Are you pinning yet? Hope so. Pinterest can be a useful tool in your dental marketing toolbox. If not, here’s an important concept to remember: Your first question should NEVER be, “How can we use Pinterest to sell dentistry?” Rather, it should be, “How can we use Pinterest to provide value (for both patients and prospective patients) that results in trusted relationships that earn marketing opportunities?”

You may already be using Pinterest personally. If so, creating a page for your dental practice will be a breeze. But you may be wondering what boards to create and what to pin. Having looked at the most effective ways our dental clients use Pinterest, here are 10 suggestions for boards.

1. Facts About the Dentist

[Source]

What are his or her hobbies? Where did he or she go to dental school? Favorite tech gadget, golf resort, sports team, restaurant? Favorite book. Favorite movie. Photos of the family dog …you get the idea. Help patients and prospective patients know their dentist on a more personal level. It builds trust and sparks conversations.

2. Local News and Events

[Source]

People on Pinterest in your community are always interested in local news and events. You can become a community calendar resource. To be found in searches, include the name of your city in the board title and use it often in pin descriptions.

3. Your Practice Culture

[Source]

People like doing business with people they know – and they know you and your team members. Talk about the good you do in the community. Use the same approach described above (under #1) for team members and team activities.

4. Products You Recommend

[Source]

Pinterest is a great place to “centralize” your product recommendations for toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, mouthwashes, whitening strips, etc. Find articles or websites that help explain why these products are great. Add your own two cents. Patients and prospective patients will view you as a valued authority.

5. Smile-Friendly Recipes

[Source]

One of Pinterest’s most pinned topics is recipes. Take advantage of it by finding or uploading recipes that are healthy and/or good for one’s smile.

6. Oral Health Education

[Source]

The connection between oral health and whole body health is a hot topic. Curate dental content to better educate your patients and prospective patients about their oral health. They’ll appreciate it.

7. Dental-Related Crafts

[Source]

Another highly pinned topic on Pinterest is crafts. Repin and upload dental-related craft ideas – from tiny pillows for storing a tooth for the tooth fairy to helping a 6-year-old make her own toothbrush holder. People love this stuff.

8. Patient Achievements

[Source]

Your patients accomplish great things in your community! Seek these stories out and make others feel special. As Dale Carnegie said in 1936, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” Keep in mind that you should get patient permission before posting photos of them.

9. Things That Make Us Smile

[Source]

Show your lighter side once in a while. Bacon floss? There are a lot of funny products, videos, comics and jokes out there that relate to dentistry.

10. Quotes That Inspire

[Source]

Use sparingly. This one can get overused. But a sprinkling among all the other things suggested above is fine. Are there words of wisdom that your practice lives by?