Dental marketing
How patients
choose a dentist.
Most people choose a dentist that's close, can see them soon and won't cost more than they expect. In a NAB survey of how Australians choose health providers, convenience (58%), ease of getting an appointment (47%) and cost (39%) ranked well above online reviews (11%). So the practices that win new patients make booking easy, show real availability, and are clear about fees and health funds.
Written by Dan Picken, a marketer who checks the sources. Last checked 2 November 2026.What the surveys
say.
There isn't a recent Australian survey just on choosing a dentist. The closest is NAB's 2024 survey of how people choose health providers in general. Convenience came first at 58%, then bulk billing at 53%, ease of getting an appointment at 47%, cost at 39% and hours at 38%. Family and friend recommendations were 26%, and online reviews only 11%, though 20% for people aged 25 to 34.
The same survey found 62% thought dentists had become more expensive, the joint highest of any provider, and 22% had cut back on regular dental visits.
The ABS backs up the cost point: 16.1% of people delayed or didn't see a dental professional because of cost in 2024-25, against 7.7% for GPs.
Close, available and clear on cost.
What can a new patient
find out?
Tick what someone could find on your website and Google profile today, without ringing.
New patient check
What can a new patient
find out?
Tick what someone could find on your website and Google profile today, without ringing.
You have
0 / 8
Fix first
Convenience
is the marketing.
Online booking with real times does more for most practices than any campaign. If someone can see a Thursday 5:30 slot and take it, they don't need convincing.
Opening hours matter as much. Early mornings, evenings and Saturdays are worth putting at the top of the page if you offer them, and in your Google Business Profile, which Google uses for local results.
Health funds
and the gap.
55.5% of Australians have extras cover, and dental is the biggest thing it pays for. For most patients the number that matters isn't your fee, it's the gap they pay after the rebate.
Say which funds you can claim through on the spot and which preferred provider networks you're in, if any. If you're not in a network, say what that means for the patient in a line. Keep it accurate: the Federal Court ordered a company to pay $3.5 million over health fund claims for aligners most policies didn't cover.
Nervous
patients.
Fear is the other reason people stay away. A page that explains, in plain words, how you look after nervous patients does more than a stock photo of a smiling model.
Photos of the actual team and rooms help too. People want to know who they'll meet.
Reviews,
in their place.
Reviews matter less than convenience for most people, but more for younger patients. Ask every patient, and reply to every review.
On your own site, be careful: the practice is responsible for any reviews it republishes, and ones about treatment or results count as testimonials, which can't be used.
What I see most often
What I'd check first
on a practice's site.
- 1
Hours buried in the footer
Late or Saturday hours that a patient has to hunt for.
- 2
No fund information
Nothing about claiming on the spot or which networks the practice is in.
- 3
Stock photos
Smiling models instead of the real team and rooms.
The honest bit. None of this replaces a good first visit. Marketing gets someone in the chair once. How they're treated decides whether they come back.
Questions
people ask.
How do people choose a dentist?
Mostly on convenience, availability and cost. In a 2024 survey of how Australians choose health providers, convenience ranked first at 58% and online reviews at 11%.
Do online reviews matter for dentists?
Less than convenience for most people, but more for younger patients: 20% of 25 to 34 year olds said reviews mattered, against 11% overall.
Should a dental practice show its fees?
It helps. Cost is the reason 16.1% of people delayed dental care. Typical fees for common items take some of the fear out of booking.
Should I join a health fund preferred provider network?
It's a business decision with trade-offs on fees. For marketing, the key is being clear about which networks you're in and what that means for the patient's gap.
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