Marketing for Orthodontists: Attract Adults and Teens for Braces and Aligners

May 21, 2026·Nataliia· 13 min read All posts

As an orthodontist, you know how competitive the market can be. With so many options available, it's crucial to have a solid marketing strategy in place to attract new patients, especially adults and teens seeking braces and aligners. In fact, a recent survey found that 75% of adults consider their smile an important aspect of their overall health.

75↑

Adults considering smile important

Source: American Association of Orthodontists

60↑

Orthodontic patients aged 18-34

Orthodontic practice demographics

40↑

Patients using aligners

Aligner usage statistics

25↑

Practices using social media

Social media adoption rates

Understanding Your Target Audience

To create an effective marketing strategy, you need to understand your target audience. Adults and teens seeking orthodontic treatment have different needs and preferences than children. For example, adults are often more concerned about aesthetics and may prefer clear aligners or ceramic braces. Teens, on the other hand, may be more interested in trendy orthodontic options like Damon braces.

Adults: 60% of orthodontic patients are between 18 and 34 years old
Teens: 40% of patients are under 18
Consider offering financing options or insurance coverage to make treatment more accessible

Leveraging Local SEO for Orthodontists

Local SEO is critical for orthodontists, as patients are often searching for nearby practices. To optimize your online presence:

Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile
Use location-specific keywords on your website
Build high-quality citations on relevant directories

Learn more about our local SEO services to improve your online visibility.

Paid Advertising for Orthodontists

Paid advertising can help you reach a wider audience and drive more patients to your practice. Consider using:

Google Ads: target keywords like "braces near me" or "clear aligners"
Meta Ads: target demographics, interests, and behaviors
Social media ads: target teens and adults on platforms like Instagram and Facebook

Orthodontic Practice Marketing Channels

Google AdsBest

$40

Meta Ads

$25

Social Media Ads

$20

Referrals

$15

Average marketing spend allocation

Creating Engaging Content

Content marketing can help establish your practice as an authority in the orthodontic industry. Consider creating:

Blog posts: share tips on oral health, orthodontic treatment options, and more
Videos: showcase your practice, share patient testimonials, and explain treatment options
Social media content: share behind-the-scenes, promotions, and educational content

Pro Tip

Use patient testimonials and reviews to build trust and credibility with potential patients.

Measuring and Optimizing Your Marketing Efforts

To ensure the success of your marketing efforts, it's essential to track and analyze your results. Consider using:

Google Analytics: track website traffic, conversions, and more
Social media insights: track engagement, reach, and conversions
Patient feedback: collect feedback to improve your services and marketing efforts

Watch Out

Don't neglect your online reputation – respond promptly to patient reviews and feedback.

Closing

If you want help applying these marketing strategies to your orthodontic practice, contact us for a free audit and consultation. Our team at DataLatte can help you create a customized marketing plan to attract more patients and grow your practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I'm spending $3,000 a month on Google Ads and getting one or two patients. Is that normal?

No, that's not normal, and you shouldn't accept it. If you're spending $3,000 and getting two patients, that's $1,500 per acquisition. Depending on your case fees, that might be profitable, but it's almost certainly not optimal. The most common culprit is broad match keywords and no negative keywords. Pull your search terms report. I'd bet you're paying for clicks from people searching “cheapest orthodontist” or “braces cost without insurance.” Add those as negatives. Then narrow your location targeting. A 10-mile radius is usually enough for an orthodontic practice. After that, split your campaigns by service type so the right ad shows for the right search. If you don't see your cost-per-lead drop by at least 40% within 30 days, your account needs a full rebuild.

Q: Should I be on Instagram? TikTok? My daughter says I need to be on Reels.

Only if you have the time and personality to post consistently. For orthodontists, Instagram works well for before-and-after photos and staff content. TikTok can work if you're willing to be slightly ridiculous — think “Orthodontist reacts to DIY braces” or “What happens when you don't wear your retainer.” But the ROI is slower than Google Ads or referrals. If you have a small team and limited budget, I'd start with Google Ads and your Google Business Profile before touching social media. If you've got those running well, then add Instagram. One practice in Nashville grew from 200 to 1,200 followers in three months by posting one before-and-after video per day. But they had a dedicated staff member doing it. If it's you or your front desk adding it to an already full plate, skip it.

Q: How do I compete with the big corporate orthodontist chains that have huge ad budgets?

You don't outspend them. You out-local them. A chain like SmileDirectClub or Aspen Dental runs national campaigns. You can't win on brand awareness. But you can win on local trust. Optimize your Google Business Profile. Collect reviews. Respond to every single one. Build relationships with local high schools, sports teams, and parent groups. Sponsor a little league team. Show up at school events. Be the orthodontist people know by name, not the one they saw on a billboard. In practice, I've seen independent orthodontists in Denver and Austin consistently outperform corporate chains in their immediate neighborhoods by focusing on local SEO and referrals. The chains have more money. You have more trust. That matters more in healthcare.

Q: What's the single most cost-effective thing I can do this week to get more patients?

Fix your Google Business Profile. Add 20 photos. Answer the Q&A section (write questions yourself if there are none). Set up a direct booking link. Post an offer. All of that takes about two hours and costs nothing. I've seen it increase phone calls by 30% within a week. If you've already done that, the next best thing is setting up a referral program. Print cards, create a digital link, and train your front desk to mention it at every appointment. Those two things — a polished GBP and a simple referral process — will outperform most paid ad campaigns at a fraction of the cost.

Q: Is it worth paying for a professional website redesign? My current site was built in 2018.

It depends on whether your site is costing you patients. If your site loads in more than three seconds on mobile, doesn't have online scheduling, or buries your contact information — yes, fix it. If it's functional but boring, you can probably get away with updating the copy and photos instead of a full rebuild. One practice I worked with in Austin increased consultations by 40% just by adding a “Book Online” button to the top of every page and rewriting the homepage to say “Adults and teens welcome” instead of the generic “We treat all ages.” That change took an afternoon. A full redesign costs anywhere from $3,000 to $15,000. I'd only recommend that if your current site is actively hurting you.

Q: How do I handle negative reviews without looking defensive?

Bad reviews happen. The key is how you respond. Never argue publicly. Instead, acknowledge the concern, apologize for the experience, and offer to discuss it offline. Example: “We're sorry to hear about your experience, Jennifer. That's not the standard we aim for. Please call us at [number] so we can make this right.” That response shows anyone reading the review that you care and that you take feedback seriously. One review handled badly can cost you dozens of potential patients. One handled well can actually increase trust, because people see that you're human and that you fix problems. If the review is clearly fake or violates Google's policy (e.g., from a competitor), you can flag it for removal, but that rarely works. Your best defense is a high volume of positive reviews so that one negative doesn't skew your rating.

Here's the thing. I've seen orthodontists spend $10,000 a month on ads and get nothing back, while a competitor down the street spends $1,500 and keeps the schedule full. It's rarely about budget size. It's about whether you're targeting the right people in the right way, and whether you're making it easy for them to choose you once they find you.

The practices that grow consistently aren't the ones with the fanciest websites or the biggest ad spend. They're the ones who answer the phone on the second ring, respond to reviews within 24 hours, and have a referral system that runs on autopilot. That's not exciting advice. But it's the advice that actually works.

If you want me to take a look at what you're currently doing and tell you where the waste is, I'm happy to do that. No pressure, no pitch — just an honest assessment of where your marketing dollars are actually going. Book a free consultation

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Nataliia

Local marketing strategist with 10+ years at global agencies — OMD, Dentsu, GroupM, and BBDO. Now helping small businesses get the same data-driven edge. Based in Europe, working with clients in the US, UK, Australia, and beyond.

About Nataliia