Brand Guidelines for Dental Offices to Attract and Retain Gen-Z Patients

Why is it important for dental practices to focus on Gen-Z patients?

It is important to engage with Gen Z patients through tailored marketing, convenient digital services, and preventive dental care to foster loyalty and long-term growth for dental practices:

1. Population Size and Growing Influence: Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) is becoming one of the largest segments of the U.S. population, accounting for approximately 20% of the total population, presenting a significant opportunity for dental offices to build long-term patient relationships early in their lives.

2. Healthcare Spending and Independence: A report by the Transamerica Center for Health Studies notes that 77% of Gen Z are likely to manage their own healthcare as they age. Dental offices that engage this generation early can establish loyalty and generate recurring revenue through preventive and cosmetic dental services.

3. Focus on Oral Health and Aesthetics: The American Dental Association (ADA) has reported an increased interest among younger people in cosmetic dental treatments like teeth whitening and clear aligners. This aligns with Gen Z's value of appearance and digital identity, providing dental practices with an opportunity to market these services effectively.

4. Digital Preferences: 98% of Gen Z owns a smartphone. They expect convenience and digital engagement, including online booking, digital reminders, and educational content through social media. Dental offices that adapt to these expectations can increase their reach and patient engagement.

5. Preventive Focus: According to the CDC, younger generations are more focused on preventive care than previous generations, making them more likely to seek regular dental check-ups if effectively encouraged.

To attract Gen-Z patients to your dental practice, it’s important to adapt to their preferences, which are shaped by the digital landscape and a desire for personalized experiences.

Here are some new-age patient acquisition tactics that dental offices should consider to effectively engage Gen-Z:

1. Social Media Presence (Especially on TikTok and Instagram)

• Gen-Z spends a lot of time on social media, with TikTok and Instagram being the most popular platforms. Creating engaging short-form content, like behind-the-scenes videos, dental care tips, or myth-busting, can attract their attention.
• Use relatable humor, educational content, or even collaborations with local influencers to generate interest and create a positive image of your dental office.

2. Embrace Video Content

• YouTube and TikTok videos that show what to expect during a dental appointment, introduce the team, or showcase transformations can build comfort and trust.
• Live Q&A sessions can also be valuable to address common concerns or answer questions about procedures, which helps build credibility.

3. Gamification and Rewards Programs

• Gen-Z loves interactive and engaging experiences. Offer rewards for loyal patients, like points for every appointment or referral that can be redeemed for discounts, services, or branded items.
• Gamify dental hygiene with challenges like “7-Day Smile Care” on social media, which encourages participants to share progress and win prizes.

4. Online Booking and Seamless Digital Experience

• Gen-Z expects convenience. Make booking appointments easy with a user-friendly online scheduling system or a mobile app.
• Ensure your website is mobile-optimized and loads quickly since many Gen-Z patients will interact with your practice through their phones.

Power Tip: With CareStack’s built-in online scheduling module, you can set aside time slots for patients to book online, create workflows to send them on-boarding documentation, and get them to complete the documentation digitally, all before they even set foot inside your office.

5. Offer Virtual Consultations

• Virtual consultations have become increasingly popular, and Gen-Z appreciates the convenience of telehealth. Offering an initial consultation virtually can lower barriers for those feeling uncertain about dental visits and can serve as an educational opportunity.

Power Tip: CareStack’s built-in tele-dentistry module can help you create virtual consultation time slots in your calendar, connect with the patient from within CareStack securely, and even get paid online before / after the virtual appointment.

6. Leverage Influencer Marketing

• Partner with local influencers or dental health influencers who align with your brand to share their experiences. Authentic testimonials from people they trust can be a compelling motivator for Gen-Z.
• Dental offices can also work with micro-influencers, who tend to have a highly engaged following and a more relatable presence.

7. Authentic, Transparent Branding

• Gen-Z values authenticity and transparency. Highlight patient testimonials, share case studies, and provide genuine before-and-after images of procedures.
• Showcase your team's personality with bios and fun content. Allowing patients to “meet” the people behind the office online creates a sense of trust and familiarity.

Power Tip: With CareSTack’s flexible email editor, you can create custom branding templates for your emails, and send them automatically from within CareStack. Which means that you can control and extend your brand yourselves, without paying for marketers and designers.

8. Focus on Sustainability and Social Impact

• Highlight any sustainable practices you adopt, like eco-friendly toothbrushes, waste reduction initiatives, or supporting local charities. Gen-Z cares deeply about brands that align with their values.
• Participating in community events and sharing your involvement on social media can also demonstrate your commitment to positive social impact.

9. Text and DM Communication

• Gen-Z prefers text messages and direct messaging (DM) to phone calls. Offering appointment reminders, follow-up, and communication via SMS or even through platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram DMs can make it easier for Gen-Z to interact with your practice.
• Let them DM questions directly on Instagram or other platforms where they follow you.

Power Tip: CareStack is Gen-Z ready, as it comes with in-built capabilities for two-way patient texting, along with abilities to send automated appointment reminders, recall reminders, payment reminders and a lot more.

10. Personalized Experience and Education

• Personalize their experience by using reminders tailored to their preferences (e.g., choosing their favorite music for dental treatments).
• Provide easy-to-understand educational content about procedures and oral health, as many Gen-Z patients value being informed before making decisions.

Power Tip: With CareStack, you can access patient education videos directly from the patient chart, so that you can show them what a gingival flap procedure is, rather than talk about it. You can also set up periodic newsletters from CareStack to broadcast to your patient base to educate them and build better patient relationships.

11. In-Office Selfie Spots and Shareable Moments

• Create an “Instagrammable” corner in your office with props or a ring light where patients can take pictures after their visit. Encourage them to share their “bright smile” moments with a practice hashtag. This turns the patient experience into something shareable and fun.
• Add incentives, like entering them into a giveaway if they share and tag your practice.

12. Online Reviews and Testimonials

• Gen-Z looks for social proof before making decisions. Encourage satisfied patients to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, or social media.
• Share those reviews or testimonials on your social media channels to showcase happy patient experiences.

Power Tip: You can send review requests as text or email directly from the appointment scheduler as you check out the appointment, so that you can immediately convert a happy patient experience into a positive review in Google, Facebook, Yelp or others.

13. Provide Affordable and Flexible Payment Options

• Highlight flexible payment plans, student discounts, or offers targeting young patients. Gen-Z is budget-conscious, and transparent pricing can help them decide faster.
• Consider options like pay-over-time services (e.g., CareCredit) and advertise them clearly so potential patients know they have flexibility when covering costs.

Power Tip: CareStack comes with CSPay, a built-in payment processing module that allows you to easily create payment plans, which you can then assign to patients and keep their cards securely on file for periodic billing. What’s more, the patient payments go back to the ledger and auto-applies against charges! Plus, your patients can make payments online, from their phones or even by scanning a QR code. How cool is that!

14. AR/VR Experiences

• Use augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) to provide interactive experiences that educate Gen-Z patients on dental procedures. For instance, using VR goggles to let them “experience” what a typical dental visit looks like could be a good way to familiarize nervous patients.

Conclusion

Gen-Z patients are looking for a mix of convenience, transparency, and engaging experiences. Adopting a strategic digital presence on platforms where they spend time, offering easy ways to book and communicate, and adding a personal touch are key to winning over this generation. By embracing these new-age tactics, your dental practice can stand out and foster loyalty among Gen-Z patients.