A dental clinic can attract patients through social media without ads where people ask on their own: in posts like “recommend a dentist”, “looking for a second opinion” or “where do I go with this pain” on Threads and in city or parents' Telegram groups. The clinic should reply publicly, as the dentist or the clinic, explaining what the decision depends on and without a diagnosis in the comment. Below is what these requests sound like, where to find them, how to reply and which part of the work Zapyt can do for you.
What do people looking for a dentist write?
Here are requests from our sample of posts that our system classified as looking for a dentist (paraphrased, without names or details that could identify the author):
- “Can anyone recommend a good dentist for veneers?”
- “Thinking about clear aligners, the dentist says two years. Dentists, what do you think?”
- “My son needs braces, two dentists say to remove teeth - looking for another opinion.”
- “My wisdom tooth is coming in and the pain keeps me up at night. Where should I go?”
- “I don't want my wisdom teeth out, but everyone says remove them. Any advice?”
These posts fall into three types, and each needs its own reply:
| Type of request | What's behind the words | What matters in the reply |
|---|---|---|
| “Recommend a good dentist” | They're choosing a person, not a clinic | Who actually treats and how the first visit goes |
| “Another opinion”, “what do you think?” | There's a treatment plan, but no trust in it | What the decision depends on and what to ask the dentist |
| “It hurts, where do I go?” | Pain right now | Briefly: where and when they can come in |
How many such requests are there?
Our demand index has dentistry only for August 2026: 124 requests over two weeks. It isn't in recent weeks: a business appears once it has at least 10 requests in a week. We won't make up a number for your city or compare it with other lines of business: the searches for each are set up separately.
What matters more for a clinic: a request for a dentist is almost always tied to a city. So the total volume counts for little; what counts is how many people ask in your city or district. Only a search set up for your city will show that.
Where to find patients?
Threads. Search intent phrases on the “Recent” tab: “recommend a dentist”, “anyone know a good orthodontist”, “where to get veneers”, “tooth pain where to go”. Add your city and try different word forms. How search works and why “Recent” beats “Top” is covered in how to find clients on Threads.
Telegram. City and district groups, parents' chats, communities of Ukrainians abroad. People ask about doctors there the same way they ask about plumbers or schools, but every group has its own rules. How not to get removed is covered in finding clients in Telegram chats.
Replies under other people's posts. Someone writes about a bad experience with treatment, and in the comments people ask “who did you go to after that?”. Those threads are also where people choose a dentist.
How should a clinic reply to “recommend a dentist”?
In dentistry it's easy to cross a line: people write about pain, fear or distrust after another dentist. These are the rules we follow in drafts for clinics:
- No diagnosis in a comment. You haven't seen the patient or the scans. Explain what the decision depends on and suggest seeing a dentist.
- Don't criticise the other dentist. Even if the plan looks odd. “A second opinion is normal practice” sounds honest; “they're ripping you off” doesn't.
- No prices or promotions in the first reply. A price without an exam won't be accurate anyway, and a promotion turns the reply into an ad.
- For acute pain, keep it short. Where and when they can come in, without long explanations.
- One question at the end. It keeps the conversation going and shows you read this particular post.
Here's what a reply to the aligners post might look like:
Only a dentist who has examined you and seen your scans can give an exact timeline for aligners, so a second opinion is perfectly normal. At our consultations we walk through the plan stage by stage. Did they explain what takes the longest?
No diagnosis, no price, no “book now”. There's an explanation, one mention of the clinic and a question. More before and after examples are in how to answer “any recommendations?”.
A separate note on advertising medical services: it is often governed by its own rules. Before replying on behalf of a clinic, check what's allowed where you work.
Who should write: the dentist or the clinic?
Both work, and it's a decision about voice, not technology. A reply from the dentist as “I” sounds more personal and fits “recommend a good dentist”. A reply from the clinic as “we” is handier when an administrator replies and when people ask about the address, hours or an urgent visit. The main thing is not to mix them: if the dentist writes, let it be their account.
Step by step: the first week
| Step | What to do | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Phrases | List intent phrases with your city | Separately for services: implants, braces, veneers, pain |
| Search | Go through the phrases on “Recent” every day | Requests from other cities are no use to you |
| Selection | Keep requests for a recommendation, a second opinion and acute pain | Skip complaints with no question |
| Reply | An explanation, one mention of the clinic, a question | No diagnosis, prices or links |
| Second move | If the person replies, offer a consultation | One link or phone number is fine here |
| Tracking | Note who replied and who came in | Without it you can't tell whether the channel works |
What Zapyt can do
Every day Zapyt searches Threads and Telegram for requests to recommend a dentist with your city in mind (we add the city to the search queries and the brief), scores each post and drafts two reply options in the clinic's voice: as the clinic (“we”) or as the dentist (“I”), whichever you set in your brief. Prices, terms and experience come only from your brief. You see every reply before it goes out, and nothing is sent without your “yes”. Examples are collected on the Dentistry page. Plans start at $99 a month, and the first 7 days are free: pricing.
FAQ
Is it ethical to reply to posts about people's teeth?
If someone publicly asks for a recommendation or an opinion, a helpful reply is help. The line is crossed with a diagnosis in a comment, pressure and criticism of another dentist.
Can I put a price in the first comment?
Better not. Without an exam the price is approximate, and an approximate price in a comment easily leads to disappointment. Say what it depends on and offer a consultation as the second step.
How many patients can a clinic find this way in a month?
We don't promise a number: it depends on the city, your services and whether your patients ask for advice on social media. A week of searching for your city will show your own picture.
What if there are hardly any such requests in my city?
Then this channel isn't your main one, and ads or work on reviews will be a smarter step. We'll tell you honestly during the trial week.