An internet user will spend, on average, 2 hours and 23 minutes on social media every day, accounting for 35.8% of their daily online activity.[i] Social media consumption is everywhere; from endless scrolling on TikTok, to making a holiday-highlights reel for Instagram or sharing a random thought on X. Even music providers like Spotify, film-logging sites such as Letterboxd and fitness apps like Strava count as social media platforms as they allow people to share information and communicate with friends – the digital landscape is constantly evolving.
The dynamic arena of online content is driven by a conveyor belt of trends, making it difficult to stand-out in a crowded digital space. For dental practitioners, harnessing the powers of social media can boost the awareness of your dental practice and the services you offer. By doing so, younger generations can better engage with their oral care and patient retention can also increase for the practice.[ii] There are many different approaches to consider when promoting your work on social media.
Choosing a platform
The variety in major social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube – gives dental practitioners a wealth of choice for promotion. However, different generations have different social media preferences: Gen Z prefer the quickly-edited videos available on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, millennials are likely to have an account on each platform, and Facebook has lost its popularity with younger audiences but remains dominant with Baby Boomers.[iii] For dental practitioners looking to target a new demographic, it is crucial to identify the best platform. For instance, to engage with the millennial and Gen Z audience, then visual content is the best.
Go viral with video
Go viral with videoOnline videos have an audience reach of 92.3% among internet users worldwide, making them an effective format for marketing.[iv] When promoting a cosmetic dental treatment, practitioners should avoid some of the more complex scientific language and explanations, as these can be confusing for potential future patients seeking that treatment. As aesthetics are a major focus, cosmetic dentistry is instead better suited to the visual medium for showing, rather than telling. A classic example of this is the ‘Before vs After’ post,. This juxtaposition demonstrates the excellent results you wish to promote, whilst a time-lapse approach that quickly flicks through the different stages of a treatment can concisely improve the understanding for those looking for a similar cosmetic treatment.
Illuminating treatments through videos can also help patients with dental anxiety – preoperative information can reduce anxiety.[v] By better preparing nervous patients with detailed videos – especially those with relaxing or upbeat music – a more satisfying and relaxing experience can be secured, enhancing the patient-practitioner bond. However, when preparing videos for social media, it is important to adjust them for the appropriate presentation; portrait videos with consistent centre-framing can be mobile-friendly on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, whereas YouTube is better suited to longer, wider videos.
Self-promotion
One of the biggest benefits to using social media for marketing is that it is cost-effective. Providing you have the time to film and edit – both of which can be done on a smart phone – then social media is cheaper, faster and more interactive than traditional marketing options, such as billboards and radio adverts. Social media platforms can build brand identity, highlighting the dental practice, the available treatments, the friendliness of the team and the satisfied smiles of existing patients. When doing so, it is essential to follow the guidance dictated by the General Dental Council for social media use, keeping you legally safe online.[vi] With a powerful online identity, you can build a consistent following and improve word-of-mouth among patients.
Navigating social media can be a challenge, but a membership with the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) can help you chart this new frontier. Members can access a 15% discount on all HI Marketing Ltd social media training packages, with options for personalised support for beginners and creative assistance for marketing masters alike. Along with many other benefits and trade deals, BACD members can also seek promotional help through excellent networking opportunities and a mentoring programme, ensuring that your marketing stands out.
Social media is a powerful tool, one that offers an accessible way of promoting the first-class treatments you provide. Creating and sharing videos, posters, photos or reels is puts you ahead of competition for reaching younger generations, raising awareness for the cosmetic treatments they require for a life-changing smile.
For further information and enquiries about the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry visit www.bacd.com
Dr Sam Jethwa
Cosmetic Dentist
GDC #229989
Full Member – Dentist
Professional Biography
Sam qualified from Kings College London and has worked in both London and the Southwest of England. He provides routine care, aesthetic dentistry, with a special interest in tooth-coloured invisible restorations, botox and facial aesthetics, and short-term adult orthodontics. He invests heaviliy in his own Postgraduate training. He has been trained in Digital Smile Design (DSD) and Emotional Dentistry by world class cosmetic dentists, so can design your perfect smile using latest 3D technology and translate this to reality to show you how you could look before you decide to go ahead with treatment.
He has completed his fellowship examinations and is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and is a qualified clinical teacher after completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Education from the Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians of Glasgow. Sam has carried out several courses with some of the best-known aesthetic dentists and is also completing the prestigious Chris Orr 1-year cosmetic dentistry course. He is Chair of the Communications Committee at the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD). Sam is qualified in implant dentistry after having completed The Cambridge Academy of Implantology year course and the BioHorizons surgical course. He is an active lecturer and advisor for students looking to pursue dental careers. Sam plays the Saxophone, enjoys Golf, photography, and travelling and has a newfound love for boats after spending a week on a yacht designing smiles! He has climbed mountains in East Africa, travelled through South America and Australia. His favourite TV shows are Top Gear and Grand Designs. Sam takes pleasure in providing a detailed patient experience and likes to involve his clients every step of the way.
[i] Kemp, S. (2024). The time we spend on social media. [online] DataReportal. Available at: https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-deep-dive-the-time-we-spend-on-social-media.
[ii] Freire, Yolanda & Sánchez, Margarita & Suarez Garcia, Ana & Joves, Gerardo & Nowak, Marlen & Diaz-Flores García, Victor. (2023). Influence of the use of social media on patients changing dental practice: a web-based questionnaire study. BMC Oral Health. 23. 10.1186/s12903-023-03078-9.
[iii] https://indigital.rs/en/how-different-generations-use-social-media-boomers-gen-x-millennials-gen-z/#:~:text=Gen%20Z%20use%20up%20to,side%20with%20numerous%20social%20networks.
[iv] Shepherd, J. (2023). 30 Vital Video Marketing Statistics You Need to Know in 2022. [online] The Social Shepherd. Available at: https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/video-marketing-statistics.
[v] shafa khah, mina and Behzadi, S. (2021). Impact of Educational Videos on Dental Anxiety and Fear in Patients Undergoing Root Canal Treatment in Shiraz, Iran. Journal of Clinical and Basic Research, 5(3), pp.45–51. doi:https://doi.org/10.52547/jcbr.5.3.45.
[vi] gdc-uk.org Guidance on using social media Social media. (n.d.). Available at: https://www.gdc-uk.org/docs/default-source/guidance-documents/guidance-on-using-social-media.
