A Guide to Competitor Analysis for Dental Startups

If you think a great location is just about competitor saturation, think again.

A strong population-to-dentist ratio tells you a community is underserved. It does not tell you who else is already serving it, or how well. A single well-run, well-marketed office down the street can absorb the new patients an underserved area produces, leaving a start-up with the same ratio on paper and far fewer patients in the chair.

That is why competitor analysis is the second half of every site decision. Saturation is the count; competitor strength is the quality behind the count.

In today’s market, your competitor’s digital footprint should be seriously considered when selecting a site.

A competitor with a strong online presence can definitely sway potential new patients to choose that competitor over you.

Here are seven factors to consider:

What is their overall rating on online platforms like Google, Yelp, and RateMDs?

Do they have a large number of reviews? If yes, how capable are you at gaining an equal or larger number of reviews?

What is the quality of the reviews? A well thought out review that gives clear examples of why they are giving that dentist 5 stars is more likely to convert into real patients. On the other hand, a short five-star review, for example, “Dr. R is the best!”, can often be perceived as a fake review.

How strong is the competitor’s website? Is it dull and outdated, or is it modern and compelling?

Are they active on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), etc.? Social media is an excellent strategy for dentists to gain new patients.

Are they volunteering and giving back to their community? Patients like dentists who give back to their community, because a nice dentist is more likely to be ethical, and treat that patient nicely and fairly too.

And last but not least, how old are the competing practices, and who owns them? While not a hard set rule, younger practices are more likely to be aggressive in their marketing campaigns compared to older, well-established practices. Also, privately owned dental practices tend to have less budget to spend on marketing, when compared to practices owned by large corporate chains.

This is why every Location Analysis lists each competitor with a strength and growth rating, verified by a person, not pulled from a directory. Request the sample report below to see how the competitor section reads.