Orthodontist digital marketing: The complete guide to growing your practice online

Orthodontist digital marketing isn’t just a growth strategy; it’s the foundation of modern patient acquisition.

Whether someone discovers your orthodontist practice on Google, reads reviews, or scrolls through your Instagram feed, each moment shapes their decision to trust you with their smile or look elsewhere. 

And here’s the kicker: as per Birdeye State of Online reviews 2025, 79%-81% of online reviews included detailed comments.

That indicates patients aren’t just giving out stars; they’re sharing real stories, setting expectations, and influencing others. Which means your digital presence, from search results to how you respond to feedback, can make or break that first impression.

So, the real question isn’t “Should you invest in digital marketing?”, it’s “How to do it right and stand out?”

In this blog, we’ll walk you through proven tools, marketing strategies, and expert insights that help orthodontists consistently attract qualified leads, convert them into loyal patients, and build an online reputation that speaks for itself.

Understanding the evolution of orthodontic marketing

Let’s rewind for a moment. Not too long ago, orthodontic marketing primarily consisted of referral cards, newspaper ads, and occasional community sponsorships. Fast-forward to now, and the game has undergone a complete transformation.

Today’s patients find, evaluate, and choose orthodontists digitally, and every interaction across social platforms, search engines, and your website shapes their decision.

That’s why modern orthodontic marketing revolves around strategies that are tailored specifically to your business goals and designed to reach the right audience at the right time.

Here’s what modern orthodontist digital marketing now includes:

• Optimizing your orthodontic practice’s website with strong keyword research and local SEO.
• Managing your presence across Google Business Profiles, Apple Maps, and other social platforms.
• Running HIPAA-compliant pay-per-click (PPC) and display ad campaigns to increase visibility.
• Generating authentic online dentist reviews that build trust and improve your online reputation.
• Using analytics tools to dive deep into conversion trends and enhance your patient acquisition funnel.

Notable Findings: Birdeye's latest data from the State of Online Reviews 2025 report reveals a clear winner: Google dominates the review space, holding an 80% share of reviews in industries such as healthcare. That means if your Google presence is weak, you’re invisible to most potential patients.

Why this shift matters:

• Patients don’t browse, they search. Strong healthcare digital marketing ensures your practice shows up when it matters most.
• Local SEO helps you rank for high-intent queries like “braces consultation near me” or “Invisalign orthodontist with great reviews.”
• Online reviews influence most healthcare decisions, especially when free consultation offers are involved
• Platforms like Google and Facebook are now the first point of contact, not your website.

Pro Tip: Don’t treat your website as the only digital asset. Build a strong, multi-touch presence on Google listings, social platforms, and paid campaigns to connect with your right audience at every stage of their journey.

Top orthodontic marketing agencies and one AI powerhouse you shouldn’t overlook

If you’re trying to grow your orthodontic practice in today’s competitive market, choosing the right orthodontic marketing agency is essential. A great marketing agency helps you:

• Attract prospective clients
• Convert them into loyal patients
• Support your long-term success with strategies for a unique patient journey

Let’s walk through some of the top orthodontist marketing agencies:

1. Propellant Media

• Experts in geofencing marketing, reaching the right audience by location and behavior.
• Specialists in paid search and performance-driven campaigns.
• Focused on conversion optimization for fast results.
• Ideal for growing practices looking for immediate visibility.
• Best for orthodontists handling digital ads without a dedicated team.

2. Ortho Marketing

• Offers comprehensive digital marketing services tailored specifically for orthodontists.
• Includes email campaigns, landing pages, and keyword optimization.
• Strong online reputation for professional design and branding.
• Helps convert prospective clients into booked appointments.
• Best for practices ready to go beyond word of mouth with a data-backed strategy.

3. Sesame Communications

• Helps establish and grow a professional practice online presence.
• Offers SEO, social media management, and content creation.
• Great for practices that need to engage patients consistently.
• Includes communication tools like appointment reminders and email marketing.
• A good fit for practices that want to build stronger bonds with loyal patients.

4. Doctor Genius Marketing

• Combines analytics and creativity to generate qualified leads.
• Known for responsive websites optimized for conversion and SEO.
• Leverages search data to lower cost-per-acquisition and boost ROI.
• Perfect for attracting patients who are actively searching online.
• Strong retention support through nurturing flows and a long-term success strategy.

5. Thrive Agency

• Full-service digital marketing agency for dentists and orthodontists.
• Offers review generation, reputation management, and social media campaigns.
• Provides strategic direction with a seasoned, dedicated team.
• Tracks performance closely to align with business goals.
• Best for practices looking to scale while delivering consistency across all touchpoints.

6. PBHS

• Emphasizes HIPAA compliance for all digital assets and ads.
• Strong in local SEO, NAP consistency, and map-pack visibility.
• Delivers clean, branded assets designed for orthodontic patients.
• Especially suited for surgical orthodontists or practices offering advanced treatments.
• Reliable for balancing growth with regulatory and privacy concerns.

7. HIP Creative Agency

• Focuses on strategic growth with custom funnels for patient acquisition.
• Deep experience with dental industry workflows and cycles.
• Builds scalable systems for attracting and retaining loyal patients across multiple platforms.
• Collaborates closely with your internal or external marketing team.
• Best for long-term partnerships focused on sustainable growth and patient engagement.

8. Dental Marketo

• Automates marketing tasks like webchat, email follow-ups, and review requests.
• Syncs with your practice software to improve patient journeys.
• Converts traffic using AI-powered chat tools that book appointments in real-time.
• Supports omnichannel campaigns, including social media and SMS.
• Designed for fast-scaling practices that want to engage patients consistently without adding workload.

9. O360

• Specializes in stunning orthodontic websites with strong branding.
• Integrates keyword-rich content aligned with your business goals.
• Performs extensive keyword research to rank for high-intent searches.
• Includes performance monitoring to enhance online practice outcomes.
• Best for image-conscious practices seeking a premium look and feel.

Bonus: Birdeye: the AI-driven growth engine for orthodontic practices

Now, let’s talk about a solution that isn’t an agency but delivers the firepower of one, with automation, AI, and real-time insights built for results.

Birdeye may not be a traditional marketing agency, but it’s an AI-powered platform built for growth. Trusted by thousands of dental and orthodontic practices, it delivers powerful tools to attract and retain patients. What makes it unique? Because it helps them:

• Attract more patients through high-ranking Google Business Profiles.
• Convert visitors with 24/7 AI-powered webchat.
• Automate review generation so your happy patients become your loudest advocates.
• Centralize and schedule social media posts across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
• Analyze patient feedback and performance using Birdeye Insights AI to optimize what’s working and fix what’s not.

Birdeye is especially helpful for practices that want to scale across multiple locations without hiring a massive in-house team.

Whether you’re looking to strengthen your online reputation, improve listing accuracy, or gain clarity into what’s driving growth, Birdeye offers the all-in-one solution built for long-term success, backed by data, automation, and results.

Pro Tip: Pairing a great digital marketing agency with a tool like Birdeye can be a game-changer. Let your agency handle strategy and creative, while Birdeye powers automation, review growth, and practice-wide visibility.

How to select the right orthodontic marketing agency?

Choosing the right orthodontic marketing agency can directly impact how easily potential patients discover and choose your dental or orthodontic practice. The right partner helps you consistently attract new patients and build long-term momentum.

Here’s how to evaluate and select the right agency:

Determine your marketing needs

Start by defining your:

• Business goals (increase patient volume, improve visibility, launch new orthodontic services).
• Existing marketing efforts and gaps.
• Target audience and geographic locations.

Quick Tip: Look at competitors’ reviews, ads, and social profiles to benchmark your digital presence. Birdeye Competitors AI is your all-in-one solution for tracking competitor performance, uncovering sentiment trends, and benchmarking your brand, so you know exactly where you stand.

Evaluate the agency’s expertise and track record

Ask:

• Do they specialize in orthodontics or dental digital marketing?
• Can they showcase success stories with other dental practices?
• Do they offer tailored strategies or cookie-cutter solutions?

Worth Noting: A good agency understands the unique challenges faced by many orthodontic practices, including long treatment cycles and irregular appointment schedules.

Understand pricing and expected value

Before signing on, clarify:

• Pricing models: flat rate, hourly, or performance-based.
• Ensure they offer ROI tracking solutions, such as Birdeye Insights AI.
• Confirm if services include content creation, paid ads, and conversion tracking.

Bonus Tip: While a great agency can amplify your visibility and strategy, pairing it with the right technology can supercharge your results. That’s where Birdeye comes in, bridging the gap between marketing execution and scalable, AI-powered growth. 

Here’s a real-world case study that shows how one orthodontic practice achieved remarkable results with Birdeye.

How Birdeye drives digital growth for Innovative Implant and Oral Surgery

The brand

Innovative Implant and Oral Surgery is a renowned two-location practice in Pennsylvania specializing in oral and maxillofacial care for both adults and children.

The challenge

Their team wasn’t collecting or leveraging patient reviews, leaving their online visibility weak. Because most of their patients were first-timers, establishing trust quickly was critical.

The solution

Birdeye enabled automatic review requests after appointments. Within a year, they received over 550 reviews. Using Birdeye Listings AI, they also fixed incorrect and missing listings across the web, boosting their local SEO and visibility.

• Over 180,000 visits were generated through Birdeye-enhanced web presence.
• Online reviews became their #2 referral source after dental partners.
• With Birdeye Social AI, they promoted reviews across Facebook and Instagram with ease.

Learn more about Innovative Implant and Oral Surgery and Birdeye case study

Core digital strategies for orthodontists that actually work

Growing an orthodontic practice in a search-first, review-driven environment requires more than just a website and a logo. It requires a combination of:

• Strategic thinking
• Comprehensive services
• Tools designed with a deep understanding of prospective patients

Here’s a breakdown of proven digital strategies that not only bring in immediate visibility but also help your orthodontic practice grow sustainably.

1. SEO and local search optimization

Search is the first stop for most orthodontic patients, and if you’re not showing up for queries like “braces near me”, you’re missing out on your next free consultation.

• Optimize for local search engine optimization-SEO to rank in high-intent “near me” searches.
• Set up a complete Google Business Profile with photos, service details, insurance info, and staff bios.
• Use a tool like Birdeye Listings AI to maintain NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) consistency and manage keywords across platforms.

Pro Tip: Each licensed orthodontist at your practice should have a separate GBP listing to boost search engine visibility. Google allows individual practitioner listings for public-facing professionals who provide direct services to clients at a specific location.

2.Online review generation and management

Online reviews shape patient decisions long before they reach your website. Generating consistent, high-quality feedback builds trust and strengthens your online reputation. 

As mentioned earlier, in 2024, 81% of reviews included detailed content. It is a clear sign that patients are reading closely and choosing providers based on detailed experiences.

• Automate review requests using Birdeye Reviews AI, saving time while scaling review volume.
• Monitor patient sentiment trends using Birdeye Insights AI to uncover strengths and fix pain points.
• Share top reviews on social media posts and your website to build credibility instantly.

3. Social media marketing

Social media is a lot more than brand awareness; it’s a powerful trust builder when used right.

• Share behind-the-scenes content, team spotlights, educational tips, and testimonials.
• Use Birdeye Social AI to plan your calendar and schedule posts across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more.
• With Birdeye’s Social Publishing Agent, multi-location practices can automate posts that stay on-brand, compliant, and healthcare-relevant content such as FAQs, awareness days, and wellness tips.
• Track engagement by location or treatment type to see what resonates with your patient base.

Pro Tip: Visual storytelling builds emotional connection. Show real patients (with permission), before-and-after results, and success stories to inspire confidence.

4. Paid search and digital advertising

If you need immediate visibility, digital advertising can provide it quickly.

• Run pay-per-click (PPC) and Google Ads campaigns targeting high-intent terms like “Invisalign provider near me” or “orthodontist with flexible payment plans.”
• Localize your ads to comply with HIPAA and target patients by city, ZIP code, or behavioral characteristics.
• Deploy retargeting ads to re-engage visitors who left your site without booking, guiding them back to convert.
• Use conversion optimization tools and analytics to improve ROI on ad spend.

Pro Tip: Don’t just track clicks, measure phone calls, form fills, and scheduled consults to understand true performance.

5. Reputation and brand management

Your reputation doesn’t end at reviews. It’s shaped by how you respond, engage, and evolve.

• Track all mentions of your brand online using Birdeye solutions.
• Use Birdeye Surveys AI to send custom surveys that test, measure satisfaction and uncover friction points without the hassle of coding.

• Fix inconsistent listings, respond to both positive and negative feedback, and monitor your online reputation over time.

Worth Noting: Consistent engagement builds trust. And trust builds loyalty, especially in healthcare.

6. Website optimization and live chat

Your website should be more than just a digital brochure. It should be a conversion machine.

• Ensure your site is fast-loading, mobile-optimized, and built with input from SEO experts.
• Add an AI-powered chat assistant, such as Birdeye Chatbot AI, to engage and convert visitors 24/7.
• Utilize heatmaps, A/B testing, and conversion optimization tools to enhance form submissions and increase consult bookings.

Pro Tip: Don’t forget accessibility, your site should be usable for all patients, including those with disabilities.

Together, these strategies create a well-rounded system that helps your orthodontic practice grow, attract more orthodontic patients, and build an online reputation that works around the clock.

FAQs about orthodontist digital marketing

Final word: Invest smartly, grow sustainably

Growth in orthodontics comes down to one thing: focusing on digital marketing strategies that match how potential patients search, engage, and choose care.

Whether you’re aiming to boost patient acquisition, improve SEO, or promote a specific orthodontic treatment, success comes from smart, focused execution and adopting platforms like Birdeye to automate, scale, and simplify outreach.

With the right digital marketing tools and strategy, you can:

• Attract high-intent new patients
• Keep loyal patients engaged after treatment
• Drive sustainable growth with data-backed online marketing

Want to grow faster and smarter? With Birdeye, every digital touchpoint becomes a chance to reach the right audience and scale your orthodontic practice. Watch a demo now.