If you’re thinking about running a dental PPC campaign to attract more patients to your practice, you may have questions such as:

• “Is it effective in attracting new patients?”
• “How quickly can I expect to see results?”
• “What’s a good budget?”
• “How does it compare to flyers? “

In this article, we share insights based on our data from dental practices across North America. We discuss what works, what doesn’t, and how factors like location, budget, and dental service types can influence the success of PPC campaigns. Understanding these details can help dentists decide if dental PPC is the right choice for growing their practice.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) is an online ad type where businesses pay only when someone clicks their ad. Dentists like it because it targets people actively searching for dental services. Think of it as a digital flyer sent only to those looking for a dentist.

For example, if someone searches “dental implants” or “dentist near me”, your ad appears right when they need your services. Plus, with dental PPC, you pay only when someone clicks your ad, not every time it’s shown. This lets dental practices control budgets, target specific audiences, and pay only for interested patients, making it a cost-effective, focused way to reach the right people.

• Targeted Reach: Dental PPC campaigns, enable highly precise targeting based on factors like location and service type. Ads appear specifically to patients actively searching for dental services, such as “dental implants” or “emergency dentist near me”, increasing the likelihood of them booking an appointment. This targeted approach ensures that your ad budget is focused on reaching the right audience when they’re most likely to need your services.
• Immediate Results: Unlike dental SEO, which can take time to show results, PPC campaigns drive traffic almost immediately. This fast turnaround is ideal for practices needing to fill open slots quickly, as ads can start bringing potential patients to your site from the moment they go live.
• Control and Flexibility: PPC gives dental practices control over ad budgets, keywords, and timing. You can adjust your campaign anytime—whether it’s increasing your budget, changing keywords, or pausing the ad if it’s not getting results. This flexibility lets you test and improve as you go, ensuring your budget is spent wisely and giving you the best return on investment (ROI).
• Detailed Analytics: PPC platforms give dental practices valuable data to see how well their ads are performing. You’ll get insights like the cost per lead (CPL) and conversion rates, which show how many people are turning into patients. This information helps you make smart adjustments to your campaigns, so you’re always improving results and getting the most out of your budget.

• Cost: Dental PPC campaigns can be costly, especially with high-value keywords in competitive areas. For instance, the cost per click (CPC) for dental services averages around $7, which can add up quickly. A poorly managed campaign can lead to high costs without significant returns.
• Complexity: PPC advertising platforms offer a range of features, which can feel overwhelming for those new to digital advertising. Navigating ad setups, targeting options, and bidding strategies requires a learning curve, and mistakes can become costly.
• Ongoing Management: To achieve consistent results, PPC campaigns need regular monitoring and adjustments. Setting up tools like call tracking helps practices optimize for first-time callers, effectively targeting new patients. This kind of tracking can be essential, especially since display remarketing ads for healthcare services are sometimes restricted.

Here’s a list of PPC platforms that dentists commonly use to reach potential patients:

1. Google Ads: The most popular PPC platform for dentists, Google Ads is ideal for reaching patients actively searching for dental services, as nearly everyone is searching on Google. With 91.5% of the global search engine market, Google provides unmatched reach for targeting potential patients with strong search intent. This dominance is even higher on mobile, where Google holds around 95.4% of the market, making it the top platform for dental clinics looking to capture local searches from mobile users.
2. Microsoft Bing Ads: Though smaller than Google, Microsoft Bing Ads can still be valuable for dentists, particularly for practices seeking budget-friendly options. With approximately 3.9% of the global search engine market, Bing offers a lower-cost-per-click and less competition compared to Google, making it a cost-effective choice. Additionally, Bing users tend to skew slightly older and have higher average incomes, which can be advantageous for clinics targeting specific demographics​.

3. Facebook and Instagram Ads: These platforms are great for promoting cosmetic dental services, like teeth whitening and smile makeovers, and sharing special offers. While not the first place people turn when searching for a dentist, Facebook and Instagram help build awareness and keep existing patients engaged through visually appealing ads.

4. Yelp Ads: Yelp Ads are geared toward local discovery, helping dentists reach patients actively searching for nearby dental clinics. With options like featured listings and competitor targeting, Yelp is effective for practices looking to stand out in local searches and capture high-intent patients exploring local dental options.

A good PPC budget for a dental practice depends on the types of services you’re promoting, the level of competition, and your location. Here’s a breakdown to help set expectations for different services:

• General Dentistry: For standard services like check-ups and cleanings, a monthly budget of around $1,000 to $2,000 may work in less competitive areas. Since these services have lower profit margins, this budget can help attract new patients without overspending.
• Cosmetic Procedures: For services like teeth whitening or veneers, which are often more expensive, you may need $2,000 to $3,000 per month. The higher budget allows more flexibility to target patients seeking these elective, higher-value treatments.
• Dental Implants or Invisalign: In competitive areas, high-value services like implants or Invisalign may require $3,000 to $5,000 per month. These services have a high cost per click but offer significant returns if campaigns are optimized well.

It’s crucial to avoid the mistake of starting with a very low budget to “test” if PPC works, thinking you’ll increase it later if it does. The market is competitive, and low-budget campaigns often lack the reach needed to deliver useful results. Starting with a realistic budget from the beginning allows for proper testing, targeting, and optimization, ultimately driving a better ROI.

In simple terms, a good Return on Investment (ROI) means that for every dollar spent on your PPC ads, you’re making back more than you spent. For example, if you spend $1 on PPC ads and get $2 back in revenue from new patients, that’s a 2:1 ROI and generally considered strong.

When setting goals for dental PPC ROI, it helps to consider a few points:

1. Patient Lifetime Value: Let’s say a new patient spends an average of $1,000 on services over time. If it costs you $100 to get that patient through PPC, you’re getting back $10 for every $1 spent, which is excellent ROI.
2. Service Type Matters: Some services like dental implants or Invisalign have higher value, so even if clicks are pricier (for example $15 per click for Invisalign ads), the overall return can be higher.
3. Consistent Campaign Management: PPC campaigns also need regular adjustments to keep them productive. Regular monitoring and tweaking help to maximize the dollars you get back for each dollar spent.

In the end, a “good” ROI is one where your campaigns consistently bring in enough patient revenue to more than cover your ad costs, allowing your practice to grow profitably over time.

Getting the most out of your PPC campaign isn’t as simple as setting it and forgetting it. Here are some factors that can have a big impact on your results:

• Competition in Your Area: If there are a lot of dental practices in your area spending on ads, that competition can drive up costs per click. In such cases, PPC may not always be the best strategy, and you might see better returns from other approaches, like dental SEO or social media.
• Ongoing Fine-Tuning: PPC campaigns require regular adjustments and testing to get better over time. It’s not a one-time setup; you need to see what’s working and make improvements along the way. This is where hiring PPC experts can make a big difference—they know how to refine your campaigns for the best results.
• Your Website Quality: The experience doesn’t end with the ad click. If potential patients land on a website that’s confusing or outdated, they’re less likely to book an appointment. A clean, easy-to-navigate site with helpful information and positive reviews is crucial for turning clicks into patients.
• Professional and Friendly Staff: When a new patient calls after clicking on an ad, their experience with your front desk team matters. A friendly, professional greeting can go a long way in converting inquiries into appointments, while a poor interaction can quickly send potential patients elsewhere.

When all these pieces work together, your PPC campaigns are much more likely to pay off by bringing new patients into your practice.

Deciding whether to manage PPC campaigns yourself or hire a marketing agency depends on factors like your experience, time, and budget. Running PPC campaigns effectively requires expertise in keyword research, targeting, budgeting, and ongoing optimization.

Dentistry is a highly competitive field, and there’s a strong chance your competitors are working with specialized dental marketing agencies. Without professional help, managing campaigns in-house can feel like bringing a knife to a gunfight. Mistakes like using the wrong keywords or setting high bids can drain budgets without results.

Hiring a dental marketing agency experienced in dental PPC can save time and often lead to better ROI, as they bring expertise in audience targeting, conversion optimization, and efficient ad spend management. Agencies also handle the ongoing work of monitoring and refining campaigns based on performance data, driving improved results over time.

If you’re considering your options for managing PPC campaigns, it might be worth exploring how a dental marketing agency can help. Our team specializes in dental PPC and can help you optimize your ads for better results without the added stress. Reach out to us to learn more about how we can help.