If your dental practice depends on patients finding you through Google, 2025 has brought a significant shift you can't afford to ignore.Google's new AI Overviews are transforming how search works—and how patients find local dentists. What used to be a predictable path to visibility is now being filtered through Google's AI lens. So, what does that mean for you as a dental professional?
Let's demystify this new SEO world so you can stay visible—and competitive.
Google's AI overviews and why they matter for dental SEO
Google's AI Overviews (previously known as Search Generative Experience or SGE) is a major shift in how search works. Instead of simply listing a page of blue links, Google now uses artificial intelligence to generate a summary answer right on the search results page.
For example, a patient might search:
"What are same-day crowns?"
Instead of sending the user to a list of blogs or dentist websites, Google now shows a paragraph explaining what same-day crowns are, along with a list of benefits and important considerations—all created by its own AI system.
Where do AI overviews appear?
AI Overviews are now taking up the most prominent space on the Google search page—above ads, map listings, and organic results. To the right of the AI-generated summary, there's typically a panel of clickable links. These are the websites Google used as sources when building its overview.
If your dental website is listed here, you're not just on page one—you're featured as a trusted authority. This is prime real estate. It's the first thing potential patients see. If your dental clinic is referenced within the AI Overview, it could dramatically increase your visibility and website traffic.
But here's the catch: if you're not featured, your regular ranking—no matter how strong—could be pushed out of view. This makes optimizing for AI Overviews essential in 2025's world of SEO for dentists.
Why does this matter for dental SEO?
Here's the big shift: Google is now curating answers for patients instead of simply listing websites. That means if you're not one of the few sites linked in the AI Overview, you're less visible—even if your SEO was strong in the past.
This is a challenge and a massive opportunity if you get ahead of it. Imagine someone searches "family dentist in Phoenix with sedation options."
If your website clearly explains sedation dentistry for families and has good local SEO, Google's AI might pull a sentence from your site and link to it in the Overview.
Boom—you're now the trusted answer at the top of the search.
How to optimize your dental website for AI overviews
1. Answer patient questions clearly
AI Overviews are built to answer queries. You're more likely to get featured if your website clearly answers common dental questions in natural, patient-friendly language.
Example topics to cover:
- "How does Invisalign work?"
- "How much does a dental crown cost?"
- "What causes tooth sensitivity?"
- "What are the symptoms of gum disease?"
Write a clear, accurate, conversational tone answer, then expand on it.
Tip: Use a dedicated blog page or FAQ section. Each question should be its own page or post.
2. Use schema markup and structured data
Google's AI relies on structured data to understand your content. Use FAQ schema, LocalBusiness schema, and Review schema on your site.
- Add FAQ blocks with dropdowns
- Use schema to mark up your business name, hours, services, and location
- Add schema for your reviews/testimonials
This helps Google's AI "see" your info and possibly pull it into Overviews.
3. Strengthen your local SEO
Local signals are critical. AI Overviews pull from trusted, high-quality local sites. Here's what to focus on:
- Make sure your Google Business Profile is complete and active
- Get consistent NAP info (Name, Address, Phone) across all directories
- Get reviews on Google and health directories
- Add city and service keywords to your page titles, H1s, and meta descriptions
- Use location-based blog content like "Top 5 dental emergencies in Dallas"
- Add internal links between relevant service and blog pages to reinforce topic authority and site structure
Example: A blog titled "Best Options for Replacing a Missing Tooth in Seattle" tells the AI that you're local and informative. If this blog internally links to your "Dental Implants in Seattle" service page, it signals deeper relevance and improves crawlability—helping AI understand your site’s structure and expertise more clearly.
4. Use conversational, trust-building language
AI Overviews are trained to look for high-quality, natural-sounding content—not robotic keyword stuffing.
So your content should sound like this:
"At Riverbend Dental, we offer gentle tooth extractions using modern tools that minimize discomfort. Most patients can return to normal activities the next day."
Not this:
"Tooth extraction dentist Seattle best dental extractions emergency teeth remove."
Avoid jargon. Write like you're talking to a nervous patient.
5. Build topical authority
AI Overviews prefer websites that show the depth of a topic. If your site only has one blog post about Invisalign and your competitor has 10 well-written guides, the AI is likely to link them.
Build out entire content clusters:
- Main service page (e.g., "Invisalign for Adults")
- Supporting blogs (e.g., "How Long Does Invisalign Take?", "Is Invisalign Painful?", "Braces vs. Invisalign")
- Patient testimonials
6. Stay updated and active
Google's AI keeps evolving. Make sure to:
- Update old blogs with current info
- Regularly post new content
- Monitor Google Search Console for impressions from AI Overviews
- Track how patients found you—did they click from a new AI result?
What if you're not included in the AI overview?
If your clinic isn’t included in a Google AI Overview, your visibility can take a significant hit—even if you previously ranked #1 in traditional search results. You may notice fewer clicks coming from Google, increased competition from other local dentists who are featured, and a noticeable drop in new patient inquiries. While this doesn’t mean your online presence is doomed, it’s a clear sign that your SEO strategy needs to evolve to align with how search works in 2025.
A new era of SEO for dentists
Google's AI Overviews mark the biggest change to search in over a decade. For dentists, the rules of SEO have changed:
- It's not just about ranking anymore—it's about being referenced by AI
- Google is choosing who gets visibility
- Your content needs to answer, educate, and build trust
The good news? Most dental websites aren't optimized for this yet. That gives you a significant advantage—if you act now.
Take control of your online visibility
You've invested in a great practice, skilled staff, and a beautiful office. Don't let Google's new system make you invisible to new patients. By optimizing your site for AI Overviews, improving local SEO, and creating helpful, patient-focused content, you can secure your spot in this new era of SEO for dentists.
Need help?
If you want to get ahead of these changes without doing it all yourself, consider working with a dental marketing expert who specializes in SEO for dentists and understand how AI is reshaping search. Let's make sure your clinic is where it should be: at the top.
Editor's note: This article originally appeared in DE Weekend, the newsletter that will elevate your Sunday mornings with practical and innovative practice management and clinical content from experts across the field. Subscribe here.
