Managing a dental practice in 2026 is very different from what it has been over the years. After COVID, some of the changes have remained, while many others haven’t.
It directly influences just about all of us. Therefore, getting back to the top will take some know-how with modern consumer behavior. Many people quickly turned to online shopping as an alternative to going to brick-and-mortar retailers.
They also search for dentists online before choosing a new one and read reviews. That’s where dental SEO comes into play for your business.
This article will discuss some critical points on how to help you run a dental practice in 2026.
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Table of Contents
What Makes A Dental Practice?
A dental practice is more than a dentist and a chair; it’s a complete patient-care business you run day to day. You combine licensed clinical treatment with clear systems for scheduling, charting, billing, and insurance, so care stays safe and consistent.
Your team matters just as much as your tools, because assistants, hygienists, and front-desk staff shape the full patient experience from check-in to follow-up. You also protect patients by following infection control rules, privacy laws, and proper recordkeeping, even when it adds extra steps.
Most importantly, you build trust through honest treatment plans, fair pricing, and dependable communication (texts, calls, and reminders).
Finally, you grow by staying visible online with accurate listings, strong reviews, and helpful content that matches what patients search for.
#1 Appointments Are A Must
One of your top priorities should be to keep yourself fully booked as many days of the month as possible; with people struggling with finances, bookings most probably decreased since before the pandemic.
A great way to get new customers is to offer an online portal where clients can create accounts and book appointments without making a phone call.
This will help generate as many bookings as possible and hopefully keep you busy.
I know my own dentist, whom I saw this week, claimed business is starting to come back after it was almost non-existent.
They now send out text messages for appointments and check off a questionnaire before you even walk in the door.
#2 Clients Accounts
Another crucial factor in operating a successful and sustainable dental practice is having control over finances. You should know where your money is and where it’s going; you should know when clients’ accounts are outstanding.
Consider hiring a professional commercial collection agency to recover your well-deserved funds when clients fail to pay.
Another excellent advantage technology offers is an intelligent point-of-sale system that automatically tracks bookings and outstanding payments on your behalf.
Ensure your budget is accurate and spend the right amount on every aspect of your business operations.
#3 Marketing Your Business While Managing A Dental Practice
Marketing, in many instances, is the deciding factor in the success and sustainability of businesses across all industries. Well-constructed, well-researched marketing campaigns can make a world of difference.
You can use the following marketing methods to achieve sufficient brand exposure and increased online bookings.
#4. Google My Business For Managing A Dental Practice
If you want your dental practice to grow, Google My Business is a must for your dental SEO strategy. By claiming and optimizing your Google My Business listing, you can improve your online visibility and attract more local patients.
With a fully filled-out profile, including your address, phone number, and business hours, potential patients can easily find and contact you. Plus, positive reviews and high ratings can enhance your credibility and attract new clients.
With Google My Business, you can directly engage with your local community, share updates, and showcase your services. This platform is a powerful tool for boosting your online presence and driving more traffic to your dental practice.
#5 Google Ads To The Rescue
Google Ads is a platform where you bid against competitors. This can get your business the top ad placements on Google when a specific search phrase is searched.
It is a costly but highly effective way to increase leads. Running Google ads is not easy, and you may need to hire someone to handle your dental office marketing.
These types of ads must be monitored and updated frequently to work effectively, which can be time-consuming when you are managing a dental practice full-time.
#6 Dental SEO
Search engine optimization is the process of increasing the quantity and quality of website traffic by using only organic search engine results.
The better you rank, the more traffic you can expect. SEO takes months or even years to work well for your business. Search-engaging optimization is something you must budget for and work on regularly.
As you manage a dental practice, it is best to outsource your dental SEO services. You can’t set it and forget it with SEO.
#7 Social Media Marketing for Your Dental Practice
Social media marketing is precisely what the name says: it’s promoting your business on your social media platforms, and it’s a great way of engaging with your local community.
It’s important to remember that consumers react differently to marketing strategies in different areas. Therefore, it’s always best to test before you spend significant amounts on it.
Save time on scheduling and replying to social media with Agorapulse. The dashboard will save you loads of time with both scheduling and responding to social media inquiries.
Your Turn: Managing A Dental Practice Today
I’d love to know if you are in the business of managing a dental practice or working for one that does. Please leave a comment below on how it has changed over the past several years.
I’d also love to know whether you had to increase your dental office’s digital marketing in the past several years.
She has 30+ years of experience in marketing/advertising with 14 years of experience in content marketing, social media, blogging, and SEO.
Lisa helps her clients with social media, email marketing and some SEO.
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Hey Lisa,
Local Awareness Facebook Ads. While you want to get the word out about your dental practice, being specific about who you market to is important. this is just my opinion.
Hi Sathish, yes – local Facebook ads would work too to help a dental practice today. They are part of the social media marketing efforts that go hand in hand. Thanks for your feedback and have a great day!