You think you know what works in dental clinic marketing—a splashy ad, a catchy jingle, maybe even some TikTok dances (Yes, I am being sarcastic). But what if I told you the real secret to growing your practice is about relationships, trust, and… a membership program? Yeah, you heard me. Memberships.
Most dental clinic marketing goals fall into three categories:
- Attracting the right patients
- Retaining existing patients
- Creating predictable revenue
Many practices focus heavily on acquisition but overlook retention and recurring value.
Dental Clinic Marketing Goal Examples (What Actually Moves the Needle)
When dental practice owners talk about marketing goals, they often think in terms of tactics—more ads, more social posts, more promotions. But the most successful clinics define their marketing goals around outcomes, not activities.
Here are the most common (and effective) dental clinic marketing goals practices should focus on today:
1. Increase Patient Retention (Not Just New Leads)
Attracting new patients is expensive. Retaining existing patients is profitable.
A strong marketing goal isn’t just “get more new patients,” but:
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Keep patients coming back consistently
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Build long-term loyalty
Practices that focus on retention often find they need less advertising overall because word-of-mouth and repeat visits do the heavy lifting.
2. Create Predictable, Recurring Revenue
One of the biggest frustrations in dental marketing is unpredictability.
A solid marketing goal looks like:
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Smoothing out slow months
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Reducing dependence on seasonal promotions
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Creating revenue that doesn’t reset to zero every month
Marketing should support financial stability—not just short-term spikes.
3. Attract the Right Patients (Not Every Patient)
Not all patients are created equal.
Modern dental marketing goals often include:
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Fewer price shoppers
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More patients who value care and consistency
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Higher acceptance of treatment plans
This usually means improving the offer and experience, not just increasing ad spend.
4. Improve Case Acceptance Through Trust
Marketing doesn’t stop when a patient walks in the door.
Many practices set marketing goals around:
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Helping patients say “yes” to recommended care
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Reducing financial objections
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Making treatment decisions feel easier and more transparent
When trust is high, marketing and clinical outcomes align.
5. Reduce Dependence on Insurance-Driven Marketing
A growing number of practices set a long-term marketing goal of:
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Lowering reliance on PPO-driven volume
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Reducing administrative complexity
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Shifting toward patient-direct relationships
This goal isn’t about eliminating insurance overnight—it’s about building options and leverage over time.
6. Build a Self-Sustaining Referral Engine
The best marketing goal of all?
Getting patients to do the marketing for you.
Practices that win here focus on:
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Exceptional patient experience
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Clear value propositions
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Simple ways for patients to refer friends and family
When referrals increase, paid marketing pressure decreases.
Why Most Dental Marketing Goals Fall Short
The challenge is that many practices try to achieve these goals using tactics alone—ads, discounts, promotions—without changing the underlying business model.
That’s where many teams get stuck.
Many dental practices talk about these marketing goals, but far fewer actually achieve them consistently. The gap usually isn’t effort—it’s structure. That’s why real-world examples matter more than theory. When you see how another practice set clear marketing goals and aligned their model around them, the path forward becomes a lot clearer.
One practice that did this exceptionally well is Pioneer Valley Dental Arts
Take it from Gina Kiner (My new favorite friend) at Pioneer Valley Dental Arts, who didn’t just dip her toes in the membership pool—she cannonballed in and made waves. In just 12 months, Gina and her team signed up 365 membership patients. That’s right—one new member every day – Her goal is to sign ups 1100 patients in the next 12 months! Inspiring!!
Let’s break down how Gina did it, how BoomCloud™ was her secret weapon, and why this could be your ticket to transforming your practice.
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Gina’s Journey: From Hygiene to Membership Queen
Let’s start with Gina, the real MVP. When she transitioned from hygienist to practice manager, she didn’t just bring her dental smarts—she brought a vision. Gina’s mission: to simplify care for patients while creating predictable revenue for the practice. The solution? A membership program that could do all that and more.
Why Memberships Programs Are The Best Dental Clinic Marketing Strategy
If you’re unfamiliar, a dental membership program is like Netflix for your patients. For a monthly or yearly fee, patients get access to preventive care, discounts on treatments, and the priceless feeling of being part of an exclusive club.
Here’s why membership programs work:
- For patients: It removes the headache of insurance. No maximums, no deductibles, no hoops to jump through.
- For practices: It builds predictable, recurring revenue. Plus, membership patients spend 2-4X more than PPO patients on average.
Gina saw this as a win-win—and she was right.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Here’s how Pioneer Valley Dental Arts’ membership program stacked up after one year:
- Patients signed up: 365
- Monthly Fee: $39.99
- Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR): $174,000
- Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR): $14,596.35
- Member Spend: $1,200/year vs. $400/year for PPO patients
And let’s not forget the referral effect. Members loved the program so much they brought in friends and family, driving steady growth without a dollar spent on traditional marketing.
The Secret Sauce: Empowering the Whole Team
Gina’s genius move wasn’t just launching a membership program. It was getting the whole team on board. From dentists to hygienists to the front desk, everyone was trained to talk about the benefits of membership.
Instead of siloing financial conversations to the admin team, Pioneer Valley integrated membership discussions into clinical care. Hygienists became advocates, talking to patients about how the program could help them save money on diagnostics and treatments.
How BoomCloud™ Supercharged the Program
Running a membership program can be tricky—unless you have a partner and dental membership software like BoomCloud™. Gina credits BoomCloud™ for making it easy to launch, manage, and grow the practice’s membership program.
Here’s what BoomCloud™ did:
- Streamlined Onboarding: Patients could sign up online or in the office in minutes.
- Automated Billing: No awkward “Your card didn’t go through” calls.
- Real-Time Data: Gina tracked monthly recurring revenue (MRR) and member growth with ease.
- Ongoing Support: BoomCloud™’s team was always a call or text away to help fine-tune the program.
Schedule a demo & learn how BoomCloud can help your practice scale a patient membership program!
The Referral Power Play – Dental Clinic Marketing
When you build something patients love, they’ll talk about it. Gina made referrals a cornerstone of her dental clinic marketing strategy. Membership patients were encouraged to bring in family and friends, creating a self-sustaining growth engine.
With zero dollars spent on ads, Pioneer Valley Dental Arts averaged 30 new members per month, all thanks to word of mouth.
Case Study: Why Patients Love Memberships
Gina’s favorite feedback came during renewal season. When calling members to confirm auto-renewals, she didn’t just get confirmation—she got gratitude. Patients raved about the program, with one saying, “This is the best decision I’ve ever made for my dental health!”
Why?
- Members felt valued and cared for.
- The program made budgeting for dental care stress-free.
- Gina’s team made the whole process seamless and transparent.
How to Copy Gina’s Success
Ready to follow Gina’s lead? Here are her top tips for launching a killer membership program:
1. Build a Dedicated Team:
Don’t expect your dentist-owner to handle it solo. Create a subcommittee of admin and clinical team members to champion the program.
2. Keep It Simple:
Patients shouldn’t need a PhD to understand your membership program. Offer clear benefits and easy pricing.
3. Use the Right Tools:
Let BoomCloud™ handle the heavy lifting with automation, analytics, and support.
4. Talk About It—A Lot:
Make memberships part of every patient interaction, from hygiene visits to treatment plan discussions.
5. Track and Adjust:
Review member feedback regularly to fine-tune the program and keep it relevant.
Wrapping Dental Clinic Marketing Goals
Gina at Pioneer Valley Dental Arts turned a simple idea into a game-changing marketing strategy. By combining a well-run membership program with referral marketing, her practice didn’t just grow—it thrived.
And here’s the kicker: You can do it too. With tools like BoomCloud™ and a little team effort, you can create a membership program that boosts patient loyalty, increases revenue, and makes dental care accessible to more people.
So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to ditch the insurance drama and start building the practice of your dreams—one membership patient at a time.
