2025 Orthodontic Marketing Ideas

It’s the million-dollar question: how can you prep your 2025 orthodontic marketing strategy to stay ahead of the game in the new year? We interviewed industry expert Shannon Patterson of Bentson, Copple, Patterson & Associates to find out what drove the orthodontic field in 2024 to help you create a marketing plan that adjusts for the ups and downs you can expect in 2025. 

2024 Orthodontic Market Insights

The truth of the matter is this: despite higher conversion rates, 2024 saw patient acquisition drop across the board. We all felt it, but learning from the market insights of the past twelve months can help orthodontists move into 2025 with more clarity and marketing direction. 

Here’s why new patients dropped off in 2024: 

The Economy

Inflation might be on the downslide, but prices certainly aren’t. Many families are seriously considering whether they can stretch their budgets to accommodate yet another monthly payment – and many are deciding it just isn’t in the books. 

Pair that with the general election year financial jitters, and you’ve got a recipe for a temporary drop in new patients.

Less Adult Starts

Less money to go around means adults sacrificing their aesthetic preferences in favor of their kids – or dropping the dream altogether. Patterson pointed out that adult starts saw a significant decline in 2024, as parents opted out and young adults chose to save money.

For those who did choose to undergo treatment, many were drawn to direct-to-consumer companies offering limited treatment options, contributing to the reduction in adult starts at local orthodontic practices. 

Competition with Other Elective Procedures

Ozempic rears its head yet again. Patterson explains that with weight loss drugs gaining massive popularity, orthodontists are now having to compete against elective procedures like GLP1s for market share. Given the fact that these medications could reach up to 1% of the nation’s GDP, they aren’t going anywhere, so it’s important to consider how to market against other industries than simply your local orthodontic competitors. 

While weight loss drugs may be pulling your audience’s purse strings, you should also keep an eye on other aesthetic services like Botox, especially in the adult sector. 

Declining Birthrate

Patterson points out that traditionally, 70% of orthodontic patients are under the age of 18. This demographic is changing, however, as the declining birth rate begins to show its face. “There just aren’t going to be as many 10-year-olds,” Patterson says, warning orthodontists to prepare for the next decade to accommodate this shift. 

She predicts that if you didn’t already notice the decline in younger patients in 2024, you’re likely to feel it in 2025 and beyond.


Orthodontic Marketing Ideas for 2025

Considering the landscape of 2024, it’s essential to adjust your 2025 marketing strategy to match the future forecast. Patterson predicts that the pent-up demand for treatment will give way to a mid-year increase in new patient starts, and with that in mind, here’s where we suggest you put your marketing efforts in the new year. 

Highlight Limited Treatment for Adults

70% of adults are retreat cases, which means they’re likely only looking to correct minor shifting since the last time they had braces or clear aligners. These adult patients are more likely to start treatment if they know they have access to a shorter-term, aesthetic option with targeted goals. 

Offering and advertising your limited treatment options is the best way to catch this audience’s attention. By meeting them where they are, you can remove obstacles in their path to encourage them to start much easier than with full treatment. 

You can highlight your limited treatment for adults by: 

Sharing Adult Before & After Photos

Social proof is key to turning leads into new patient starts, but most practices only show before-and-afters of younger patients. This could leave adults feeling like they don’t fit the mold of the typical orthodontic patient, and that alienation could be enough to prevent them from starting treatment at all.

Instead, your practice should normalize adult orthodontic treatment for potential patients by posting before-and-afters of adults from your practice. When leads scroll through your socials and website, they’ll feel more comfortable going to a practice that is experienced in treating adult cases and less likely to feel self-conscious about getting treatment after their teenage years. 

Target Your Advertising to the Adult Demographic

Many orthodontic practices spend the majority of their ad budget on the typical parent demographic. To reel in more adult patients, though, you’ll need to gear your messaging to speak to adults more specifically. 

This might include targeting adult milestones like weddings or graduations, or it could be letting parents know it’s “their turn” to get the smile they deserve. Try to incorporate this messaging into your digital and print ads as well as office collateral to let the world know you offer limited treatment for adults. 


Lean Into Observation Clubs

Observation clubs are one of your best new patient pipelines. While many orthodontic practices exercised this tool in previous years, kids’ clubs appear to have been less of a priority in 2024. 

Leaning back into your waylaid observation clubs or kickstarting a new one at your practice can provide a reliable pathway to patient starts in the younger demographic. These clubs give kids a sense of community while making parents grow trust in your practice over time. 

Not all kids’ clubs are done right, however, so here’s how to improve yours. 

Offer Virtual Check-Ups

Patterson calls it “observation frustration.” It’s the idea that parents become fatigued by 6-month check-in after 6-month check-in without the indication that it’s time for their child to start treatment. To combat this frustration, offer an easier outlet for busy parents to check in with you without having to schedule a full visit. 

Virtual appointments are an excellent way to do this. By scheduling a quick video visit, you can make it easier for parents to check their child’s status without becoming frustrated by the repetitive nature of the observation period. 

Create an Engaging Community

Don’t underestimate the role that community plays in encouraging new patient starts. If you offer a kids’ club, make it fun! Share free swag items with kids who will sport them around their peers – the free advertising never hurts, and it makes other kids want to be involved in the same group. You could also run kids’ club contests, offer rewards for good oral hygiene, or include them in your patient appreciation events. The possibilities are endless.

Brand Your Kids Club

Yes, your practice may already have exceptional branding. But if your observation club doesn’t have its own unique brand in and of itself, you could be missing a lot of what makes it worth joining. 

Your kids’ club should have its own logo, colors, brand voice, and even a mascot. Anything that makes it stand out for parents and kids alike will help encourage leads to join and stick around for the long haul. 

Clarify Your Messaging

Whether you’re targeting adults or kids, your messaging should reflect your services clearly. Patterson argues that adult treatment is often hidden on websites and marketing materials, leaving potential interest on the table. The same goes with kids’ clubs – if parents don’t see your observation club front and center, they’re unlikely to know it’s even available. 

Add a Callout to Your Home Page

In order to spread the word about your services, be sure to include some sort of callout on your home page. This might appear as a blurb on the side of the screen or a carousel of offerings at the top of the page. In any case, making it clear what you offer is the best way to encourage new starts in these areas. 

Share Related Content

While your website is a great place to start highlighting your adult treatment and kids’ club, it’s best to try several angles at once. Write blog content about what your kids’ club offers or events you’ve held recently. Share social posts about why adults should consider orthodontic treatment. Fanning your efforts out across multiple platforms will help you reach more audiences on their level. 

Compete Against Elective Procedures

When it comes to setting your orthodontic services apart from the crowd, don’t be afraid to take on leads from the existing aesthetic industry. If you’re missing out on adult starts to the medspa down the street, you’ll need to up your marketing game to attract that same group of aesthetically minded individuals and steer their interests toward their smiles. 

Targeted Digital Ads

Digital ads offer a myriad of ways to choose a select target audience based on demographics and interests. Try targeting frequent Botox users with clear aligner ads to broaden their horizons of what aesthetic treatment can offer them. After all, it isn’t just injections that can improve your look – a confident smile can, too. 

Partner with Aesthetics Providers

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, right? A great way to advertise your services to this select group of adults is to partner with aesthetic providers in your area to create shared events, like a “Botox, Invisalign, & Bubbles” party. You might offer free Invisalign scans for interested individuals while they also peruse the market for other aesthetic options. This win-win scenario puts you in front of a new audience and builds a local connection at the same time. 

Make Your Mark in 2025

As you look toward the year ahead, remember that learning from the challenges of 2024 is the key to adapting your marketing strategy for the new year. By focusing on limited treatments for adults, reviving observation clubs for younger patients, clarifying your services, and positioning your practice to compete against other elective procedures, you’ll be better prepared for the shifts ahead. 

And if you’re ready to bring these insights to life and elevate your orthodontic marketing strategy, you know where to find us

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