SEO is no longer just about ranking blue links on Google. Patients now search across Google Search, Google Maps, and AI-driven search results when looking for dentists or orthodontists in their area. If your practice isn’t visible where these searches happen, you’re likely missing out on high-intent patients who are actively looking for care.
Think about how patients actually search today. They ask questions, compare providers, check reviews, and look for local relevance. The practices that show up consistently across search results—traditional and AI-driven—are the ones that earn trust and attention first.
Patients tend to click on the most visible results, especially those that appear at the top of Google search, local map results, and AI-generated answers.
Visibility alone isn’t enough. Your website needs to clearly answer patient questions, explain treatments, and make it easy to book an appointment.
Search engines and AI systems prioritize practices that appear authoritative, trustworthy, and consistent across the web.
If your practice isn’t investing in SEO, competing practices in your area almost certainly are—and they may be capturing patients who would have chosen you.