You’ve got the skills, the clinic, and the passion to transform smiles — but some days, your chairs are frustratingly empty.
You’re wondering: “Why aren’t patients finding me, when I know I can help them?”
For years, dentists relied on word of mouth, referrals, and perhaps a few local directory listings. And yes, those worked — once.
But today, when someone wakes up with a toothache, or finally decides to get those implants they’ve been putting off, they don’t flip through the Yellow Pages or ask their neighbour.
They pull out their phone, type “dentist near me”, and their screen looks something like this:
Image Source: Dental SEO in 2025
In most cases, they book-in with one of the top 3 results.
There are two ways to reach this spot:
- Get hundreds of reviews, have an optimised SEO profile, and rank in top 3.
- Run Google Ads and rank above or alongside the top organic results irrespective of how strong (or weak) your google business profile is.
My suggestion as a marketer is to DO BOTH, because:
🔹 More than 90% of patients search online before booking an appointment.
🔹 You can reach people at the exact moment they’re searching for the treatments you provide.
Unlike traditional advertising (billboards, radio spots, newspaper ads), you don’t pay to just be seen — you only pay when someone actually clicks your ad and shows intent.
In this guide, we’ll break down exactly how Google Ads can work for your dental clinic: from keyword targeting to conversion-driven landing pages, budget tips, advanced strategies, and even a real case study of a dentist who doubled patient flow with ads.
By the end, you’ll know exactly how to stop relying solely on referrals — and instead build a predictable system that brings in patients week after week.
👉 And if you’d rather not do all this yourself? You can always book a free strategy call with Practify. We’ll map out a custom plan to help you attract more of the right patients using Google Ads.
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Why Google Ads Work So Well for Dentists
Let’s start with the obvious question: Why Google Ads, and not just SEO, Facebook, or referrals?
The short answer: Google Ads reach patients who are already actively searching for a dentist.
Here’s why they’re so powerful:
a) Patients Search with Intent
Think about it: no one Googles “dental implant cost in Manchester” unless they’re seriously considering treatment. The same goes for searches like “emergency dentist near me” or “Invisalign Birmingham.”
These are high-intent searches. With Google Ads, your clinic can appear at the very top of these results — before competitors, before directories, even before organic listings.
b) Instant Visibility vs. SEO (the Long Game)
SEO is fantastic for long-term growth, but it takes months — sometimes years — to dominate competitive keywords like “dentist London.” Google Ads, on the other hand, can put you in front of patients tomorrow morning.
Many of our clients use both together: SEO to build authority, and Google Ads to generate patient flow immediately.
c) Pay Only for Clicks (Performance-Focused)
With a billboard, you pay for the space whether people notice it or not. With a radio ad, you pay even if the listener tunes out. With Google Ads, you only pay when someone actually clicks and shows interest.
That means your budget is going directly into attracting patients, not wasted impressions.
d) Measurable and Trackable
Unlike traditional marketing, you can measure every pound spent on Google Ads. You’ll know:
- How many people clicked.
- How many called your clinic.
- How many booked an appointment.
This makes it incredibly easy to calculate your ROI — and adjust campaigns to get even better results.
💡 Mini Example:
Dr. Sarah, a cosmetic dentist in Leeds, ran a small ad campaign targeting “teeth whitening Leeds” with a daily budget of £25. Within 30 days, she had 67 new patient enquiries. Her total ad spend was £750, and she generated over £9,000 in treatment revenue.
That’s the power of Google Ads: spend smart, measure everything, and scale what works.
👉 Next, we’ll explore the specific benefits of Google Ads for dentists — and why they often outperform other marketing methods when it comes to filling your appointment book.