Advertising for Dentists: All the Options

There are many types of advertising for dentists. The problem is that most guides only talk about Google Ads and Facebook Ads, as if nothing else existed. And there are lesser-known options that, in certain contexts and cities, deliver an equal or better ROI.

This guide walks through every advertising option available to a UK dental practice in 2026, both digital and offline, with honesty about when each one works and when it does not.

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The complete map of dental advertising

Before we get into each channel, here is the overall map:

Digital search advertising:

• Google Ads (Search)
• Microsoft Ads / Bing Ads (lower volume, lower competition)
• Google Local Services Ads (relatively new in the UK)

Digital display and social advertising:

• Meta Ads (Facebook + Instagram)
• TikTok Ads
• YouTube Ads
• Google Display (banners on external websites)
• Remarketing (all of the above)

Health directory advertising:

• Google Business Profile (premium visibility and reviews)
• NHS Find a Dentist listing
• Local online directories (residual but still present)

Local offline advertising:

• Leaflet drops and direct mail
• Outdoor advertising (bus shelters, billboards)
• Local media advertising (newspapers, local radio)
• Partnerships with other local businesses

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Google Ads Search: the highest-intent channel

Already covered in detail in our article on Google Ads for dentists. The summary:

It is the most effective channel for capturing patients with active search intent. It works best for implants, orthodontics, emergencies and treatments with high search volume. It requires a minimum budget of around £300-£600 per month per treatment to be efficient.

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Google Local Services Ads: the channel few people know about

Local Services Ads (LSAs) are a Google format different from classic search ads. They appear at the very top of the results, even above standard search ads, with the "Google Guaranteed" or "Google Screened" badge.

The key difference: with LSAs you pay per lead (call or message), not per click. If the user calls and hangs up immediately, Google will usually refund that lead.

In the UK, Local Services Ads for dentists are still not fully rolled out in every city (in 2026 they remain in an expansion phase). If they are available in your area, they are worth testing: the "Google Guaranteed" badge builds extra trust with the patient.

To enable them you need: business verification by Google, verified professional credentials (your GDC registration number), and public liability insurance. The verification process takes between 2 and 6 weeks.

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Bing Ads: the forgotten channel with lower CPCs

Microsoft Ads (Bing) accounts for roughly 5-8% of search traffic in the UK. It is a small share, but it has an interesting characteristic: CPCs are between 20% and 40% lower than Google for the same keywords.

The Bing user profile in the UK tends to skew older (over 45), which can be favourable for treatments such as implants or dentures where that age segment is the main one.

Is it worth it? If your total Ads budget is above £2,000 per month, allocating 10-15% to Bing can be efficient. Below that figure, the complexity of managing two platforms is not worth it.

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Meta Ads (Facebook + Instagram): latent demand

Also covered in detail in our article on Facebook Ads for dental practices. The summary:

It works for cosmetic dentistry treatments where the decision is triggered by seeing visual results. The cost per lead is higher and the conversion cycle longer than on Google, but it creates demand among patients who were not actively searching.

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TikTok Ads: for practices that want to reach the under-35s

TikTok overtook Instagram in active users under 30 in the UK in 2024. If the patient profile you want to capture is under 35, TikTok Ads is an option worth exploring.

The type of content that works: short educational videos (15-30 seconds), quick transformations, demystifying treatments ("what a root canal is really like in 30 seconds").

The cost of entry on TikTok Ads in 2026 is significantly lower than on Meta, with CPMs (cost per thousand impressions) of £1-£4 versus £4-£10 on Instagram. But the platform requires higher-frequency content production and a specific format (vertical video, fast pace, a hook in the first 3 seconds).

For treatments: teenage and young-adult orthodontics, whitening, dental hygiene. Not recommended for implants or treatments whose typical patient is over 45.

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YouTube Ads: building a brand with video on a budget

YouTube is the world's second-largest search engine and has a unique characteristic for dental: people search for videos about dental treatments before deciding (how an implant works, what the surgery is like, recovery time).

YouTube ads have two main formats relevant to dental:

Pre-roll (ads before videos): shown before other videos. The user can skip after 5 seconds. You only pay if the user watches more than 30 seconds. Typical CPV (cost per view): £0.02-£0.06.

Discovery (ads in YouTube search results): appears as a search result when someone searches on YouTube. You pay when the user clicks the ad.

YouTube works especially well for complex treatments or those with high anxiety barriers (implants, oral surgery) where the patient wants to "see what it is like" before deciding.

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Google Business Profile and NHS Find a Dentist: visibility in directories

Google Business Profile and NHS Find a Dentist are not just directories: optimising them properly drives visibility in a way that works differently from Google Ads.

Google Business Profile offers preferential placement in local and Map searches, an integrated review system, an enhanced profile page and access to insights. Keeping it fully optimised is free, and for most practices it is the single highest-ROI visibility asset.

Is paid promotion worth it? In cities where local search volume is significant (London, Manchester, Birmingham and large regional centres), strong Google Business Profile and review activity can generate 5-15 additional bookings per month. In small towns, the ROI is more uncertain.

The most important thing: having your basic Google Business Profile and NHS Find a Dentist listings well optimised (even free) is essential for GEO and for NAP consistency. Any paid promotion is an add-on on top of that base.

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Offline advertising for dental practices

Leaflet drops and direct mail

Leaflet drops have lost effectiveness in most urban sectors. The response rate is 1-3 per 1,000 leaflets in the best conditions for dental.

Exceptions where it can work:

• A new practice opening in a residential area with no nearby direct competition.
• Rural or semi-urban areas where digital penetration is lower.
• A business-card format with a specific offer (free first check-up) in high-footfall areas.

The cost of a leaflet campaign (design + printing + distribution) for 5,000 units is approximately £600-£1,200. If it generates 5-10 new patients, it can have a positive ROI. If it generates 1-2, it does not.

Outdoor advertising

Bus shelters and billboards near the practice make sense mainly for building local brand recognition, not for capturing patients in a directly measurable way.

For a practice in the process of opening or in a high-traffic area without established digital visibility, outdoor advertising can accelerate initial recognition. For an established practice with a good digital presence, the ROI is hard to justify against the same investment in Google Ads or SEO.

Local media (press, radio)

Advertising in local newspapers or regional radio makes sense in two scenarios: towns of fewer than 50,000 residents where digital penetration is still low, or as part of a PR strategy (an interview with a dentist as a health expert, not as an advertiser).

An interview as an expert in a local outlet builds more trust than an ad and has lower production costs.

Local partnerships

Partnerships with complementary businesses are a frequently underused form of offline advertising:

• An agreement with a local pharmacy to recommend the practice to patients with dental problems (and in return, the practice recommends the pharmacy for dental hygiene products).
• A partnership with a school or nursery to provide free check-ups for children in exchange for visibility in school communications.
• An agreement with a local company to include dental check-ups in the employee benefits plan for its staff.

The cost of these partnerships is mainly time. The return can be significant in terms of new, high-quality referral patients.

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How to choose channels based on your situation

Situation	Recommended channels
New opening, I need patients today	Google Ads Search + leaflet drop in the opening area
Established practice, I want to grow	SEO + Google Ads + Meta Ads cosmetic
Very limited budget (<£300/month)	Google Business Profile + Reviews + minimal Google Ads
I want to be the local brand leader	YouTube Ads + Meta Ads + GEO + local PR
Cosmetic dentistry practice	Meta Ads + TikTok Ads + organic Instagram
Rural dentist or small town	Google Business Profile + local leaflet drop + local radio

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Conclusion: effective dental advertising is integrated

There is no perfect channel for every practice. What exists is the right combination of channels for your specific situation: your city, your specialisation, your budget and your goals.

The general rule: start with what delivers the highest immediate ROI (Google Business Profile, reviews, one Ads channel), measure, and scale into other channels once the first is optimised.

If you want us to analyse which combination of channels makes the most sense for your practice, request your free audit.

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The Updent team — online and offline dental advertising agency for practices in the UK.

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