SEO for Dentists is the answer to how your dental practice can get found on search engines. SEO or Search Engine Optimization allows you to rank high in Google, Bing, or another search engine you would like.
By implementing SEO techniques, you can increase the number of viewers on your dental website, leading to more brand awareness and, ultimately, more patients. You can begin to grow your practice by organically ranking on the SERP (search engine results page). To get started with SEO, you can book a free strategy session or continue reading for more information.
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) means optimizing your dental website to be the best it can be for search engines. There are tons of research involved in making dental SEO work for you. Including on and off-page strategies, such as:
- Keyword research
- URL structure
- Citations
- Social media presence
These are just some of the many ways dental SEO can help your dentistry. It can lead to better targeting and can potentially be cheaper than running ads if done right.
Another thing to note is that if you optimize your dental website for Google, it will be optimized for other search engines as well. You do not need to follow different directions for Bing or Yahoo. If you are just getting started, refer to our dental practice checklist.
Why SEO for Dentists?
SEO for dentists is important because it helps your practice get found by people searching for dental services online. Most patients look for a dentist through Google or other search engines, and if your website isn’t optimized, they’ll find your competitors instead.
Difference Between SEO and Google Ads
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is like planting a tree in your backyard. When you first plant it, it is small and takes time to grow, but if you water it, give it sunlight, and take care of it every day, it slowly becomes big and strong. After a while, it produces lots of fruit year after year without you needing to do much. For a dentist, SEO works the same way. It means making your website easy for Google to understand, so that when people search for a dentist, your website shows up naturally at the top of the search results. You do this by writing helpful content, using the right keywords, making sure your website is fast and mobile-friendly, and building links from other websites.
Google Ads is like buying fruit from a store. You pay money, and instantly you get the fruit. For dentists, this means paying Google so your clinic shows up at the very top when people search for “dentist near me” or “teeth cleaning in Los Angeles.” It works quickly, but as soon as you stop paying, your ads disappear, and new patients stop coming from those ads. You can check out our Google Ads For Dentist for more information about Google Ads.
The big difference is that SEO is slower, but it lasts a long time, while Google Ads is fast but only works while you keep paying.
Local SEO
Local SEO for dentists is all about making sure people in your area can easily find your clinic when they search on Google for things like “dentist near me” or “teeth cleaning in Los Angeles”.
Since most patients prefer a dental clinic that is close to home or work, showing up in these local searches is extremely important. The process starts with claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile by adding your clinic’s name, address, phone number, hours, services, and real photos of your office.
Getting positive reviews from patients and replying to them helps build trust and improve your ranking. On your website, you can use location-based keywords like”best dentist in Los Angeles” to attract local searches.
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Google Business Profile (Previously Called Google My Business)
To help control more of how your business shows up after a Google search, you need to sign up for Google My Business. This will allow your business to become more visible by showing up on Google Maps and searching with your location, business hours, phone number, and more.
Having your dental practice show up on Maps can mean more potential patients.
In a quick search for “dentist near me,” Google Maps shows up first with suggestions. By setting up your Google My Business account, you can ensure that your dental practice shows up first to all locals.
This tool is attributed to being the number one factor in the ranking of local packs. These are the top 3 search results in a local search. Make sure that you fill out as much information as possible when creating your Google My Business account. 
Part of your page also includes a questions and answers section, as well as a review section. It is super important that you answer every question and every review.
Even if it is a question about your hours, which you already input into your Google My Business and your dental website. This shows that you still care enough to respond to prospective patients.
As for reviews, all of them need to be responded to as well.
It doesn’t matter if it was a terrible review or the best review you have ever received. By responding to each one, you are letting others know that you value patient opinions and that their feedback is appreciated.
If you are struggling to obtain reviews, do not be afraid to ask your current patient list to leave you one. You can even add a section on your site asking patients to leave you one if they were satisfied with their care.
Competitive Offer
A competitive offer for dentists means creating a deal or promotion that makes your dental clinic stand out from other clinics in your area. Since patients often compare options before booking, a competitive offer gives them a reason to choose you instead of a competitor.
For example, you could offer a free first consultation, a discount on teeth whitening, a family dental care package, or even a free cleaning for new patients. The key is to make the offer attractive, easy to understand, and valuable to your target patients, while still being profitable for your practice. A good competitive offer not only brings in new patients but can also turn them into long-term clients who come back for regular check-ups and treatments.
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1. On-page dental SEO for your Website
On-page SEO is the practice of using techniques on your website to rank high on Google. Including:
- The loading speed of your dental website
- URL structure
- Image Alt-tags
- Meta description
- Internal and outbound links
All of these can help your site do better and get found.
Title Tags
Title tags are short, clickable headlines that appear in Google search results. They tell both Google and searchers what your web page is about. For dentists, a well-written title tag is important because it can make the difference between someone clicking on your clinic’s website or choosing a competitor.
A good title tag should be clear and specific, include the main keyword, and add your location so patients can find you. The goal is to make your title tag catchy, keyword-rich, and location-specific so that patients searching online feel confident to click your website.
Loading Speed
Basically, your dental website and all its pages must load super fast. No one likes to visit a slow site, and most people will not wait for your page to load if it takes too long. 1 in 4 people will click out of a website that takes longer than 4 seconds to load.
You can use Pingdom or GTmetrix to check the speed of your site. If it isn’t at the speed you are hoping for, you can compress all images on your site. If they are too large, they can significantly slow down your site. There are even plugins for WordPress that can help with compressing multiple images at once, like Smush and Autoptimize.
Another way to speed up your site is to search its code for anything unnecessary. Having useless code on your site can slow it down a lot.
URL Structure
When it comes to the URL structure of your dental website, it is best to keep it concise and keep your keywords close to the root. A keyword is a word or phrase that you would like to show up for in a search engine. It can be a service like teeth cleaning or root canals.
You should:
- Cut out unnecessary words from your keyword or phrase (e.g., the, a, an)
- Eliminate punctuation
- Make it straight to the point
Examples of URLs would be:
- dentist.com/services/checkups/teeth-cleaning
- dentist.com/checkups/teeth-cleaning
- dentist.com/teeth-cleaning
Each of these means different things because they are structured differently. Allow your potential patients to have easy access to your page by implementing QR codes for your dental practice.
Image Alt-tags
Adding alt-tags or alternative text is an accessibility feature and a bonus for your SEO. Most importantly, adding these descriptions to your images gives them context and meaning. When the visually impaired use tools to have website content read aloud, the reader will also let them know the alt-tag you input for the image.
Since you are adding information about images on your dental site, it helps with SEO. These alt-tags allow Google’s site crawlers to index your website more efficiently.
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Meta Description
A meta description is a caption or text that appears below a title in the SERP (search engine results page).
Your meta description must grab searchers’ attention since it will appear anytime someone searches for your site or a page on your site. This is another chance to grab and keep the searchers’ attention and interest.
Make sure that every page and post on your site has a meta description. Even your home page and contact page should have one! Include relevant keywords in the page/post description so you are properly optimizing it.
Ex:
- Homepage
- For your homepage use keywords like “dentist + location,” or “Dental services.”
- Services page
- Keywords for a services page should include all the services you offer
- Ex: “Teeth cleaning,” and “Root Canal.”
Along with your keywords, highlight important details of what your site’s page is about. This can focus on the benefits of receiving care at your dental practice or testimonials of what others think about your services. You can even talk about your expertise in the dental industry, like how long you have been doing this, and if you have won any awards or recognition.
Internal and Outbound Links
Internal and outbound links are seen as votes of confidence. It adds value to your site and other sites by showing Google that your link or someone else’s link can be trusted. Search engines will see that these links are reputable.
To be specific, internal links are links to other pages or posts on your dental website. It offers your readers more context and details while at the same time also providing value to your other pages. This is great for SEO because it can allow you to rank higher in the SERP.
However, this doesn’t mean you can just add internal links wherever and whenever you want. You should only add them when necessary and when you believe they can be helpful to readers.
For example, a blog post on your dental website about dental care during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you decide to discuss different dental emergencies that cannot wait for the pandemic to end, you can link to more information about these issues.
Brush and Smile dental care did this on their site, which is a perfect example of internal linking.
Outbound links are links to other websites. This shows Google there is a connection between the two and associates your site and the other one. It is important to link to sites that are well-known and trusted in the dental industry.
Compressing Large Images and Files
Compressing large images and files is an important part of SEO for dentists (and any website) because it helps your website load faster. When images or files are too big, they take longer to open, and patients might leave your site before it even finishes loading. Google also prefers fast websites, so having smaller, optimized files can improve your ranking.
For a dental clinic website, this means making sure photos of your clinic, staff, or before-and-after treatment results are high quality but not too heavy. You can do this by using online tools like TinyPNG to reduce the file size without losing much quality. For files, you can compress them.
By keeping images and files lighter, your website loads quickly on both computers and phones, giving patients a smoother experience and encouraging them to stay longer, explore your services, and eventually book an appointment.
Improving Readability
Improving readability means making your dental website content easy to understand for patients of all ages and backgrounds. Many people looking for a dentist may not know medical terms, so your content should be simple, clear, and friendly. When your website is easy to read, visitors are more likely to stay longer, trust your clinic, and book an appointment.
To improve readability, you can use short sentences and paragraphs, so patients don’t feel overwhelmed by walls of text. Break content into sections with headings, like “Teeth Whitening,” “Braces,” or “Emergency Dental Care,” so readers can quickly find what they need. Use bullet points or numbered lists for steps or benefits, for example, “3 Reasons to Get Regular Check-Ups.” Also, avoid using too much dental jargon. Instead of saying “endodontic therapy,” you could say “root canal treatment” and then explain it in simple terms.
Optimizing Website
Optimizing a website means making improvements so your dental clinic’s website performs well for both patients and search engines like Google. A well-optimized site is fast, easy to use, mobile-friendly, and filled with helpful content. For dentists, this is important because patients searching online want quick answers, clear information, and a smooth experience before they decide to book an appointment.
Website optimization starts with speed. Large, uncompressed images or heavy files can slow your site down, so compressing them helps pages load faster. A slow website can make patients leave before they even see your services. Next is mobile-friendliness. Since most people search on their phones, your website must look good and be easy to navigate on smaller screens. Google even prioritizes mobile-friendly sites in search rankings.
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2. Understanding Keywords
Understanding keywords is one of the most important parts of SEO for dentists. Keywords are the words or phrases that people type into Google when they’re searching for something. For example, if someone types “dentist near me,” “teeth whitening in Los Angeles,” or “emergency dental care,” those search terms are keywords. By knowing what your patients are searching for, you can use those same words in your website content so that Google shows your clinic in the results.
Monthly Search Volume
Monthly search volume is the number of times a specific keyword is typed into Google (or another search engine) in one month. For dentists, this number helps you understand how popular certain keywords are and how many potential patients might be searching for the services you offer.
For example, if the keyword “dentist near me” has a monthly search volume of 10,000, that means around 10,000 people type that phrase into Google every month. A keyword like “teeth whitening in Los Angeles” might have 500 searches per month, but those searches are very specific and more likely to bring in local patients ready to book.
Knowing the monthly search volume helps you pick the right keywords to focus on. If a keyword has a high search volume, it can bring lots of traffic, but it’s usually more competitive. If it has a lower search volume, fewer people are searching for it, but it may be easier to rank higher and attract patients who are actively looking for that exact service.
Keyword Difficulty
Keyword difficulty (KD) is a score that shows how hard it is to rank for a specific keyword on Google. For dentists, this tells you whether it will be easy or tough to get your clinic’s website to appear on the first page when people search for that keyword.
A keyword with low difficulty (like “family dentist in Los Angeles”) usually means there’s less competition, so it’s easier for your website to rank higher. A keyword with high difficulty (like “dentist near me”) means many other dental clinics and big websites are already trying to rank for it, so you’ll need more time, effort, and strong SEO to compete.
Using Relevant Keywords
Using relevant keywords means adding the right words and phrases to your dental website that match what patients are actually searching for on Google. When your content uses the same terms people type into search, Google understands that your site is a good match and is more likely to show it on the first page of results.
For example, if someone searches “teeth whitening in Los Angeles” and your website has a page titled “Affordable Teeth Whitening in Los Angeles / [Clinic Name],” Google connects the dots and sees that your site is relevant. The same goes for services like “emergency dentist near me,” “braces for adults in Los Angeles,” or “pediatric dentist in Los Angeles.” These keywords should appear naturally in your title tags, headings, meta descriptions, blog posts, and service pages.
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Choosing The Right Target Keywords
Choosing the right target keywords is one of the most important steps in SEO for dentists because it determines what kind of patients will find your clinic online. Target keywords are the main words or phrases you want your website to rank for in Google. If you choose wisely, you’ll attract patients who are actively looking for the exact dental services you offer. If you choose poorly, you might either face too much competition or get traffic from people who aren’t interested in booking an appointment.
The first step is to think like your patients. What would they type into Google? A mom might search for “pediatric dentist near me,” someone with a toothache might type “emergency dentist in Los Angeles,” while another person might look up “affordable braces in Los Angeles.” These are all examples of target keywords, specific searches that show intent.
Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific search phrases that people use when they know exactly what they want. For dentists, these keywords usually include details like the type of service, the location, or a specific need. While they don’t get as many searches as short keywords like “dentist” or “teeth whitening,” they are extremely valuable because the people using them are often closer to booking an appointment.
Long-tail keywords also help dentists stand out in competitive areas. A keyword like “dentist near me” may have thousands of searches, but also dozens of competing clinics. A keyword like “children’s dentist in Los Angeles with Saturday hours” may only have a few searches per month, but if your clinic matches it, you have a much higher chance of ranking and getting those patients.
In short, long-tail keywords are about quality over quantity. They may not bring in huge traffic numbers, but they bring in the right kind of traffic, local patients looking for the exact dental service you provide.
Short-Tail Keywords
Short-tail keywords are short, general search terms, usually one to three words, that people type into Google when they’re looking for something broad. For dentists, these might be keywords like “dentist,” “teeth whitening,” “braces,” or “dental implants.” These keywords usually have a very high search volume, meaning lots of people type them in every month, but they also come with very high competition since almost every dental clinic and directory is trying to rank for them.
The benefit of short-tail keywords is that they can bring a lot of visibility if your website ranks for them. For example, if your site ranks on the first page for “dentist,” you could get thousands of visitors. But the challenge is that they’re not very specific, so they don’t always attract patients who are ready to book.
For dentists, short-tail keywords are important for building brand awareness and reaching a wide audience, but they work best when combined with long-tail keywords that capture more specific patient needs.
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Keyword Research Tools
Keyword research tools are special platforms that help you discover what patients are searching for on Google, how often they search for it, and how difficult it is to rank for those keywords. For dentists, these tools are super useful because they reveal the exact words and phrases potential patients use when looking for services like braces, teeth whitening, implants, or emergency care. Instead of guessing what people type into Google, you can use these tools to find data-driven answers.
Googles Autocomplete Predictions
Google’s Autocomplete Predictions are the suggestions that pop up when you start typing something into the Google search bar. They’re based on real searches that people make every day, so they’re a goldmine for finding keyword ideas. For dentists, this is especially useful because it shows exactly what potential patients in your area are searching for.
For example, if you type “dentist in” into Google, you might see suggestions like “dentist in Los Angeles”, ” or “dentist in Los Angeles affordable.” These predictions show you the most common searches related to that keyword. If you type “teeth whitening”, Google might suggest “teeth whitening price,” “teeth whitening near me,” or “teeth whitening safe for kids.”
Googles Related Searches
Google’s Related Searches are the extra search suggestions that appear at the very bottom of a Google results page after you type in a keyword. They’re based on what other people often search for, along with your keyword. For dentists, this is a super helpful (and free!) way to discover more keywords that real patients are using.
For example, if you search for “dentist near me,” the related searches might include “affordable dentist near me,” “emergency dentist near me,” or “family dentist near me.” If you type in “teeth whitening,” you might see related searches such as “teeth whitening price,” “teeth whitening dentist near me,” or “is teeth whitening safe.”
These suggestions can help you understand what patients are really looking for and allow you to create content that answers their questions. By naturally including these related search terms in your website pages, blogs, and service descriptions, you increase the chances of your clinic showing up in more searches, attracting more local patients, and staying ahead of competitors.
Googles Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is a free tool from Google that helps you find the exact keywords people are searching for and shows you useful data like monthly search volume (how many times people search for a keyword each month) and competition level (how hard it is to rank for that keyword). For dentists, this tool is very powerful because it takes the guesswork out of choosing keywords. You can see what potential patients in your area are really typing into Google.
For example, if you type in “dentist” in Keyword Planner, you might show related searches such as “dentist near me”, “emergency dentist in Los Angeles”, or “pediatric dentist in Los Angeles”. Along with these suggestions, you’ll also see how many people search for them each month, whether the competition is low, medium, or high, and even estimated costs if you wanted to run Google Ads. This helps dentists choose the best target keywords, those with good search volume, clear patient intent, and a competition level that matches their SEO strategy.
In short, Google Keyword Planner gives dentists real data to choose the right keywords, so your clinic can attract more of the patients who are already looking for the services you provide.
Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator
Ahrefs’ free keyword generator is a simple online tool that helps you quickly find keyword ideas based on what people search for on Google, Bing, YouTube, or even Amazon. For dentists, it’s especially useful because you can type in a basic keyword like “dentist” or “teeth whitening,” and it will generate hundreds of related keyword ideas along with two important pieces of information: search volume (how many people search for it each month) and keyword difficulty (how hard it is to rank for that keyword).
For example, if you type in “braces”, Ahrefs might suggest long-tail keywords such as “braces cost in Los Angeles”, “affordable braces for adults”, or “braces dentist near me.” This shows you not only what people are searching for but also gives you content ideas for your website or blog. You can then create service pages, blog posts, or FAQs that directly match these searches, making it easier for patients to find your clinic.
The best part about Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator is that it’s fast and easy to use. You don’t need a paid account to get basic keyword ideas, which makes it perfect for small dental clinics starting with SEO. While it doesn’t give as much detailed data as the paid version, it’s still a great way to discover relevant long-tail keywords that can help your website stand out in local searches.
In short, Ahrefs’ free keyword generator is like a brainstorming tool; it gives dentists fresh keyword ideas backed by real search data, helping you choose the right words that attract more patients online.
Using Keyword Tools Is Hard, We Can Help You With That!
3. Understanding Search Intent
Understanding search intent means figuring out why someone is searching for something on Google. Every time a person types a keyword, they have a goal in mind, maybe they want to learn, compare, buy, or find a service near them. For dentists, knowing the intent behind a keyword is very important because it helps you create the right content and attract patients who are ready to book an appointment. If you don’t match their intent, they may leave your website and go to a competitor.
Informational Intent
Informational intent is when someone uses Google just to learn something instead of scheduling an appointment right away. The searchers want answers, explanations, or advice. For dentists, this is an important stage because patients are often curious about dental problems, treatments, or costs before they make any decisions.
At this stage, the patient isn’t necessarily ready to book an appointment yet; they’re just gathering information. But if your dental website provides clear, helpful answers through blog posts, FAQ’s, or explainer pages, you can build trust with them. Later, when they’re ready to choose a dentist, they’ll remember your clinic as a reliable source of information.
That’s why informational intent is so valuable: even though it doesn’t bring instant bookings, it helps dentists educate patients, show expertise, and build long-term relationships that can eventually turn into appointments.
Navigational Intent
Navigational intent happens when someone searches for a specific brand, clinic, or website on Google because they already know where they want to go. Unlike informational searches, where people are just learning, navigational searches show that the person already has a dentist or clinic in mind and just needs to find the right page, location, or contact details.
These searches mean the patient is already interested in a particular clinic or dentist and is looking for a way to connect. That’s why it’s important for dental clinics to make sure their Google Business Profile, website, and social media pages are easy to find and updated. If a patient types in your clinic’s name but can’t quickly find your phone number, location, or booking page, they may give up and look at a competitor instead.
Navigational intent might not bring new patients immediately, but it ensures that the people already looking for your clinic can find you fast and take action.
Commercial Intent
Commercial intent happens when someone is thinking about getting a service but is still comparing options before making a final decision. These searchers are not just learning (like with informational intent), and they’re not ready to book instantly (like transactional intent).
This type of search shows that the patient is very interested in dental care but wants to compare prices, services, quality, or reviews before choosing. For dentists, this is the perfect time to convince patients why your clinic is the right choice. You can do this by highlighting patient testimonials, showcasing before and after photos, writing comparison blog posts, and making your services and pricing clear.
By targeting commercial intent keywords, dentists can reach people who are close to booking but just need that final push. If your content answers their questions and shows why your clinic stands out, you’re more likely to turn these searches into real appointments.
Transactional Intent
Transactional intent is when someone searches on Google because they are ready to take action right now, whether that’s booking a dental appointment, calling a clinic, or signing up for a service. These searchers are past the “research stage” and already know what they want. They’re just looking for the right dentist or the fastest way to get treatment.
These searches are very valuable because they often lead to immediate appointments or calls. That’s why dentists should make sure their website has easy-to-find contact buttons, online booking forms, click-to-call phone numbers, and Google Maps listings. If a patient with tooth pain searches “emergency dentist near me” and your clinic shows up with a phone number and directions, they’re very likely to choose you.
For dentists, targeting transactional intent keywords is the key to getting new patients fast, because these people already want dental care and are ready to book without much hesitation.
Understanding Search Intent Is Hard, That’s Why We’re Here To Help You1
4. Off-page dental SEO for Dentists
Off-page SEO for dentists includes:
- Quality backlinks
- Google My Business
- Citations
- Social Media
All these are ways to help your site do better in the SERP with work outside of your dental clinic’s website.
Quality Backlinks for Your Practice
Links are a vote of trust and confidence. So just as much as you are giving that trust to other sites by linking to them, you want other websites to trust you and link to your site. This is what a backlink is: a link back to your dental website from a different one. These are super important in SEO.
Since this is an SEO guide for dentists, you should obtain backlinks from others in your industry or from local news publications that highlight your practice. Obtaining backlinks can be as simple as asking any fellow practicing orthodontists who have their site to link to you on theirs. You could even ask your suppliers for dental materials and appliances to link back to your website.
You can check where you are obtaining backlinks from on the Ahrefs free backlink checker.
Dentist Citations
Citations, or online directories, are another opportunity for your dental practice to be mentioned and linked to. Yelp, Yellow Pages, and LinkedIn are all examples of citations. This is a great way to obtain backlinks and create more brand awareness of your practice.
If you need help figuring out which citations to sign up for, you can use your competitor’s site and Ahrefs backlink checker for this. You can input their site into the checker and go down the list to figure out which directories they have signed up for. In any directory they are on, you can sign up for it too to better optimize your site.
Apple Maps is another great example of a citation your business can use. Create an Apple ID to set it up and input all your practice’s information just like you did with Google My Business.
Social Media
It is key for all businesses to have social media accounts, even dental practices. Social media serves as social proof to others of your technical know-how and that you are trusted. People like to search for images and see what they are paying for, so it is great for you to have accounts giving them that proof. It would be beneficial to include photos and videos of your services, like teeth cleanings.
Find out which social media platforms you are comfortable with and believe your audience will be on. For example, if you are uncomfortable with videos, don’t sign up for a TikTok account. Or if your audience is older people, 50+ years old, you might want to reconsider using Instagram to display your services.
No matter which platforms you decide to use, know that you can repurpose your content across all of them. If you made a TikTok, you can post it to Instagram as a Reel. If you created a great Facebook post, go ahead and reuse it for LinkedIn.
In this example, a dentist used a before-and-after photo to showcase her work.
Improved visibility
As a dentist, you want to stay on top of the minds of your patients whenever they are looking for dental treatments. With the use of SEO strategies, you’re making it easier for your potential patients to find you online. In fact, according to a survey, 90% said that they are more likely to click on the top results of their search query.
So, if your dental website makes it to the first page based on a user’s search query, then you are more likely to get more traffic, which eventually could give you more opportunities to convert page visitors into your actual patients!
More traffic, conversions, and engagement
The higher your position on the SERP is, the more clicks and conversions your dental website gets. As a matter of fact, 75% of users visit the first page of search results only, since most of the users are probably in a hurry to look for the nearest dentist or are too busy to look for other options. So, if your website isn’t on the first two pages of search results, you’re probably missing out on a lot of potential dental patients!
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Guest Posting
Guest posting is when you write an article or blog post for another website in your field or community, and in return, you usually get a link back to your own website. For dentists, this is a powerful off-page SEO strategy because it helps build authority, improve rankings, and reach more potential patients outside of your own website.
Here’s how it works: if you write a blog post about “5 Tips to Keep Kids’ Teeth Healthy” for a popular parenting website or a local community blog. At the end of the article, you include your name, your clinic’s details, and a link back to your dental website. Parents who read the article now see you as a trusted expert, and some of them might click through to book an appointment at your clinic. At the same time, Google notices that a reputable site is linked to you, which boosts your website’s credibility and helps it rank higher in search results.
In short, guest posting is like borrowing someone else’s audience to grow your own reach while also strengthening your SEO through quality backlinks.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is all about creating and sharing helpful information like blog posts, videos, infographics, or social media updates that answer people’s questions, build trust, and gently guide them toward becoming your patients. Instead of pushing ads in front of people, content marketing attracts them naturally by giving them the knowledge and solutions they’re already looking for.
For dentists, this is one of the best ways to connect with patients online. Think about it: people often search Google for dental advice before visiting a clinic. They might ask, “Why do my gums bleed?” or “How much do braces cost in Los Angeles?” If your website has clear, helpful content that answers these questions, you position your clinic as the trusted authority. Patients will feel more confident choosing you because you’ve already proven your expertise before they even step inside your office.
The key is consistency, posting regularly, and focusing on patients’ needs, not just services. Over time, content marketing not only improves your SEO but also builds relationships, trust, and loyalty with your patients.
Local Listings
Local listings are online profiles of your dental clinic that appear in directories, maps, and review sites. The most important one is Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business), which shows your clinic on Google Maps and in the “local pack” when someone searches for things like “dentist near me” or “dental clinic in Los Angeles.” But there are also other listings like Yelp, Facebook, and local business directories.
For dentists, having complete and consistent local listings is critical because most patients prefer to choose a nearby clinic. If your clinic’s name, address, phone number, and website are accurate and consistent across all platforms, Google sees you as more trustworthy and is more likely to show higher in your clinic higher in local searches. Plus, patients can easily find your contact details, read reviews, and even book directly if you have that feature enabled.
Strong local listings also help you stand out from competitors. For example, if someone searches “emergency dentist near me” at 9 PM, and your Google Business Profile clearly shows your clinic hours, phone number, and positive reviews, they’re much more likely to call you instead of another dentist with missing or outdated information.
In short, local listings make sure your clinic appears right when patients nearby are searching for a dentist. Keeping them updated and accurate is one of the simplest but most powerful local SEO strategies for dental practices.
Online Forums
Online forums are digital communities where people ask questions, share experiences, and look for advice. For dentists, participating in forums can be a smart way to build trust, show expertise, and gently guide people to your clinic without sounding like an advertisement. Unlike social media, where posts are fast-moving, forum discussions often stay visible for years, so your helpful answers can keep attracting readers long after you post them.
For example, someone on a health forum might ask, “Why do my gums bleed when brushing?” or “How painful are dental implants?” As a dentist, you can join the conversation by giving clear, professional, and friendly advice. You don’t need to promote your clinic directly; instead, you offer genuine help. Over time, people see you as a reliable expert, and many may click on your profile or search for your clinic when they’re ready for treatment.
In short, online forums let you meet patients where they’re already asking questions. By being helpful instead of “salesy,” you can build authority, improve visibility, and attract patients who trust you even before stepping into your clinic.
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3. Technical SEO
Technical SEO is a part of On-page SEO, but the only difference is that it focuses on improving the technical aspects of your dental website to improve its rank on search engines. This includes:
- making sure that there are no dead links
- removing duplicate content
- ensuring that your website is secure
Better user experience
Aside from using relevant keywords on your dental website, another factor that search engines also look at is how websites provide an excellent user experience to their page visitors. If we take a closer look at SEO and User Experience, these two strategies share a common goal, and that is to provide a hassle-free experience to your page visitors.
As you can see, SEO is all about making efforts to attract your target audience, while User Experience (UX) is all about making your website easy to navigate so that users will stay longer on your dental site. When done right, these two strategies, when used together, will make a huge impact on your dental practice.
Make sure there are no broken links.
Broken links happen when a user clicks on a link and they’ll be redirected to a page saying either that the page no longer exists or that it has been moved to a new destination. If your dental website has lots of broken links in it, not only will it negatively affect your page visitors’ experience, but also cause search engines to think that your page is outdated and which will make a huge impact on your search rankings.
Tips on how to fix broken links on your dental website:
- Find broken links using Ahrefs’ free broken link checker
- Create a report so that it’s easier to keep track of changes that will be made
- Analyze the possible reasons behind the broken links (before making changes)
- Fix issues (e.g., if you migrated to another domain and forgot to update the URL of a specific page, point it to the right page)
Removing duplicate content
Duplicate content occurs not just within your domain (the same content is found on your dental website) but also outside your domain (the same content is found on two different websites).
Having this issue on your dental website will prevent you from getting potential traffic from your website and confuse search engine crawlers about which page should rank higher because both pages have the same content.
Some of the possible reasons why you have duplicate content on your website are probably because you’re using the same target keyword on your pages, due to URL parameters, or copied content.
That’s why you should regularly monitor the performance of your web pages to make sure that all of your pages are functioning properly and that each page on your website is unique. If you want to find out possible issues that prevent other pages on your website from ranking, you can use Ahref’s Audit tool.
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Keyword Cannibalization
Keyword cannibalization happens when a dental clinic’s website has multiple pages targeting the same keyword or topic, which ends up confusing Google. Instead of boosting your ranking, those pages compete against each other, and Google doesn’t know which one to show. This often results in lower rankings for both pages, even though the content might be good.
Making your website secure
Website security is very important, especially in today’s time when hackers and cyber thieves can easily get the personal information that your patients will be entering into your dental website. In addition to that, installing an SSL certificate on your website will not only protect your customers but also make your site trustworthy.
That’s why we recommend that you install an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate on your dental practice’s website so that all of the personal information (i.e., passwords and credit card details) that is transferred from your patients to your dental website. Will be encrypted.
If your dental website is not yet secured, check out this guide on how to get an SSL Certificate.
Track your Search Engine Optimization Progress
After you have set everything up, URLs, meta descriptions, alt-tags, Google My Business, etc, you can begin to track your progress. Google Search Console is an amazing tool you can use to track how you are showing up in the SERP. It will let you know your clicks, impressions, and even what search queries your dental website is showing up for.
Use this to know what is working and what you need to improve on. Remember, SEO isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it strategy. You have to adapt and overcome obstacles at times.
As mentioned earlier, SEO can be cheaper than running ads. This will mainly cost you time to set up and time to continually maintain. Once you have a handle on it, you will bring in new patients through organic results.
However, if you need quicker results, you can try creating dental Google Ads. Your efforts to rank high and do well on search engines can lessen the work in the future to broaden your patient list.
Mobile Friendly Website
A mobile-friendly website is a dental clinic’s website that looks good and works smoothly on smartphones and tablets—not just on a computer. This is extremely important because most patients now search for dentists on their phones, especially when they need urgent care like a tooth extraction or an emergency appointment. If your site is hard to read, loads slowly, or forces people to zoom in and out, chances are they’ll leave and click on another clinic instead.
For dentists, having a mobile-friendly website can directly affect how many new patients you get. Google also favors mobile-friendly sites in its search rankings, meaning if your site isn’t optimized for mobile, you could fall behind competitors who are. A mobile-friendly site should have a fast loading speed, large and easy-to-read text, clear buttons, and a simple navigation menu. Features like click-to-call phone numbers and maps for directions are especially important for dental clinics, since many patients want to contact or visit right away.
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Common SEO Mistakes To Avoid
Common SEO mistakes to avoid are the errors that can silently hurt a dentist’s chances of showing up on Google, even if they’ve already invested time or money in SEO. Many dental clinics unknowingly make these mistakes, which can lead to lower rankings, less traffic, and fewer patients booking appointments online.
Keyword Stuffing and Over Optimization
Keyword stuffing and over-optimization happen when a website tries too hard to rank on Google by cramming too many keywords into its content or pages. While keywords are important for SEO, overusing them makes the text awkward to read and signals to Google that you’re trying to “game the system.” Instead of boosting rankings, this often does the opposite, hurting your visibility and driving patients away because the content feels spammy.
For example, if a dental clinic writes: “If you’re looking for the best dentist in Los Angeles, our Los Angeles dentist is the best choice for anyone searching for a dentist in Los Angeles”. Not only is this hard to read, but Google will recognize it as keyword stuffing. A better version would be: “Looking for a trusted dentist in Los Angeles? Our clinic offers family-friendly dental care, from cleanings and fillings to cosmetic treatments.” Here, the keyword is used naturally and only where it makes sense.
Over-optimization can also happen with things like using too many internal links, forcing keywords into meta tags, or creating multiple pages targeting the same phrase (which can lead to keyword cannibalization). For dentists, this can waste valuable SEO opportunities and make it harder for patients to find the right information.
Neglecting Mobile Optimizations
Neglecting mobile optimization is one of the biggest mistakes a dental clinic can make in SEO today. Most patients now use their smartphones to search for dentists, especially in urgent situations like toothaches, broken braces, or emergency extractions. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, visitors will quickly leave and choose a competitor whose site is easier to use. This not only costs you potential patients but also hurts your Google rankings since Google favors mobile-optimized websites.
When a site isn’t optimized for mobile, common problems include slow loading times, tiny text that’s hard to read, buttons too small to tap, and layouts that don’t adjust to smaller screens. For example, imagine someone searching “emergency dentist near me” late at night. If they land on your site but have to zoom in and scroll sideways just to find your phone number, they’ll likely give up and call another clinic.
For dentists, mobile optimization is about making the online experience smooth and stress-free. A mobile-friendly website should have click-to-call phone numbers, easy-to-read text, clear navigation, and fast loading speed. It should also display your address, hours, and map clearly, since many patients are looking for nearby clinics they can visit right away.
Ignoring User Experience
Ignoring user experience (UX) is a costly mistake many dental clinics make when working on SEO. While ranking high on Google is important, keeping visitors on your site and guiding them toward booking an appointment depends heavily on how smooth and enjoyable their experience is. If patients land on your website and it’s cluttered, slow, or confusing, they’re more likely to leave and choose a competitor, no matter how good your SEO is.
User Experience covers things like website design, navigation, readability, and overall ease of use. For example, if a potential patient visits your site to learn about braces but can’t quickly find the information, or if the booking button is hidden at the bottom of the page, they’ll get frustrated and leave. Similarly, if your site loads slowly, has broken links, or shows walls of text without clear headings or images, people will lose trust in your clinic. Google notices this behavior too; if visitors keep bouncing off your site, it signals to search engines that your site isn’t user-friendly, which can hurt your rankings.
For dentists, providing a good user experience means making your website clean, simple, and patient-focused. This includes using clear headings like “Teeth Whitening Services” or “Book an Appointment,” adding high-quality images of your clinic, keeping text easy to read, and ensuring all pages load quickly. Features like a visible phone number, online booking forms, and clear directions to your clinic also make patients feel more comfortable and likely to take action.
Begin your dental SEO for Dentists journey today!
Start implementing everything discussed to become visible in the SERP over time.
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Check out this related case study we created for one of our clients:
Dental SEO Case Study: Increase Organic Traffic And Leads By 15.6X For A Local Dental Clinic
