You've likely mastered patient care if you’re running or managing a multi-location dental practice. However, when it comes to growing your clinic footprint online — especially through platforms like Instagram and Facebook — things can get a little more complicated.
If you're managing a dental practice — especially one with multiple locations — chances are you're already investing in word-of-mouth, local SEO, or community outreach. But if Instagram and Facebook aren't part of your marketing mix, you're missing a huge opportunity to grow your patient base.
Today's patients don't just search on Google. They scroll through Instagram to find real photos of your clinic. They check Facebook reviews before calling. They watch videos, browse stories, and compare practices — all before visiting your website or picking up the phone.
The good news? You don’t need a full-time social media manager or a constant stream of content to start seeing results. You just need a consistent presence, the right kind of content, and tools that help you manage everything more efficiently across your locations.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to use Instagram and Facebook to attract new dental patients — with examples, templates, and time-saving tips designed for busy practices.
Let’s dive in.
When patients look for a new dentist, they don’t just visit your website anymore. They check your Instagram. They scroll your Facebook reviews. They click through Stories, browse before-and-after photos, and see how engaged your team is with the community.
Here’s why dental social media marketing works:
Photos of your team, testimonials from real patients, and behind-the-scenes videos help new patients feel confident booking with you — even before they’ve spoken to your front desk.
Facebook and Instagram are both location-aware platforms. With the right hashtags, geotags, and local content, your posts are more likely to show up when someone searches for a dentist near them.
You can create centralised content that’s adapted for each clinic’s local audience — ensuring brand consistency and relevance. Platforms like Facebook even let you manage multiple location Pages under one brand umbrella.
Social media boosts SEO, enhances word-of-mouth referrals, and can support paid campaigns or promotions that direct traffic to your booking pages.
Before you dive into content creation or ads, your Instagram and Facebook profiles need to be set up to convert casual browsers into confident bookers — across all your locations.
Here’s what to focus on:
Use the same logo, brand colours, and tone of voice across all clinic profiles. This builds recognition and trust, even if patients are comparing different locations in different cities.
Tip: Create a shared folder of approved visuals and templates that local teams can use to stay on-brand.
Skip the generic “We offer quality dental care” line. Instead, write bios that clearly explain your services and invite action.
Use the “Book Now” call-to-action on Facebook and Instagram, linking directly to each clinic’s booking page or location finder.
Bonus: Use services like Linktree or Sendible’s Smart Links to offer a dropdown of locations in your Instagram bio.
On Instagram: Create Highlights for Our Team, Before & After, FAQ, New Patients, etc.
On Facebook: Enable the Services, Reviews, and About tabs. Add opening hours, insurance info, and phone numbers per location.
Use pinned posts on Instagram and Facebook to highlight your best before/afters, glowing reviews, or current promotions.
Now that your profiles are optimised, it’s time to create content that draws attention, builds trust, and leads people to book.
Remember, for multi-location practices; the key is to balance brand-wide messaging with local relevance. You can centralise your content strategy; then, local teams can personalise posts with their own staff photos, testimonials, and location tags.
Here’s what works best on each platform:
Instagram is visual, fast-paced, and ideal for reaching cosmetic patients, young professionals, and anyone researching treatments like Invisalign, whitening, or implants.
Smile transformations (before/after) – With consent, these posts build trust and drive interest in cosmetic services.
Reels answering FAQs – e.g. “How long does Invisalign take?”
Behind-the-scenes – Show a new piece of equipment or how your team preps for the day.
Patient welcome stories – “We’re excited to welcome Sarah to our [City] practice for her smile journey!”
Clinic walkthroughs – Give nervous patients a visual preview of your environment.
Facebook is great for community-building, showcasing reviews, and sharing content that earns trust over time — especially for family and general dentistry.
Patient testimonials (video or written with a photo)
Educational blog shares – Link to content like “How to protect your teeth this winter”
Promotions or seasonal offers – e.g. “10% off teeth whitening this April at our Nottingham clinic”
Repost local community involvement – Sponsor a school event? Share it!
Interactive polls – “What’s your biggest dental fear?” (then respond in a future post)
No matter the platform or post type, always prompt action:
“Book now”
“DM us to schedule your free consult”
“Find your nearest clinic at [link]”
“Tag a friend who needs this!”
If you ever run out of ideas or feel stuck staring at a blank caption box, try using the Dental Social Media Assistant by Sendible — our Chat GPT powered content helper trained specifically for dentists.
It generates post ideas, caption drafts, and hashtags tailored to your services, patient base, and clinic locations.
✅ Save time
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✅ Sound like a pro (without hiring one)
💬 Try the Dental Social Media Assistant by Sendible — available now in the ChatGPT GPT Store. Just search for “Dental Social Media Assistant by Sendible.”
Organic content builds visibility — but if you want to consistently fill appointment slots across multiple clinics, you’ll need to invest in paid social.
Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer hyper-local targeting, making them ideal for dental practices with locations in different cities or regions.
Target locally: Set radius-based targeting around each clinic’s postcode so your ads only show to people nearby.
Segment by service: Promote Invisalign or implants in higher-income areas, while highlighting family plans or NHS services in others.
Use lead magnets: Offer free whitening consults or “New patient welcome packs” in exchange for contact details.
Boost your best posts: Start by boosting high-performing organic posts (especially testimonials or before/afters) to increase reach.
For best results, run small tests:
A/B test different headlines or creatives
Try video vs image formats
Test direct booking ads vs lead form ads
Most patients won’t book after their first impression. They’ll linger — watching, scrolling, and evaluating.
That’s why consistency and engagement matter.
Reply to every comment and DM — even a simple emoji or “Thanks for reaching out!” goes a long way.
Acknowledge reviews (especially positive ones) on Facebook.
Reshare patient tags in Stories (with permission).
Comment on local community posts or partner businesses to build brand goodwill.
The more engaged you are, the more trust you build — and for nervous or first-time patients, that trust is everything.
With 600+ practices, MyDentist uses both Instagram and Facebook to run coordinated promotions like teeth straightening offers — while local clinics post patient stories, staff intros, and seasonal tips.
Aspen Dental uses Facebook for consistent review sharing, video testimonials, and informative dental tips — all tied back to clinic-specific booking links, giving patients a clear next step. As a big organization, they get some negative feedback occasionally. And they always address it respectfully.
Make it easy for potential patients to go from post to appointment:
Use Linktree or Smart Bio tools to list all your clinic locations in one clickable link
Add a Messenger auto-reply on Facebook: “Thanks for reaching out! Book online here: [link]”
Pin promos to the top of your profiles for seasonal offers or free consults
Create QR codes for in-practice posters that direct people to your social pages or reviews
Use location-specific hashtags and tags to boost discoverability (e.g. #SmileGlasgow, #BristolInvisalign)
You don’t need to go viral. You need to be visible, helpful, and easy to book with — especially across multiple clinic locations.
If your team can:
Show up a few times per week
Share valuable, reassuring content
Make it simple for patients to book or ask questions
…you’ll steadily build a loyal, growing patient base that trusts your brand — not just in one place, but across the communities you serve.