Your next patient is Googling you right now. Will they call you or the DSO down the street?

We continue to see many dental practices underperforming when it comes to the volume of new patients they are seeing to combat natural attrition in practices. Competition for new patients remains stiff as well. How do you ensure your practice gets the best visibility when a new patient searches for a new dental home?

Picture this: A 38-year-old mom in your zip code just typed “Invisalign [your city]” into her phone. Google serves up three results above the fold. One is a corporate chain with a glossy ad. The second? Another DSO with 400 reviews. The third…could be you. But only if you win the invisible trust contest happening behind the screen.

 

According to a Pew Internet survey & recent industry reports, 72% of new patients research dentists before they ever pick up the phone.

They’re reading reviews at the soccer field, comparing before-and-afters in the pickup line, and cross-checking credentials while dinner simmers. The practice that owns the top organic spot and conveys the right message? It gets all the calls; other practices fight over what’s left.

Corporate DSOs know this. They’re pouring six figures into search engine marketing budgets, outranking you with faster sites, more reviews, and AI-generated content farms. But here’s the secret Google whispers in its algorithm: trust isn’t bought—it’s earned.

Independent dentists like you can “out-trust” the giants by mastering these 3 letters: E-A-T.

Expertise. Authority. Trust.

 

EXPERTISE
Flaunt what makes your practice better.

When someone searches “emergency root canal near me,” Google doesn’t reward the practice with the shiniest lobby. It rewards the one that proves it is the local authority.

Showcase real life, not stock photos. Show smiling patients happily interacting with your team. Help potential patients feel how great your practice will be.

Highlight provider credentials so they pop. Your Invisalign Platinum status? Pin it to the top of the service page with a verifiable badge.

Share original, local content. Answer common patient questions.

Imagine a Marketing partner with AI software that scans the top searches in your market, then ghost-writes hyper-local, practice-branded content that makes Google say, “This is the expert.”

 

AUTHORITY
Make your website faster than a DSO’s Marketing Budget.

Google’s Core Web Vitals are Google’s measure of website speed and user experience. These aren’t suggestions—they’re report cards.

Optimize your website for speed: Aim for under 2 seconds load time. A site that takes 12.7 seconds to paint content causes patients to bounce. Google notices.

Regularly monitor and update your site: Stay ahead of Google’s Web Vitals standards.

A strong Marketing partner doesn’t just optimize your Core Web Vitals—they dominate technical SEO so your site becomes the gold standard Google compares everyone else to.

 

TRUST
Turn happy patients into your loudest billboards.

Trust isn’t a logo. It’s 67 five-star reviews posted in the last 90 days, with you replying to each one like a human.

Make it easy: Patients leave more reviews with automated follow-ups.

Make it effective: Your marketing platform should make it easy for delighted patients to push their reviews straight to Google with one tap. Result? An average ratings boost of 0.4-star and review volume that beats the competition.

Remember the relativity rule: You don’t need to be perfect — just better than the practice next door.

The E-A-T focus is highly effective with local competition. If the DSO has 110 reviews and a 4.7 rating, you need 111+ and 4.8+. If their site scores 88 on mobile, you need 90+. A strong Marketing partner should have a dashboard that shows you exactly where you stand—and auto-deploys the fix.

 

Your Answer? The Ascent Edge: AI That Thinks Like a Dentist, Scales Like a DSO.

  • Expertise
    Pages of original, branded content targeting every money keyword and AI search (Perplexity, ChatGPT).
  • Authority
    The highest Core Web Vitals in your market—guaranteed.
  • Trust
    More reviews, smarter responses, and a rating that climbs like compound interest.
  • Results
    A recent practice has had a 404% increase in overall visibility score. This is a composite of overall impressions, keywords ranked for, website visits, and recent review relevancy–all a direct result of E-A-T strategies. As a result, there was a 66% increase in call volume and a 300% increase in new patient appointments. Ultimately, this has led to a 14x ROI.

 

What now? That mom is still scrolling. In 30 seconds, she’ll either book with the corporate machine…or become your patient for life.

Want to be the name she sees first? Let’s make Google trust you more than it trusts anyone else in town. Schedule your free E-A-T audit today. Ascent will show you how many new patients you could be losing—and how to win them.

 

Contact Mike Sieber, Ascent AI Marketing at 801.913.6474 or Mike.S@AscentPGS.com or schedule directly in Mike’s calendar.

 

Learn more about Ascent Predictive Grow Solutions.

 

 

Written by Doug Sligting, President of Ascent Predictive Growth Solutions

Published in Catalyst – Q1 2026.

 

Category: Practice Consulting

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