Get it fixed in 2026! - Top 10 practical social media tips for dental practice success in the new year.
- timbassford6
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 7 hours ago
Social media isn’t just “nice to have” anymore for dental practices. In 2026, it’s going to be one of the fastest ways to build trust, generate enquiries, keep your diary full, and stay front-of-mind when patients (and their families) decide where to book.
Recent research shows that many consumers are more likely to turn to social media to find out about your company, your services and your team in addition to your website (some may never even reach your website!). And for those who do use social media before choosing a dental practice...
That's a large percentage of your target audience!
So to help your practice make the most of your social media impact in 2026 we have created this top 10 list of business-first tips that we think we help you (alongside our Dental Social Media Solutions Service) . Check out our top 10 tips for dental practice success below:
1) Pick a main social media platform (and stop trying to do everything)
Most dental teams don't have a lot of capacity for social media content creation and then spread themselves thin across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc … then burn out and post sporadically. In 2026, choose one “primary” platform (where you’ll post most consistently), plus one “supporting” platform to re-purpose content.
Consistency beats complexity on social media every time. Hootsuite’s trend reporting** re-affirms this same direction: experiment, but do it strategically rather than trying to be everywhere at once. Your patients will thank you for it!
2) Build a simple content engine: 3 posts a week is plenty
We have seen that a simple rhythm, like 3 posts per week (mixing education, proof, and personality) is sustainable and powerful, especially when paired with a monthly plan and scheduled publishing.
And this is exactly why done-for-you social media subscription models work well for busy practices.
We can create monthly calendars, copywriting, graphics, and short-form video all without pulling your team away from fee-paying patients. Check out our social media subscription service and how this can help you here: www.turbinecreative.co.uk/dental-social-media-solutions
3) Use short-form video as your “trust accelerator”
Short-form video (1 minute and under) is still the trust-builder that most practices underuse. Patients want to see the practice vibe, meet clinicians, understand treatments, and feel reassured before they ever DM or call.
Practical ideas that have a strong impact:
Introduce your team and what they do
What happens at your first visit?” a quick walkthrough
Dentist reacts” (myth-busting)
Hygienist tips for bleeding gums / sensitivity
Invisalign / whitening FAQs
Children's point of view
Check out this short example of Zara explaining how easy it is to get braces fitted - a great video for reassuring both parents and children:
For more ideas on content for January, why not download our free social media schedule ideas pdf here. No email required 😄
4) Make social proof a system (not an occasional post)
In 2026, patients are comparison-shopping. And social media is where they will find a lot of their answers. Your job is to make choosing your practice feel safe and obvious. A total no-brainer! Build a repeatable approach to proof to make this possible:
Patient feedback screenshots (with consent)
Before/after (with consent + disclaimers)
“Patient journey” highlights
Staff spotlights (“why I love working here”)
Here is a great example we created of Susan talking about the Invisalign journey she had with Measham Dental:
If you have the capacity, capture proof quarterly with a planned shoot day so you never scramble for content. We can help with this if you need support capturing content.
5) Treat DMs and comments like your fastest, untapped lead channel
Dental practices often lose warm leads by replying slowly (or not at all). Social media is now a customer-care expectation: 'Sprout Social' reports*** that nearly three-quarters of consumers expect a response within 24 hours.
Why not do this next?:
Set a daily “DM window” (15 minutes)
Use saved replies for common questions
Move to phone/booking links quickly
Track “enquiry → appointment” in a simple spreadsheet
6) Use social listening to find what patients actually want
Guessing content topics to post is expensive and a waste of time. Social listening tells you what to post next. You're probably already on social media exploring dental themes and topics so make a note of what people fear, what confuses them, and what they’re searching for.
Start simple: read local Facebook group questions, scan comments on competitor posts, and log FAQs you hear at reception. Ask all your staff for input into common patient queries, from your receptionist to your most senior dentist. They'll all have ideas!
7) Design content for “social search,” not just scrolling
More people use social platforms to discover services and answers. Help your SEO and the social media algorithms by writing captions in the way patients search:
“Composite bonding in Nottingham: what to expect”
“How much is teeth whitening? (And who it’s for)”
“Emergency dentist: when to call us”
"How do implants work?:
Here's a video we created explaining how implants work:
Also make sure your profile bio, highlights, and pinned posts clearly show: location, key services, opening hours, and how to book.
8) Use AI to speed up—then humanise the final draft
Yep, of course we're going to talk about AI! 😆... It's brilliant for overcoming content fatigue, idea generation, and first drafts can be helped with ChatGPT etc. But in healthcare, as we know - trust is everything. Always add a clinician’s voice: the reassurance, the nuance, and the “what this means for you". Make sure you give your practice a human tone of voice and wherever be distinctive in how you communicate.
A strong workflow is: AI for outlines + repurposing, humans for tone, safety, and accuracy. Then review before posting, ideally asking a colleague to review a batch of content to sense check it all before you publish.
Of course AI video generation can also be used to add some additional humour to your practice posts wherever approporiate to add to patient engagement and entertainment. See this Christmas post we created as an example:
9) Stay compliant: confidentiality, permission and advertising rules matter
Healthcare social media has higher stakes. Two essentials in the UK:
Never post patient-identifiable information without their written consent. Even “anonymised” cases can become identifiable. (General Dental Council)
If you promote treatments, you must make clear they may not be appropriate for everyone and are conditional on a proper assessment/consent. (General Dental Council)
Build a simple consent process and a checklist for every promotional post. We can help you with a standard consent form for patients (or parents and guardians) to sign when filming and photographing.
10) Measure what actually grows the business
Vanity metrics are easy. Who doesn't like lots of likes and comments! However, business outcomes are what matter when you are thinking about social media impact:
Enquiries (calls, forms, DMs)
Bookings
Treatment uptake (whitening, Invisalign, hygiene plans)
Reactivation (“haven’t been in 2 years” patients returning)
Patient peace of mind and positive feedback
Monthly reporting and insight help you double down on what’s working and cut what isn’t. Make sure you also ask your team what they have heard from patient's anecdotally. What posts stood out for them? What did they remember? Our monthly dental social media subscription plan can help you deliver this kind of content as well as monthly reporting and analysis.
Final Summary - How we can help!...
If you want social media to create tangible growth in 2026, the winning formula is simple: consistent content + credible proof + fast responses + clear booking paths.
The execution of this can be more tricky.
If your team doesn’t have time to plan, create, film, write, post, and measure reliably, our done-for-you approach could be a helpful solution to remove the workload while keeping quality high.
We can provide monthly schedules, content creation, posting/moderation, and quarterly shoot days are a proven structure for busy practices.
If you'd like to explore how our dental practice social media monthly subscription could help your practice we'd love to talk your through it. Check out our website for more information: https://www.turbinecreative.co.uk/dental-social-media-solutions
**** IF YOU ARE A PATIENT PLAN CUSTOMER WE ARE OFFERING A 30% DISCOUNT FOR YOU ON ALL OUR PLANS THROUGHOUT JANUARY AND FEBRUARY****
Get in touch here for a no commitment casual chat about the service we offer and how it could help your dental practice in 2026.
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