Extending your practices’ unique identity into social media is critical to its success. The key is to have fun with it and let your practices’ culture shine in the digital space. Focus on developing authentic posts that promote the practice, connect you with your followers or have educational or entertainment value.

It’s important to have a strategy in place that allows you to actively engage your audience. A good rule of thumb is to have a posting schedule that follows the recommendations below and include images or videos.

• 50–70 percent of posts should feature the practice
• 20–30 percent of posts should encourage two-way communication
• 10–20 percent of posts should be educational content

Feature the practice:

• Join us in wishing Cindy a happy birthday. We hope you have a wonderful day filled with family and friends. <insert photo of Cindy with her locker decorated or blowing out candles>
• Please join us in welcoming Dr. John Doe to our dental family! He is extremely passionate about educating the community and strives to be a personal health care advocate in addition to being your dentist. <insert photo of Dr. Doe’s headshot or family photo>
• Our Cavity Free Club keeps getting bigger! Will you be next?
• A lot can happen in 120 days!
• Check out what we can do in about 2 hours! <insert video of CEREC milling>
• On time and cavity free! <Insert photo of patient smiling and holding balloon>
• After months of training, Sean completed his first marathon! Great work!
• Time is running out and your dental benefits will expire soon. Take advantage of our extended office hours in November and December and schedule your appointment today!
• Thank you, Dave, for your hard work and dedication these last ten years. You are greatly appreciated!
• This Halloween, bring us your excess candy and earn $1 per pound. The candy collected will go to Operation Gratitude to be included in care packages for wounded heroes and their caregivers.
• We are so proud of Sarah; she was one of the top fundraisers for the Make- a- Wish Foundation this year.
• Downtown’s ice arena has become an annual event, perfect for families with kids of all ages. Check out details below. @folsomdowntowndistrict
• Here is a quick list from the @ADA of “bad brushing habits to break this year so you can keep those pearly whites happy and healthy!”
• On Saturday, Mary joined a group of volunteers to offer free dental services to our residents. Thank you all for donating your time and making this event a success.

Two-way communication:

• Today is National Dress Up Your Pet Day! Doesn’t Butter look cute? Share your pet’s pic! <Insert photo of pet dressed up>
• Today is National Tooth Fairy Day, who is wearing it best? <insert photo with “a” vs “b” option>
• Win two movie tickets when you enter our Holiday Photo Contest. Floss can be used to win.
• February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. Send us a photo of your little one’s big healthy smile and you could win a $25 gift card.
• When Dr. Smith is not in the office, she loves to bake. What do you love to do in your spare time? <Insert photos of baked goods>
• How many days of the week do you floss? Don’t lie.
• I know most people don’t like going to the dentist, but we love seeing you! Share your favorite thing about our practice!

Educational content:

• Our new Cone Beam Technology can give us more information so we can diagnose problems sooner and provide you better treatment plans. Check it out during your next appointment. <insert video of cone beam in operation>
• Rabbits’ and squirrels’ teeth never stop growing. They continuously wear them down by gnawing on whatever is handy. <insert photo of rabbit eating>
• Kids in prehistoric times likely did not suffer from tooth decay. The @AmericanDentalAssociation says this is because sugar was not a part of their diet.
• Just like humans, dogs can wear braces to straighten their teeth and overbites/underbites.
• The average American uses 14 inches of floss per year. I challenge you to be an overachiever and use 5,110 inches per year! (14 inches per day!)
• It’s flu season so please remember to change your toothbrush after you are sick. Old germs can linger on your brush and re-infect you with the flu.
• The average American will spend 38.5 total days brushing their teeth over a lifetime. Talk about commitment.
• Did you know that tooth decay remains the most common chronic disease among children ages 5–17, with nearly 60 percent affected?
• Did you know that more than 300 types of bacteria make up dental plaque?

Now that the creative juices are flowing, here are five tips and tricks to keep in mind.

1. Keep posts short, around 1–2 sentences (400 characters or less).
2. Follow and share content from pages that have similar interests.
3. Shoot photos and videos horizontal.
4. If you’re including patients’ names or faces, have them sign a consent form.
5. Post at least two times a week. Preferably, once per day.