Keyword research & negative lists
Tight targeting on high-intent dental keywords (emergency, implants, Invisalign, All-on-X). Comprehensive negative keyword lists block the searches that drain budget without converting.
Google Ads · California Dental Specialist
Google Ads that bring real patients to your chair.
Most agencies run dental Google Ads campaigns the same way they run plumber campaigns. We don't. Every campaign is built around the unique economics of dental — high lifetime value, long consideration cycles, and the difference between a $200 cleaning and a $30,000 All-on-X case.
- From $2.79 per click
- Zero markup on ad spend
- Your card, your account
The Problem with Generalist Google Ads
Most dental Google Ads burn budget on the wrong patients.
If you've run Google Ads before and felt like you were paying $50 to attract people who wanted free consultations and never converted, you're not alone. Generic Google Ads strategies treat every dental click the same — and they shouldn't.
Dental keywords have wildly different intent. "Emergency dentist near me" is a high-conversion, ready-to-book search. "How much do dental implants cost" is a research search that needs different copy and different landing pages. "Cheap teeth whitening" is a tire-kicker query you should probably negative out entirely.
We've run dental Google Ads at $2.79–$4.42 per click and $18–$31 per new-patient conversion — well under industry benchmarks ($5–$15 CPC, $40–$80 per conversion). The difference isn't magic; it's specialization. Tight keyword targeting, dental-specific landing pages, smart negative keyword lists, and bid strategies built around lifetime value, not just cost per click.
What's Included
Eight pillars of Google Ads that convert.
Every Google Ads engagement includes the work below. Your card pays the platforms directly — we never mark up your ad spend.
Dental-specific landing pages
Separate landing pages for each high-value service — implants, All-on-X, emergency, cosmetic. Each page is conversion-optimized with FAQ schema, transparent pricing, and clear booking CTAs.
Conversion tracking that's actually accurate
Phone calls, form submissions, and appointment bookings — all properly tracked. We tag every conversion with its source and value so you can see exactly what's working.
Smart bid strategies
tROAS, tCPA, and Maximize Conversions strategies tuned for dental's long consideration cycle. We don't just optimize for clicks — we optimize for booked appointments and patient lifetime value.
Performance Max for high-value services
PMax campaigns for premium services (implants, All-on-X) where Google's AI can find converting patients across YouTube, Maps, Discover, and Search — at lower cost than search-only campaigns.
Ad copy that filters tire-kickers
Ad headlines and descriptions written to attract patients ready to book — not browsers. We pre-qualify intent in the ad itself so you're not paying for clicks from people just researching.
Weekly optimization & monthly reporting
Bid adjustments, negative keywords, ad copy tests, and landing page updates every week. Monthly performance review with real numbers — not canned PDFs.
Zero markup on ad spend, ever
Your Google Ads budget is billed directly to your card on file with Google — not through us. Most agencies quietly take 15-20% of your ad spend as margin. Every dollar of yours buys patients, not agency profit.
Real Results · Google Ads
New patients at $18–$31 each — half the dental benchmark.
Across three California practices in a single month, our Google Ads campaigns drove 200+ new-patient conversions at $2.79–$4.42 per click and $18–$31 per conversion — less than half the $40–$80 dental industry benchmark. Same specialization, repeated market after market.
How We Work
From audit to compounding patient pipeline.
Google Ads is a faster ROI channel than SEO — patients can come in within week 1. But sustained performance requires a structured optimization arc. Here's how it works.
-
Free Google Ads audit (week 0)
We audit your existing campaigns (or your competitors if you don't run ads yet), identify wasted spend, and show you the 3-5 highest-impact changes. Useful even if you don't hire us.
30 minutes, no commitment -
Account setup & tracking (week 1)
New campaign structure built around your services. Conversion tracking properly configured for calls, forms, and bookings. Your existing account if you have one — fresh build if you don't.
Foundation work -
Launch & ramp (weeks 2-4)
Campaigns go live with conservative budgets. Initial keyword expansion, ad copy variants in test, and aggressive negative keyword harvesting. First conversions typically within 7-10 days.
First patients in -
Optimization layer (months 2-3)
Bid strategies refined as conversion data builds. Best-performing ads scaled, underperformers paused. Landing page A/B tests deployed. Quality Score improvements bring CPC down 15-30%.
Cost per patient drops -
Scale & efficiency (months 3-6)
Campaign budgets increased on what's working. Performance Max layered in for premium services. Audience expansion. CPC stabilizes around dental industry low end ($3-5 vs $5-15 average).
Pipeline becomes consistent -
Sustained performance (month 6+)
Mature campaigns delivering predictable patient acquisition cost. Monthly reviews focused on incremental gains, new service launches, and seasonal campaigns. Google Ads becomes your most reliable acquisition channel.
The mature account phase
Investment
Google Ads management starts at $1,997/month.
Management fee covers our work — your ad budget is billed directly to your card by Google. Cancel anytime. No setup fees on annual commitments.
Includes Google Ads
Patient Accelerator
$1,997/mo
Full Google Ads management plus dental SEO, content, hyper-local landing pages, and detailed monthly reporting. Built for growing practices targeting implants, Invisalign, and All-on-X.
See full pricingCommon Questions
Google Ads for dentists, answered.
The questions every practice owner asks. Direct answers, no fluff.
How much should I spend on Google Ads as a dental practice?
Most California dental practices we work with spend $1,500-$5,000 per month on Google Ads. The right number depends on your service mix, market competition, and goal — a single-location family practice doing general dentistry needs less than a multi-location implant center. We'll recommend a budget based on what your top 3 competitors are spending and your target patient acquisition cost.
Do you mark up my ad spend?
No. Your Google Ads budget is billed directly to your card on file with Google — not through us. Most agencies quietly take 15-20% of your ad spend as margin. Every dollar of your budget should buy patients, not agency profit. Our $1,997/month management fee is the only money that comes to us.
How fast will I see new patients from Google Ads?
Faster than SEO — typically within 7-14 days of campaign launch. Google Ads is a paid acquisition channel that puts you at the top of search results immediately. Most clients see their first new patient calls within the first two weeks. Sustained, optimized performance kicks in around month 2-3 once we have enough conversion data to refine bids.
What's a good cost per patient through Google Ads for dental?
Industry benchmark for dental cost per acquired patient through Google Ads is $40-$80. We typically deliver in the $18-$31 range through tight targeting, dental-specific landing pages, and aggressive negative-keyword management — for example, Fresno Dental Care at roughly $18 per conversion and Plumas at $31, each in a single month.
Do I own my Google Ads account?
Yes — completely. We either build your campaigns inside your existing Google Ads account or set up a new one in your name. The account stays with you forever. If we ever part ways, you keep all the campaigns, conversion tracking, audience lists, and historical performance data we built. No hostage situation.
Can you run Google Ads alongside SEO?
Yes — and you should. Google Ads and SEO are complementary, not competing. Ads cover your immediate patient acquisition needs (new patients within weeks), while SEO builds long-term authority and reduces your dependence on paid acquisition over time. Most of our clients run both. Our Patient Accelerator and Market Leader plans include both Google Ads and SEO in one engagement.
Do you run Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram) too?
Yes. Meta Ads are included in our Market Leader tier ($2,997/mo). We run dental Meta Ads from $6.71 per lead — for example, 1,354 implant leads at $6.71 each for a single Fairfield campaign — well below the dental industry benchmark of $40-$80 CPL. Meta works well for awareness and low-funnel campaigns; Google Ads captures high-intent searches at the moment of decision.
Want a free Google Ads audit?
Book a free 30-minute strategy call. We'll audit your current Google Ads campaigns, identify wasted spend, and show you the 3-5 highest-impact changes — whether you hire us or not.
Free Strategy CallClient results
Dentists who made the switch
“We went from barely appearing in local searches to ranking in the top 3 for all our target keywords. New patient inquiries increased by nearly 40% in just 2 months.”
Dr. Navjot Singh, DDS
plumasfamilydentistry.com
+50% patients
“We now appear on page one for nearly all implant-related searches. Professional, reliable, and truly results-driven. The ROI has been outstanding.”
Dr. Harlovjeet Singh, DDS
springlakedental.net
Page 1 rankings
“We now rank on page one for competitive cosmetic dentistry keywords, and patient bookings have increased by 50%. Truly impressive work.”
Dr. Kamaldeep Singh, DDS
fresnofamilydentist.com
+50% bookings
“None of the other agencies we tried delivered results like this. Our Google visibility skyrocketed, and our website traffic is now the highest it's ever been.”
Dr. Gurpreet Kaur, DDS
fairfielddentistry.com
Highest traffic ever
“Star Hawk built our Merced website from scratch and had call and form tracking running before launch day. Clean, fast, and it looks like us — not a template.”
Dr. Swetha Nadipally, DDS
shinedentalgroupmerced.com
New site launched
“Our Carmichael practice went from almost invisible on Google to being found by new families every week. The new site and the Google Business Profile work made the difference.”
Dr. Nimrat Tung, DDS
missiondentalca.com
27× search impressions
“Being open Saturdays only helps if people can find you. Since Star Hawk took over our SEO, our Google impressions have multiplied and Saturday bookings fill up on their own.”
Dr. Gagan Sidhu, DDS
onedentalfresno.com
+142% organic clicks
Our work
Real clients. Real results.
Dental practices we build, rank and run ads for. Hover a card to scroll the live site — open it for the numbers.
#1 in Google AI Mode
Plumas Family Dentistry
- 208Google Ads leads · 90 days
- +136%organic clicks, year over year
Map Pack + Google Ads
Fairfield Dentistry
- 240Google Ads leads · 90 days
- +87%organic clicks, year over year
+50% organic traffic
Fresno Family Dentist
- +1,486%organic clicks, year over year
- 250Google Ads leads · 90 days
Yuba City, CA · Local SEO
Yuba City Dental Arts
- +1,435%organic clicks, year over year
- 22.3Ksearch impressions · 90 days
Local SEO + web design
Google Business Profile
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Ready to get more patients?
Book a free 30-minute strategy call. We'll audit your online presence and show you exactly what's holding you back — no pitch, no pressure.