients nowadays rely on online resources to find more details about their potential dentists. As such, it becomes even more important for dental practices to create their own web presence to remain visible, especially in local markets. Search engine optimization (SEO) comes into play, helping your website rank high in search engine page results (SERPs).
97% of Dentists Use Facebook as Their Main Social Media Page
A whopping 97% of dentists choose Facebook as their main social media platform, with 74% also using Instagram and 32% using LinkedIn. This statistic makes sense because Facebook has some of the highest numbers of active users at 2.9 billion monthly. However, dentists should not disregard other platforms like YouTube or TikTok, especially with how short-form video content has become ubiquitous. Even so, Facebook remains a dynamic platform with lots of features that make it the preferred page for most practices.
Dentists’ Ad Conversion Rate Is Just Under 2%
Paid ads may not be as effective for dental practices, with the conversion rate in the industry dropping to just under 2% in 2024. This number is unsurprising given how most patients prefer referrals or intentional research when looking for a dental practice. Even so, dental practices can still benefit from optimizing ad campaigns and targeting the right audience. Supplementing pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns with organic strategies like SEO can also increase ad conversion rates.
35% of Dental Website Traffic Comes From Paid Search
While conversion rates are low, PPC campaigns still provide around 35% of traffic to a dentist’s website. This means that dentists can use paid search ads not to convert right away, but to improve awareness about their brand, increase impressions, and possibly gain new leads. While PPC ads might not guarantee conversion, there’s still a chance with comprehensive and strategic remarketing efforts.
Only 26% of Dentists Have Online Booking
While 67% of patients want online bookings, only 26% of dental practices offer this additional service. Adding this feature to your website or social media pages provides a convenience that many prospective patients will like. Marketing to customers also entails highlighting the benefits you offer, especially how these advantages can improve their overall experience. With online booking, you can showcase an easy way to schedule appointments that most other practices do not offer.
77% of Patients Read Online Reviews Before Choosing a Dentist
It’s crucial for dentists to create a positive experience because 77% of prospective patients will look up reviews before choosing their dentist. A lot of people trust what past clients talk about when it comes to their experience with an oral care professional, especially testimonials found on third-party review websites. The unbiased statements lead to more credibility in the review. So, aside from ensuring a positive customer experience, dental practices should also incentivize past clients to leave reviews about their treatments. The user-generated content can help increase the authority of the practice and make more prospective patients willing to work with the clinic.
65% of Family Dental Practices Rely on Email Marketing
Around 65% of dental practices use email marketing to reach patients. This strategy remains a cost-effective approach for small family practices since it requires less funding than PPC ads. The average open rate still hovers at around 20%, making this strategy effective for increasing impressions and remarketing efforts. Marketers recommend sending emails during the morning on weekdays since most people check their inboxes during this time. Weekends, specifically Sundays, are the worst days because people don’t want to open emails during rest days.
Direct Mail Has a 4.5x Higher Open Rate Than Email
Traditional marketing efforts should not be dismissed just yet. Direct mail, for example, has a 4.5x higher opening rate than emails. With a 90% opening rate, physical mail from dental practices almost always relays its message to the target audience. Plus, you can increase your impressions and brand awareness as other occupants within the household see the letter. Compare the 15 – 20% open rate of a single viewer when it comes to emails, and direct mail still comes out on top. The only setback is the cost, with direct mail being more expensive than emails.
Dental Practices Are Increasing Their Marketing Budgets by 12% More
The digital marketing landscape for the dental industry is becoming more competitive. As more and more practices attempt to rank higher in SERPs or increase their conversion rates, the marketing budgets have been increasing by up to 12% or more. Even so, higher expenditure doesn’t automatically mean higher ROI. It’s still important to be strategic with which areas you want to focus your marketing on, whether it’s PPC ads or social media marketing campaigns. That way, your investment works for you.
Around Half of Dentists Are Unsure Which Platforms To Leverage
While Facebook remains the most-used social media platform for dental practices, 50% of dentists remain unsure which platforms to invest in as they grow. Facebook provides a relatively safe and predictable user base, but many businesses may be considering using social media platforms to reach new audiences. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to this uncertainty. The best thing a dental practice can do is work with a marketing agency that can help conduct market research and launch campaigns that reach the practice’s target audience.
Wrapping Up:
Digital and traditional marketing remain impactful for healthcare companies, particularly dental practices. Knowing the right approach requires knowledge of marketing trends and industry-specific stats. With the numbers we shared above, you’re one step closer to creating an effective strategy that lets you adapt to trends and reach your target audience more effectively.
Contact our dental marketing agency if you want to start seeing more high-value new patients willing to pay cash for higher end procedures and grow your practice this year.
