THE DENTAL GUIDE TO SOCIAL MEDIA
How to be social on social as a dentist
of people think dentists should be active on social media.
Are you hesitant about using social media for your practice? Not sure if it’s worth maintaining your accounts? Maybe you’re just not sure where to begin, or you’re curious to know if your patients even really care if you’re on it.
We’re here to tell you they do. According to a recent study, 60% of patients now use social media to find healthcare services and information, one in ten people in the US use social platforms as a primary form of medical advice, and 97% of people think dentists should be active on social media, (and those who are tend to be perceived as more innovative and caring.)
No matter how you slice it, social media is here to stay, and building a solid presence for your dental brand should be an important piece of your marketing strategy. If your accounts have remained inactive for years or your posting schedule is wildly inconsistent, it sends the message that you might not care about attracting new patients. The same applies to attracting talent – if you’re seeking new hires, they will be looking you up on social media. What do you want their first impression of your practice to be?
First and foremost, social media is an effective and FREE tool you can use to better connect with your community. Your audience wants to get to know you and your team – the more you foster these connections, the more trust you’ll gain and the larger the connection will grow. Higher brand awareness on social leads to increased website traffic, more referrals, potential new patients, and increased patient loyalty. It’ll also help you stand out from local competitors because you’re offering an inside peek into your practice and what makes it so special!
Everyone starts with zero followers, and we know taking the first step is often the hardest, but we’ve got your back. Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about the big three social platforms for dentists: Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Not sure which platform is right for you? Let’s help you decide…
In this article
Ahh, Facebook. It’s hard to remember a time before it! It remains a giant in the social landscape, boasting an impressive 3.07 billion monthly active users worldwide—a solid 3.4% increase year-over-year. While the platform continues to evolve, its demographic makeup is shifting, with younger users leaning more toward TikTok and Instagram for daily content and connection.
That said, Facebook remains a pivotal part of many businesses’ social strategies—especially when the goal is reaching adults aged 25+, building trust in the community, and driving local visibility. Despite the momentum behind newer platforms, Facebook’s expansive reach and cross-generational appeal help it maintain its status as a foundational tool in the digital space.
Audience Demographics
- The largest audience on Facebook in the U.S. consists of those in the 25–34 age group, accounting for just over 31% of the user base. However…
- …69% of U.S. adults aged 35 to 54 still actively use Facebook, and about 50% of Americans aged 65+ are on the platform.
- Over half of all American Facebook users are female, with 54% identifying as women and 46% as men.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I POST?
- The average Page posts nearly twice a day, and a lot of resources will recommend you do this, or at least post once a day, but…
- …this is suggested for pages that have at least 10,000 followers.
- We suggest posting between 2 and 3 times per week, but do not overwhelm yourself. Stick to a schedule you can adhere to consistently – spoiler alert: this applies to all platforms!
- Facebook’s algorithm does not favor accounts that post too frequently.
- “Fresh” content is prioritized, and Facebook doesn’t want to overwhelm users with just one company in their feed.
- In fact, “posting too many updates” is one of the most common reasons users ‘unlike’ a Page.
- Always keep in mind that the quality and relevance of your posts are just as important as quantity.
- And remember—you can always adjust as you go. Keep an eye on your engagement over time, and use that feedback to fine-tune what works best for your audience.
Why Should i Use it?
- Facebook remains the most popular social network in the U.S., with 68% of American adults using the platform.
- It’s the world’s third most-visited website, attracting over 11 billion visits per month.
- Out of all social networks, Facebook offers unparalleled exposure to a broad audience and provides a comprehensive set of user-friendly business tools.
- It's particularly effective for targeting older age groups and parents, who are key decision-makers in healthcare choices.
- Over 70% of Facebook users check out a local business Page at least once a week—which makes it one of the best platforms for staying visible in your community!
- Facebook drives more website clicks than any other social platform, sending over 80% of all social traffic to websites in the U.S.
- If you're aiming to drive traffic to your website's blog or service pages, Facebook remains a powerful platform to achieve that.
“How often can we promote our practice without getting…annoying?”
Here’s a good rule of thumb to follow – the 80/20 rule. 80% of your content should be informative, entertaining, or educational, and the remaining 20% can be promotional. Think of it like this: if you met a stranger at a party and they kept trying to hand you their business card over and over and over again, it’d probably leave you with a bad impression of them. Make sense? That’s how your followers might view you if you’re ONLY using Facebook (or any platform) strictly for promotional purposes.
“Is it okay to ask my audience to like and share my posts?”
This is actually called “engagement bait,” and Pages using this tactic will lead to their posts being demoted by Facebook’s algorithms. The platform can now recognize when a publisher intentionally prompts followers to engage with posts solely to boost organic reach. What you can do is ask a genuine question to your followers and ask for their opinions or feedback – talk to your audience like real people, and they will talk back to you.
“Why aren’t my posts getting engagement?”
First off, don’t be too hard on yourself! The average engagement rate for a Facebook Page post is 0.07%. But also keep in mind that Facebook is more of a “pay-to-play” platform these days. If you’re not putting some budget behind your content, organic reach can be limited—especially for salesy or promotional posts. That said, it could be a mix of things. Don’t feel discouraged and try looking at your content with a fresh lens instead:
- Maybe you’re not posting when your audience is most active? Do a little experimenting to see if posting earlier in the day, afternoon, or evening works better.
- Have you analyzed your posts that have performed well? Oftentimes, this is the key to cracking the engagement code. Take steps to recreate the magic without it being a carbon-copy of the original post.
- Are you relying on stock photos or using only graphics as visuals? Change it up and snap your own pictures! They absolutely don’t have to be professional-looking – in fact, people LOVE authentic content that feels genuine.
- Posts that highlight milestone moments, provider spotlights, or community involvement tend to perform well organically—especially for small businesses and local practices.
- Are you interacting with your audience? People respect a response back in 4 hours, just FYI. Prioritize responding to comments, messages, mentions, and tags. Trust us on this one.
- Are your posts super long, as in several paragraphs or more? Shorten ‘em up! Always, always, always keep in mind that your audience is likely just scrolling on their phone and no one is stopping to read an essay-long caption. Your captions don’t have to be complicated; keep them simple.
- Review these steps, recalibrate, and try again. Everyone faces engagement lulls, but not everyone takes the time to identify what’s not working. That’s where growth starts.
Welcome to Instagram! It may be the world’s second-favorite social platform, with over 2 billion monthly active users, but it continues to be one of the top platforms—alongside TikTok and Facebook—for people looking to engage and connect with brands. We know the algorithm changes of this ever-evolving app are enough to make your head spin, but there’s no denying it’s become a mainstay for publishing visual content, and it continues to be one of the most powerful, wide-reaching, and creative social platforms around. While it hasn’t dethroned Facebook in total usage yet, its future looks much brighter, as roughly 99% of social content is consumed on mobile, where it has a massive advantage.
Audience Demographics
- Instagram is one of the most popular platforms for users aged 18–29 in the U.S., with roughly 76% using the app.
- Around 66% of adults aged 30–49 use Instagram.
- About 55% of American users are women, with men accounting for the remaining 45%.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I POST?
- While daily posting used to be the gold standard, most updated recommendations now suggest 3 to 5 feed posts per week for accounts with under 10K followers—focus on quality and consistency over volume…
- …for reference, accounts between 10K–100K followers typically average around 3 feed posts per week, depending on their goals and resources.
- Posting more than once a day isn’t usually necessary—and for smaller accounts, it can actually lower the reach each individual post receives…
- …with Stories, however, you can post as often as you want without negatively affecting your reach! And they disappear after 24 hours.
- If you’re starting a new account for your practice, publishing a few feed posts and stories a week is always a good rule of thumb.
Why Should You Use It?
- Instagram is the perfect avenue to build a more personal, stronger relationship with existing patients and serves as a useful tool for attracting more – in short, it’s the number 1 platform for people to connect with brands compared to others.
- It revolves around visual and authentic content, which means you can showcase your team’s personality and give followers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of your practice.
- Whether your practice is new in town or you’d just like to increase awareness in your community, you can leverage your location with local geotags and hashtags to reach a larger audience.
- Useful for targeting younger, potential cosmetic patients.
- 83% of Instagram users discover new products and services on the platform, and 90% of users follow at least one business.
“I’m confused. Which type of post performs best: Static photos, carousels, or reels?”
- Guess what? We wrote a whole article about this! We break down which content performs best where and all that jazz right here, but here’s a quick snapshot for ya…
- In 2025, carousels are leading in engagement, averaging a 5.4% engagement rate, outperforming both Reels and static images.
- Reels are still valuable, especially for reach, but carousels are your go-to for maximizing interactions.
- Static images have the lowest engagement rates among the three…
- …so, incorporating a mix of carousels and Reels into your strategy is recommended.
“ What about stories?”
Whenever you post a story, you essentially “skip the line” in your followers’ feeds, and it’s the first thing they see when they open the app. It’s a quick, fun, and easy way to humanize your brand and document day-to-day life in the office! It’ll help you build a closer relationship with your audience and offer seemingly endless opportunities to engage with them. Also, stories are a great place to include clickable links using the link sticker, available to all users regardless of follower count. They expire after 24 hours but can live forever in your Stories Highlights and are saved in your archive.
“How can I boost my profile’s visibility for Instagram searches?”
Instagram is becoming a search engine, similar to Google, so nailing this step is super important! Names and usernames are included in its search queries, so it’s crucial to use keywords that will match terms users might search for. For example, changing your name to “Dr. So-and-so | Cosmetic Columbus Dentist” and sprinkling in other keyword-search friendly terms in the rest of your bio will increase your likelihood of visibility. Keep it short and informative – and always add a link to your site with a clear call to action.
“Are hashtags really that important? Do I need to use them on every single post?”
The short answer? Not really—not like they used to be. Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, has publicly said hashtags don’t significantly boost reach. Instead, focus on making your posts searchable. Instagram is now used like a search engine, so think like your ideal patient: what would they type in to find a provider like you? Use those kinds of phrases directly in your captions—like “Invisalign for adults” or “gentle pediatric dentist.” You can still use 5–8 hashtags per post, but be strategic. Prioritize location-based or service-specific ones (e.g., #FamilyDentistAustin, #SmileMakeoverJourney) over generic tags like #InstaDentist. Also, don’t forget to add alt text to your images. It improves accessibility and can help with discoverability.
Welcome to the platform redefining how people search, learn, and make decisions online—TikTok! Though it may have started with lip-syncs and dance trends, the app has evolved into a go-to space for education, entertainment, and even professional services. Today, users turn to TikTok like a search engine—typing in things like “best dentist near me” or “Invisalign before and after.” And the algorithm delivers: bite-sized videos packed with real tips, relatable stories, and local recommendations. On average, users now spend nearly an hour a day on TikTok, and it consistently ranks among the top downloaded apps in the world. To put that in perspective, TikTok nearly doubles the time spent on Instagram or Facebook. If that stat leaves you scratching your head, I dare you to download it right now (if you haven’t already), and I promise you’ll be surprised at just how addictive it is.
Audience Demographics
- TikTok is Gen Z’s number one social platform!
- 59% of U.S. adults under 30 use TikTok…
- …however, those between the ages of 25 and 34 make up the largest share of U.S. users, accounting for 30% of the platform's audience.
- Globally, the gender distribution is approximately 55% female and 45% male.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I POST?
- While TikTok has previously recommended posting 1–4 times a day, that’s simply unrealistic unless you’ve got a large content team behind you.
- For most small businesses, posting 3 to 5 times per week is a practical and effective strategy.
- It’s generally recommended that businesses post 4–6 times per week, which can be a huge challenge for your practice—but don’t fret. Yes, it’s important to post frequently on TikTok, but how frequently you’re able to will vary.
- Find a schedule that works for your team and stick with it.
- Unlike Facebook and Instagram, which may reduce your reach for posting multiple times a day, TikTok's algorithm allows for multiple daily posts without penalizing reach.
- Consistency and content quality are key; it's better to post less frequently with high-quality content than to post more often with lower-quality content.
Why Should You Use It?
- TikTok has seen the fastest growth of any social platform in history. Like, ever. Between 2018 and 2022, the network attracted an average of 340 million new active members per year…
- …and in 2021, TikTok surpassed Google as the most visited website globally.
- It’s full of other businesses, brands, companies, and yes, DENTISTS, churning out creative and compelling content – not to mention racking up follower counts in the millions. But don’t let that scare you off, because…
- …its algorithm is quite unique in that it’s based on content engagement rather than social connections, which means your follower count matters MUCH less here. Even if you’re starting at zero, your organic reach is being seen by more users than on other platforms. TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes content based on user interactions and interest signals, not just who you follow.
- Bottom line, communities find each other here. Don’t believe me? Check out #DentalTok!
- It’s also the most engaging social platform, which can help you more easily connect with potential patients. With an average engagement rate of 2.5% by follower count, TikTok surpasses other platforms like Instagram (0.5%).
- Useful for targeting younger, potential ortho patients.
- A great tool for targeting patients of all ages in your local area and while they may not be looking for a dentist in particular, you can start building notoriety within your community.
- 61% of TikTok users discover new brands and products on the platform, making it a valuable space for brand discovery.
“What type of content works best on the platform?”
We know TikTok can be overwhelming, especially if you're new to it. In the dental space, many have found success with:
- Educational content: Sharing tips, debunking myths, or explaining procedures.
- Behind-the-scenes glimpses: Showcasing day-to-day operations or team interactions.
- Participating in trends: Engaging with popular sounds or challenges in a way that aligns with your brand.
Authenticity is Key: Whether you're informative or humorous, being genuine resonates most with audiences.
“How do I stay on top of trends?”
Here’s the thing – trends are meant to be fun and engaging, not stressful! One of the easiest ways to stay current is by regularly exploring the Discover page, which highlights trending sounds and hashtags in real time. It also helps to follow other creators in your space—they’re often early adopters of trends that are relevant to your field. And while trends can give you a boost, don’t underestimate the power of original audio. It’s often what drives the strongest connection with your audience. Also, keep an eye on the comment sections of trending videos—they’re often where new trends start before they hit the mainstream. You can even start your own trend by using a recurring format or phrase in your videos. Audiences love familiarity, and consistent content types (like “Monday Myths” or “Transformation Tuesdays”) can take off faster than you’d think.
“My videos aren’t getting any views. How can I increase my reach?”
- Are you using any hashtags? Stick to location- and service-based ones that help clarify your content—like #InvisalignYourCity or #SmileMakeoverJourney. Avoid broad tags like #FYP or #viral, which are oversaturated and won’t help with visibility. Hashtags aren’t the main driver of reach on TikTok, but they do help give the algorithm context.
- Are you creating content your ideal audience is actually searching for? TikTok’s search bar is just like Google. If you type in “dental cleaning,” TikTok will auto-suggest related searches like “dental cleaning before and after,” “plaque removal,” or “dental cleaning process.” Every one of those is a ready-made content idea.
- Are you saying those commonly searched phrases in your video, not just including them in your title? It’s so important to not only speak out those phrases in your videos that you know people are searching for, but also to add text to the screen, so that TikTok can recognize it and include it in those searches.
- Are you saying those key search phrases out loud in your video—and adding text to the screen? TikTok’s algorithm now scans both spoken words and on-screen captions to understand and categorize your video, so using searchable terms in both is key.
- Also, make sure your location is working for you. Geotagging your city—or using “United States” as your video location—can increase your chances of being served to local viewers.
- Lastly, check your hook. The first 3 seconds matter most. Ask a question, bust a myth, or drop a strong visual to stop the scroll.
“Can I re-post my TikToks as Instagram Reels?”
Technically, yes. But not without a little prep! Uploading a TikTok video with a visible watermark to Reels is a big no-no. Instagram’s algorithm deprioritizes content that’s been reposted from other platforms, especially if it includes TikTok branding. Your reach will likely be limited, and it’s less likely to show up on the Explore or Reels pages. To get around this, save your TikTok videos without the watermark (using apps like SnapTik or by downloading before publishing), or better yet—record your video separately and upload it to both platforms individually. This gives it the best chance of performing well on both. Instagram boosts accounts that use its native tools, so the more “in-app” your content looks, the more favorably it’ll be treated.
Sure, you’ve got Halloween and Christmas locked in—but is National Flossing Day on your radar? How about Dental Hygienists Appreciation Week or TMJ Awareness Month?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you!
We rounded up a full year of dental-friendly holidays and meaningful observances that are perfect for your content calendar. Planning ahead is still the best way to stay consistent and keep your feed feeling fresh—so mark those dates, get creative, and celebrate accordingly!
january
- January 4 I National Trivia Day
- January 6 | National Technology Day
- January 25 I Fluoride Day
february
- February is National Gum Disease Awareness Month
- February is National Children’s Dental Health Month
- February 9 I National Toothache Day
- February 16 I Innovation Day
- February 28 I National Tooth Fairy Day
(also observed on August 22)
march
- March is Sleep Apnea Awareness Month
- March 1 I Share a Smile Day
- March 1 I Employee Appreciation Day
- March 6 I National Dentist’s Day
- March 2 - 8 I Dental Assistants Recognition Week
(First full week of March) - March 20 I World Oral Health Day
- March 30 I National Doctor’s Day
april
- April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month
- April 8 - April 12 I Dental Hygienists Week
- April 24 | Administrative Professionals Day
may
- May is Mental Health Awareness Month
- May is National Dental Care Month
- May is Save Your Tooth Month
- May 13-17 | Root Canal Awareness Week
(Second full week of May) - Mid-May to Mid-June | National Smiles Month
- May 14 I National Receptionists Day
(Second Wednesday of May) - May 31 I National Smile Day
june
- June is National Oral Health Month
- June is Dental Diversity Month
- June 23 I National Hydration Day
- June 26 | National Toothbrush Day
- June 28 I National Insurance Awareness Day
- June 30 I Social Media Day
july
- July 15 I National Give Something Away Day
- July 21 I National Junk Food Day
august
- August 6 I Fresh Breath Day
- August 11 I National Align Your Teeth Day
- August 22 I National Tooth Fairy Day
(also observed on February 28)
september
- September is National Gum Care Month
- September is Office Manager Appreciation Month
- September is National Dental Implant Awareness Month
- September 20 I National Care for Kids Day
october
- October is National Dental Hygiene Month
- October is National Orthodontic Health Month
- October 4 I World Smile Day
- October 16 I Boss’s Day
november
- November is TMJ Awareness Month
- November 1 I National Brush Day
- November 20 I National Botox® Day
(Third Wednesday of November) - November 28 I National Flossing Day
(Day after Thanksgiving)
december
- December is National Giving Month
- December 1–7 | Handwashing Awareness Week
(First full week of December)
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