How do you name a dental office?

It's not easy to come up with a name for your practice. Do you go by your given name? Do you use the name of the practice area in any way? Do you want something that identifies the type of dentistry you practice? There are as many ways to take as there are names to choose from. Making a decision can be difficult!

Every day, we look at the big picture of dental marketing. Here are some things to think about when picking a dental practice name.

It'll be all over the place.

Have you ever seen a sign for a company or activity that seems to be the product of someone being unable to decide between three names?

As a consequence, the practice has three different names. The first is the doctor's name. One of the things they wanted on their sign was the name of the practice. One of them (and this is my personal favorite) is the “SEO” moniker that someone advised them to use.

This should not be done.

These three names are likely to occur only because you followed the advice of someone you trusted to give you sound advice. Unfortunately, the potential advantages of this name situation do not outweigh the disadvantages. There's no need for three separate names. The falsely-so-called SEO name should be the first to go. It's ineffective and frustrating, and it won't help you attract new patients (click here to learn what will).

It should make it clear that you are a dentist's office.

Don't make your name too vague. Don't try to outsmart yourself.

This is something that most dental offices are aware of. Your name should include the words "dental," "dentist," "teeth," or "smile" in some form. People must know who you are right away.

Every year, the average person spends about two hours of their life thinking about dentistry, the majority of which happens when they're in your chair. Since you only have a few seconds to make an impression, make sure your logo and name make it easy to grasp what you do at a glance. This advice also refers to your online presence. Professionalism, faith, and trust should all be present in your name. Potential patients must have faith in the doctor who will be in charge of their oral health. You won't have another opportunity to interact with them for another year (or never if they like the first dentist they pick).

The sound should be appropriate for the target audience.

Dental visits for children should be enjoyable and welcoming. Thankfully, this is typically the case. Animals and superheroes are also excellent choices. In the eyes of a kid, they're not there for their oral health; they're there to have fun, so make it so! Animals aren't the only thing that children enjoy. Consider what your patients like playing with or watching the most.

It will be appreciated by both your young patients and their guardians.

Cosmetic dentistry procedures that are sophisticated should have a low-key, discreet appearance. Avoid displaying glamor in a bombastic or excessively excited manner. This easily creeps people out (are you trying to capitalize on my need for perfect teeth?). Instead, go for a cool, serene look with a hint of elegance. Some cosmetic procedures strive for a “fine wine” appearance, but we've seen patients shy away from this. Rather, we recommend matching it to the sound of a reputable hospital. People expect to pay a premium for high-quality medical care. As a result, make sure your brand's sound and appearance are as premium and sophisticated as the complex services you offer.

Family dentistry falls somewhere in the middle. It should have a strong, warm feel to it. Friendly, but mature. Warm enough to welcome visitors' children, but mature enough for their parents. The key word here is trust.

The name should represent the type of dentistry you want to practice.

The three most popular are cosmetic, family, and pediatric, but there are many more. The emphasis of your dentistry should unquestionably be in your name.

Setting yourself apart from the dozens (or hundreds, if it's a city) of dentists in a town is as simple as putting the main focus of your dental practice.

It also restricts your ability to stay focused for long periods of time, which isn't always a bad thing. It is always possible to rebrand. We'd recommend that as long as you're not rebranding every year, you shouldn't be afraid to let your logo and name represent your current focus, even if your priorities may shift in the future. Being niche, as with most business decisions, is typically preferable to being too common.

Differentiation is one of the first ways people separate the dentists they don't want to see from the ones they do want to see. Potential patients will rule out any dentists that they believe are not the right fit for them. If they know they need big cosmetic work, they'll look for dentists who have that as part of their reputation. Two of the most important ways to distinguish yourself are your name and emblem.

The practice's name does not have to include the doctor's name.

It could be, but it isn't needed. It doesn't matter for SEO purposes because Google will endorse whatever name you want when you append your content and feedback to it.

Choose something that reflects the practice's principles and vision while still being concise and easy to understand.

If you want to hire other physicians in the future, it's a good idea to pick a name for your practice that isn't too closely associated with you. It's also useful to remember the name if you want to retire and sell your practice to a dentist wanting to take over an existing practice.

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