Dental Implants and dental implant marketing will not be going away any time soon by all indicators. Implants continue to grow in popularity. According to the latest study by iData Research, over 3 million dental implants are placed each year in the United States with that number expected to continue to climb due to an aging population. (This is a topic that we will cover in greater depth in the future.)
Know Your Patients Before You Engage in Dental Implant Marketing
But who exactly are all these dental implant patients and what are some dental implant marketing ideas to help you find them?
First, let’s consider these overall US tooth-loss statistics from the American College of Prosthodontics.
- It is estimated that 120 million Americans (or almost 1/3 of the population) are missing at least one tooth.
- More than 36 million people (over ten percent of the US population) are missing ALL of their own teeth!
- 26%(!) of people in the US over the age of 75 are missing all of their own teeth.
This is an incredible number of people and certainly reinforces the message that this is an expanding, not a shrinking, market! To get started on our dental implant marketing ideas, let’s look at the reasons that these people have experienced this tooth loss. Here is a breakdown of the most common categories.
- Athletes who’ve damaged their teeth in competition.
- People who have been in a car accident, etc., and lost teeth.
- Adults with an underlying medical condition that has contributed to tooth loss.
- Older people who’ve lost teeth to decay or neglect.
These are four fairly distinct groups of people. The first group would, of course, be younger, active people. The second and third groups could span a broad age group, and the last one would be people in the 65-80 age bracket for the most part.
No matter their age, a prospective implant patient must possess both good oral and general health. Dental implants do not stand alone, of course. Since they are connected to the bone and gum tissues of the mouth, a candidate’s gums cannot be riddled with periodontal disease. (This will probably preclude at least some of the people in the third category above from consideration for implants.) Also, adequate jaw bone is a prerequisite in order to support and maintain the implant or implants for years to come.
But, as long as people meet these criteria, they are excellent candidates for dental implants and can join the ranks of the 3 million+!
Focused Dental Implant Marketing Ideas
So, what are some dental implant marketing ideas for reaching the growing numbers in the above groups who are seeking implants?
First, instead of lumping them all into one marketing group, create patient profiles or personas for each category. By spending the time researching each of them, you’ll be able to create individual campaigns targeted precisely to their individual needs.
- Find out median age, distance to your practice, etc., and use that information to determine how wide to cast your marketing net.
- Explore various platforms, including both the traditional advertising platforms (TV, Radio, and Mailers) and the newer ones (Facebook, Google, and Tiktok). This is especially useful due to the different age groups that we are looking at here.
- Truly seek to identify with each group; put yourself in their shoes as you market to them.
- Reply to all questions. Let your followers know that there’s a real person behind your posts. All ages appreciate the personal touch.
- Don’t hesitate to use “before” and “after” pictures. This is standard practice, but it bears repeating because it is probably THE most important dental implant marketing idea of all. Implant patients have been negatively triggered by their appearance for years and nothing resonates with them more. Note: Facebook doesn’t allow before and after in paid advertising.
- Post fresh content regularly. And try to meet their needs in your posts.
- Study the approaches that resonate with each audience and seek to enhance them.
Marketing takes a lot of work, but the results are well worth it!
Client Connection Group is an implant growth partner, passionate about exploring dental implant marketing ideas for their customers from coast to coast.