Dental practices have a tough time with Google Ads. According to WordStream’s 2025 benchmarks, dentistry has the lowest click-through rate of any industry (5.44%) and one of the highest costs per click at $7.85, just behind legal services.

These numbers show that dental advertising is crowded, expensive, and most ads look the same.

“Quality dental care,” “gentle dentist,” “family dentistry.” Potential patients scroll past because nothing differentiates one dental practice from another.

This guide explains what makes some campaigns succeed while others waste money, why many practices struggle with Google Ads, and what to do if your ads stop bringing in new patients.

Why Google Ads Works for Dental Practices (When Set Up Correctly)

Traditional marketing sends your message to everyone, hoping some people need dental care. Google Ads, on the other hand, lets you reach people who are actively looking for a dentist right when they need one.

When someone searches for “dentist near me” or “emergency dentist open now,” they are not just browsing. They are ready to book an appointment.

This precise targeting is what makes Google Ads so valuable for dental marketing. You are not paying to reach people who might need a dentist someday. Your budget goes to people who are looking for dental services right now.

When your Google Ads campaigns are set up well, the investment pays off. A new patient can bring in $1,500 to $3,000 or more over time through regular cleanings, procedures, and referrals.

High-value services make the numbers even better. Dental implants can bring in $3,000 to $5,000 or more per case, and teeth whitening patients often choose other cosmetic treatments too.

According to 2025 benchmarks, dental Google Ads have an average cost per click of $7.85, a 5.44% click-through rate (the lowest among all industries), conversion rates of 7-9%, and a cost per lead between $50 and $85 for general dentistry.

With good budget management, most dental practices can see a positive return on investment within a few months.

Why Dental Ads Have the Lowest CTR (And How to Fix It)

The 5.44% average click-through rate for dental ads shows that people are tired of seeing the same generic messages. When every ad looks the same, patients stop paying attention. This is not a problem with Google Ads itself, but a problem with making your ads stand out.

Phrases that do not differentiate (because every dental practice uses them):

• “Quality dental care”
• “Gentle dentist”
• “Family dentistry”
• “Caring staff”
• “State-of-the-art technology”

Phrases that actually attract patients (because they offer something specific):

• “Same-Day Crowns with CEREC Technology”
• “Open Saturdays 8 AM – 2 PM”
• “Sedation Options for Anxious Patients”
• “New Patient Special: Exam + X-Rays + Cleaning $99”
• “500+ Five-Star Google Reviews”
• “Invisalign Diamond Provider”

Being specific always works better than being general. If a patient sees 10 similar dental ads, they will stop at the one that speaks to their needs or offers something clear, like same-day appointments.

From our audits of dentists’ Google Ads accounts, we have seen that practices that update their generic ads to include specific details can see conversion rates go up by 20-40% in the first month.

The ad budget stays the same, but you get more new patient appointments.

Google Ads Campaign Structure for Dental Practices

Organize your Google Ads by service type and what people are searching for. Someone looking for an “emergency dentist open now” has different needs and urgency than someone searching for “teeth whitening cost.” If you mix these in the same campaign, it is hard to optimize your ads.

Recommended campaign structure for running Google Ads for dentists:

General Dentistry Campaign: New patients acquisition, routine dental care, teeth cleaning, exams. Ad groups in this campaign focus on keywords such as “dentist near me,” “family dentist [city],” and “dental office accepting new patients.” This campaign targets people searching for a regular dentist and typically has the highest volume.

Cosmetic Dentistry Campaign: Teeth whitening, veneers, smile makeovers. Separate ad groups for each service since search intent differs. These patients are often researching and comparing, so expect longer conversion windows before they book appointments.

Emergency Campaign: Urgent dental care, tooth pain, broken teeth. Keywords focus on immediacy: “emergency dentist,” “same day appointments,” “dentist open now.” These patients convert fast and often become long-term additions to your patient base once the crisis is resolved.

High-Value Procedures Campaign: Dental implants, Invisalign, full mouth reconstruction. Higher CPCs but higher case values justify dedicated advertising spend and specialized landing pages. Create separate ad groups for each procedure.

Give each Google Ads campaign its own budget, bidding strategy, and landing pages. This way, you can spend more on services you want to grow and spend less on those where you are already busy.

Keyword Research and Google Ads Strategy

Dental searches are very local. Most patients want a dentist close by, not one far away. Set your location targeting based on how far your real patients are willing to travel, not just on where you wish they would come from.

High-intent dental keywords to target in your Google Ads:

• “dentist in [city]”
• “dentist near me”
• “[neighborhood] dental office”
• “dentist accepting new patients [city]”
• “[procedure] dentist [city]”

Service-specific keywords capture people actively searching for particular dental services:

• “Invisalign provider [city]”
• “dental implants near me”
• “teeth whitening [city]”

These keywords cost more per click, but they lead to higher conversion rates because the patient already knows they want the service.

Emergency keywords deserve their own Google Ads campaigns and landing pages. Searches like “emergency dentist open now,” “24 hour dentist,” “same day appointments,” and “tooth pain dentist” come from patients who are ready to act fast. If you solve their problem, they often become loyal patients and refer others.

Proper keyword research also means understanding search intent. Someone searching “how much do dental implants cost” has a different intent than someone searching “dental implants near me.”

The first searcher is just researching, while the second is ready to book. Your Google Ads strategy should address both, but use different ad groups and landing pages for each.

Negative Keywords for Dental Campaigns

Dental ad campaigns often get irrelevant searches that waste your budget. Add these negative keywords to all your campaigns right away:

• Career searches: “dental school,” “dentist salary,” “dental assistant jobs,” “dental hygienist program”
• DIY searches: “free dental care,” “home teeth whitening,” “DIY tooth repair”
• Irrelevant services: “dental for dogs,” “pet dentist”

Check your search terms report every week. Your google Ads often appear for unexpected, irrelevant searches, wasting money. We have seen practices spend hundreds of dollars on clicks from people looking for dental assistant training, just because they did not add “assistant” as a negative keyword.

Keep updating your negative keyword list regularly to make sure your ads stay cost-effective.

Local Service Ads for Dentists

Google expanded Local Service Ads to dental practices in January 2023. These ads appear at the very top of search results, above traditional Google Ads, with the Google Verified badge.

The pay-per-lead model changes things a lot. Instead of paying over $7 for every click (many of which do not turn into patients), you only pay when someone contacts you. The cost per lead depends on your area, but it is often $30-$60 for general dentistry, which is as good as or better than regular text ads.

Local Service Ads advantages for dental practices:

• Prominent placement above all other search results
• Pay-per-lead instead of pay-per-click improves cost efficiency
• Google Verified badge builds trust with potential patients
• Ability to dispute leads that do not meet criteria
• Simpler management than traditional Google Ads campaigns

To get verified, you need to provide documents like your business registration, dental licenses, and insurance. This process takes some time, but the trust it builds can really improve your conversion rates, especially when patients are comparing different practices. (learn more about Google Ads verification)

Use both Local Service Ads and Google Ads at the same time for the best results. Local Service Ads catch new patients who want to call right away, while regular search ads reach those who prefer to check your website first.

Using both helps you stand out and gives competitors less space in local search results.

Landing Pages: Where Most Dental Practices Lose Patients

One of the biggest and most costly mistakes in dental marketing is sending Google Ads traffic to your homepage. If someone clicks an ad for “Invisalign,” they expect to land on a page about Invisalign, not your main homepage with lots of links. This mismatch lowers your conversion rates.

Create dedicated landing pages for each major Google Ads campaign. Every landing page needs:

• A headline matching the ad copy and search intent
• Clear description of the specific dental services offered
• Your credentials (certifications, experience, technology)
• Patient reviews and testimonials relevant to that service
• Multiple contact options (phone calls, form, schedule online)
• Location and hours prominently displayed
• Insurance information
• A prominent call to action for new patient appointments

You must optimize your landing pages for mobile as over 60% of dental searches happen on phones.

Test your pages on real phones, not just on a computer. If your page loads slowly or looks bad on mobile, you will lose potential patients before they even see your offer.

Slow pages can also lower your Google Ads relevance scores and raise your costs.

Tracking Phone Calls and Conversions

Most dental conversions happen over the phone. Many patients have questions before they book, especially for services beyond regular cleanings. Without call tracking, you will not know which Google Ads are working.

Use call tracking software to see which ads and keywords bring in real patient calls, instead of just website visits that do not lead to anything.

Track not just leads, but actual new patients. For example, a Google Ads campaign might get 30 leads, but only 8 of them book appointments. Use your practice management software to connect the dots. Cost per lead is important, but cost per new patient is what really shows if your ads are working.

From what we have seen, dental practices that use call tracking and connect it to new patient numbers often find their real cost per patient is 30-50% different from what they expected. Sometimes it is better, sometimes worse, but it is always enough to change how you should spend your Google Ads budget.

Ad Extensions and Additional Google Ads Features

Google Ads offers several ad extensions that improve visibility and conversion rates:

• Location extensions: Show your address and map pin directly in the ad. Essential for dental practices where proximity matters.
• Call extensions: Add a click-to-call button. Critical since phone calls drive most dental conversions.
• Sitelink extensions: Link to specific services, patient reviews, or your schedule online page.
• Callout extensions: Highlight differentiators like “Same Day Appointments” or “Se Habla Espanol.”

Performance Max campaigns are another choice for dental practices. These automated campaigns use machine learning and run across all Google platforms, like Search, Display, YouTube, and Maps. They can help you reach more people, but you need enough conversion data and a higher ad budget to make them work well. Most practices should get good at regular Google Ads before trying Performance Max.

When Ad Campaigns Stop Working

Successful Google Ads campaigns that have generated consistent new patients can suddenly decline. Diagnosing the problem requires systematic analysis:

• Competitor changes: A new dental practice opens nearby or an existing practice increases their ad spend. Check your Impression Share to see if you are losing auctions you used to win.
• Quality Score drops: Often from landing page issues or declining ad relevance. Review your Quality Scores and address anything below 6. Higher quality scores mean lower costs and better ad positions.
• Conversion tracking breaks: Website updates can break tracking code without anyone noticing. Verify that your Google Ads conversion tracking is still accurately recording phone calls and form submissions.
• Seasonal patterns: Dental searches fluctuate. January often sees increased volume as people use new insurance benefits. Summer can slow down. Compare performance to the same period last year before assuming something is broken.

When your Google Ads performance drops, review your account step by step. There is usually a clear reason, but many practices waste weeks blaming Google when the real problem can be fixed with better budget management and regular optimization.

Common Google Ads Mistakes That Drain Your Budget

After reviewing dental practice accounts, certain patterns appear repeatedly:

Generic ad copy: If every ad says “gentle dentist” or “quality dental care,” your practice does not stand out. Conversion rates drop because you pay the same as your competitors, but patients do not click.

Homepage-only landing strategy: If all your Google Ads send people to your homepage, conversion rates go down. Visitors have to search for the information they want, rather than landing on a page designed for the service they clicked.

No call tracking: If you know you are getting phone calls but cannot tell which Google Ads or ad groups they came from, you are left guessing. Without tracking, you cannot find out which keywords work best.

Budget spread too thin: If you run Google Ads for eight dental services with a $1,500 monthly budget, none of them will get enough attention to bring in new patients regularly. It is better to focus on two services and do them well than to spread yourself too thin.

Set-and-forget management: If you launch Google Ads and never optimize them, never review search terms, or leave bids unchanged for months, your results will suffer. Successful campaigns need regular updates, not just a one-time setup.

These common mistakes are why many dental practices think Google Ads does not work, when the real problem is how their campaigns are set up and managed. Do not lose patients to competitors who run their ads the right way.

Getting Results (Or Getting Back on Track)

If you are starting Google Ads for dentists for the first time, pick one service category where you have room for new patients and good case value. Create dedicated landing pages and set up call tracking from the beginning. Let your ads run for 4-6 weeks before judging results, and focus on actual new patients, not just leads.

If your ads are not working, check your campaign structure, landing pages, call tracking, and how your ad copy stands out. The problem is usually in one of these areas, and once you find it, the solution is often simple.

If your Google Ads used to work but now do not, a step-by-step review will help you find the cause. Look at your impression share, quality scores, conversion tracking, and what your competitors are doing before assuming the market has changed.

If your Google Ads account is suspended or restricted, what you do next depends on the specific violation. Dental advertising rules are less strict than those for pharmaceuticals or addiction treatment, but breaking healthcare policies can still get your account suspended. Find out what caused the problem and fix it fully to get reinstated.

StubGroup works with dental practices on Google Ads issues ranging from underperforming ad campaigns to suspended accounts.

If your practice is having trouble getting new patients, or if your marketing is not working as expected, book a free Google Ads consultation to review your situation. We will help you find out what is wrong and what you need to do to fix it.