This post was originally published on May 31, 2016, and most recently updated on Sept. 9, 2023.
Do you need to come up with a name for your dental practice? You might need to do so for more than one reason. For example, you might be buying an existing dental clinic and need a new identity to make the practice your own. You might be opening your own practice and wondering what to call it. Perhaps you have brought a new business partner or associate into your practice, and the original name no longer fits.
Whatever the reason, dental office names are on your mind, and it’s essential to come up with the right name. Rebranding your practice requires some thought and attention to detail. We’ve created this guide on how to name your dental practice to help you.
Choosing a Dental Practice Name
Choosing a dental office name is both an art and a science. The name of your dental clinic is the first thing that any new patient will see. That means that the name you decide must convey authority and professionalism. People should know as soon as they see your business listing that you provide dental care.
The artful part of picking a name for your dental clinic is finding a name that is memorable and catchy. You don't want people to forget you after they see the name of your practice. That said, catchy dental clinic names can sometimes go too far and veer from professionalism. You don't want that to happen, either.
The solution, then, is finding a happy medium: a memorable and professional dental business name. If you can do that, you will be well on your way to building a successful brand for your clinic.
Dental Office Names, Examples, and Ideas
The good news is that there are many words and phrases to play with when choosing a name for your dental office. Of course, brainstorming different ideas is an effective way to develop options for your clinic name, but we give you some ideas and jumping-off points in this section.
When selecting a business name, you have many options. Different goals, visions, and circumstances may warrant different strategies. There typically isn't a one-size-fits-all solution to picking a name.
Examples of Dental Clinic Names
There are many options for naming your dental office. Here are 15 dental office name ideas that we think are catchy and interesting.
As you can see, some of these clinic name ideas suggest specialties. Happy Kids Dentistry would be ideal for a dental clinic specializing in pediatric dental care, while Tooth Spa Dental suggests a practice offering cosmetic dental services. Let's dig a little deeper.
Catchy Dental Clinic Names
Catchy dental names have the same quality as the commercial jingles you can still remember, even if you haven’t heard them in years. Using rhyming or alliteration can be useful because both can make names memorable. For example, Gentle Dental rhymes and is easy to remember, and it has the benefit of offering reassurance to people who may be nervous about dental care.
Alliteration involves using words that begin with the same letter. Daisy Dental and Dazzle Dentistry are both great examples. You could even expand to three words and go with something like Darling Daisy Dental.
Clever Dental Office Names
A clever dental clinic name might involve a play on words. The suffix -ology means "knowledge" and you could hint at your level of expertise by naming your practice Toothology or Dentology.
You can also get clever with spellings for your new name. This is something that can be useful if you want to make your name stand out from other practices in your area. Instead of New Smile Dentistry, you could go with NuSmile Dentistry. However, be careful not to go so crazy with your spelling that people can't find you online!
Creative Dental Office Names
Coming up with a creative dental office name can be fun. For example, let's say you have an all-female dentist practice. The Grin Gals could be a fun and creative name for your practice.
You can also play around with names that suggest teeth and smiles without being on the nose. Words such as Ivory, Pearls, and Diamond propose that the result of a visit to your practice will be a bright smile.
Pediatric Dental Office Names
A lot of dentists specialize in caring for children. When that is the case, it is important to come up with a dental clinic name that lets parents know you are there for their kids. If you don't want to be obvious about it, you could try something like Kinderdental, which uses the prefix kinder, meaning children. If you split the two words up, you could have a nice double meaning – kinder for children, and kinder to suggest a gentle and caring practice.
You could also have some fun by taking a kids' tradition and incorporating it into your clinic name. Tooth Fairy Dental is an example of a practice name that might appeal to both kids and parents, and the branding would be easy, too!
Unique Dental Office Names
You can make your practice stand out by choosing a name that your patients have never seen before. When you come up with a unique name, it is more likely that people will notice your practice and remember it.
An example might be something like Dentique, which uses the prefix dent- in a new and unexpected way. Dentistree is a name that could indicate an eco-friendly practice.
No matter what type of name you are looking for, you may want to consider Looka's Business Name Generator. You simply put in the topic or keyword, and it'll come out with numerous names in all sorts of categories.
Orthodontic Practice Names
If your specialty is orthodontics, you need a name that lets prospective patients know what you do. Using the prefix -ology that we mentioned earlier might inspire you to come up with a name such as Smileology or Braceology.
Anything that uses words like smile or grin is good for orthodontic practices. Since many orthodontists specialize in treating kids, something like Grin Garden could be an effective name for your practice
Teeth Whitening Business Names
Whitening procedures are always in high demand and if you have a business that specializes in whitening, then your name should reflect it.
Some examples might include Smile Bright, White Smile Dental Spa, or Dazzling Dental. The key is to make sure that people who see your name will understand what services you offer.
Dental Group Names
If you have a group dental practice, you should choose a name that lets people know you have multiple dentists who can provide treatments.
For example, if you have an all-woman practice, you could choose The Dental Queens as your name. A practice specializing in orthodontics might be called The Braces Brothers. More general names might include Smile Squad or GoDentists.
Cosmetic Dental Business Names
Cosmetic dentistry is a specialty that’s hugely popular. If you offer cosmetic dental procedures and treatments, you should choose a name that will let prospective patients know that they can come to you to improve their smiles.
Options to consider might include Beauty Dentistry, Dental Esthetic, or even something like Wow Dental, all of which let your target audience know that you’re the practice to visit for cosmetic services.
Endodontist Business Names
What if you’re an endodontist? It’s essential to choose a name that reflects your specialty because you want everybody to know that you can provide endodontic services that other practices don’t offer.
If you wanted to keep it simple, you could choose something like Endental and use it in conjunction with a tagline that would make your specialty clear. You could use Endodentists for a group practice, or Root Dentistry for something a little more subtle.
No matter what type of name you are looking for, you may want to consider trying Looka's Business Name Generator. You simply put in the topic or keyword, and it'll come out with numerous names in all sorts of categories.
What's in a Dental Practice Name?
Does the name of your dental practice matter? The short answer is yes. The right dental clinic name can make marketing your dental practice easy, and choosing the wrong name can make it more difficult than it needs to be.
A good name helps to build name recognition. It may also help your SEO by incorporating keywords and making it obvious what you do, which increases the chances that searchers will click on your link and not your competitor's link.
Here are some key points to keep in mind when conceptualizing a new name for your dental practice.
- You want your patients to remember the name of your office. That means that you want the name to be short to make it memorable.
- The name should inspire positive and relevant associations. We all know that we might get a cavity, but nobody wants to think about cavities when they choose a dentist.
- You want people to think “dentist” without hesitation when the business name pops up. Patients shouldn’t have to wonder what your practice is or what you do.
- Keep digital marketing in mind. It is helpful to think about the implications of your name from the point of view of online marketing.
- Use location words in your name. Including your city name and the words dental, dentistry, or dentist in your name helps with optimization. Including words that help people identify and find you are good practices for dental SEO marketing. You could add a place name to any of the creative name options we have listed above.
When choosing a dental clinic name, you have several options. It is important to take your goals, vision, and circumstances into consideration, especially since each of these may warrant a different approach. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to naming a dental practice, but here, we focus on the naming practices that apply to most dental clinics.
Using Taglines with Your Dental Office Names
Your dental practice name will be the first thing most prospective patients see when they search for a dentist in your area. That said, you may want to consider choosing a memorable tagline for your business as well. The right tagline can make your name more appealing and memorable than it would be alone.
One of the biggest benefits of using a tagline is that it can highlight your Unique Value Proposition: the thing that makes your practice different from all others in your area. Here are a few examples of taglines that could work with some of the names we’ve suggested in this guide.
- Endental: We get to the root of the problem.
- Dazzle Dental: Light up your smile.
- Dental Queens: Give your teeth the royal treatment.
You get the idea. We suggest choosing some keywords that go with your name and brainstorming ideas. You could even get your staff involved! Once you have a list of potential taglines, go through them, read them out loud, see how they look on a business card—and then choose the one that you love the most.
Should You Use Dental Clinic Near Me as a Dental Office Name?
Anybody who has used Google to find a local business knows that adding the words near me to your search can make it easy to find local service providers. But is it a good idea to add those same words to your business name?
Our take is that it might help you get some clicks in the short term, but it’s not a good long-term strategy. In fact, we've seen dental offices with the name 'near me' in them.
Nothing we know of as of this writing, in September 2023, would prohibit you from using near me in your business name, but that doesn’t mean Google won’t penalize it in the future.
When choosing a name, you must remember that changing your name is an expensive endeavor. In the event that Google changes its algorithm to penalize businesses that try to short-cut SEO by using near me in their names, you could be faced with the expense of buying a new domain name, rebranding your practice, and spending thousands of dollars updating your website and marketing assets. You’ll be better off using locational keywords and proper SEO, with the help of a marketing agency that specializes in dental marketing than you will using a naming convention that may be detrimental in the future.
Choosing a Dental Practice Name
Names are important, but be careful not to get too bogged down in the process. Think through the decision, but don’t suffer paralysis by analysis. In the end, it isn’t the end of the world if you are:
Las Vegas Smile Artists
or
Las Vegas Family & Implant Dentistry
See what I’m saying? With that in mind, here are some things to remember as you choose a name.
1. Consider the Legalities of a Potential Dental Office Name
Your first consideration (and arguably your last) must be the legality of your name. If you already have a name in mind, you need to check to make sure that name isn’t taken. There are several places to check.
- If you are doing business as a corporation or limited liability company, you will want to check the business database in the state where you are incorporated. You can usually find that information on the Secretary of State’s website.
- If you are incorporated but plan to do business under a fictitious business name, or you are in business as a sole proprietor, you will need to check the Doing Business As (DBA) listings in your county. You can look online at your county recorder’s office, as most have searchable databases.
- You will also want to check the United States Patent and Trademark Office website. They have a searchable database of business names. Keep in mind that not every dental practice trademarks its name.
Finally, do a Google search on the name. This step is critical. You want to know what results come up when you search for any practice name you are considering ahead of time. Researching the name is an important part of the Steps to Build a Recognizable Dental Brand.
Not doing your research ahead of time could cost you countless hours dealing with legal issues, thousands of dollars, and the potential of needing to rebrand your business shortly after inadvertently choosing an inappropriate or trademarked name.
2. Your Personal Brand
Using your actual name as part of your practice’s name is considered “personal branding” in marketing. Many dentists use their full name followed by DMD or DDS. This approach is simple, as you are unlikely to encounter another dentist in your area with the same name as you.
There is also the question of whether using your name will help you create a memorable brand. If you come from a long line of dentists who practice in the same area, you can benefit by using the family name for your practice. However, if your name isn’t well known, then the branding benefits of using it are limited. You might be better served by choosing a catchy name that people will likely remember. Which name makes for a better brand?
Bright Smile Dentistry
Or
Dr. Millie R. Crock, DDS
Nothing against Dr. Crock, but the first name option is far more memorable than the second. Keep that in mind as you ponder whether to use your name.
It is also worth noting that if you plan to sell the business or add a partner one day, you may be better served with a different approach than using your name. Remember to begin with the end in mind. Considering your plans for your practice can save you trouble down the line.
3. Your Specialties and the Services You Provide
The next approach to consider is incorporating the name of your specialty into the name of your practice. This is a good way to differentiate yourself from the competition.
Look at the picture below. It might not be the most exciting name out there, but it highlights a specialty that’s a real selling point for some patients.
This type of name could be a wise choice if you are a specialist or offer specialty services, such as cosmetic dentistry, emergency services, endodontics, pediatric services, or TMJ/TMD. It can also be combined with some other examples listed in this article. In the example above, the name combines a specialty (sedation dentistry) with a specific location (San Diego).
The primary advantage of including specialties in your name is that it eliminates guesswork. If a patient who is interested in pediatric dentistry looks up dentists in their area and sees two choices, only one of which uses the words pediatric dentistry in the name, which one do you think they are more likely to choose?
4. Your City, State, or Neighborhood
Earlier, I stated that there is some benefit to including the name of your city in the name of your practice. Let’s talk a bit more about that.
First, most searches on Google today are local by default. Even if someone searches for a dentist without including a local keyword like a city, they are still going to get local results because Google’s algorithms know where they are located.
That means using dental and locational keywords (as appropriate) in your business name can be beneficial. It can help put your practice at the top of Google’s Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
Optimizing for local keywords is also essential if you want your practice to appear in Google's Local Service ads, which appear at the top of the SERP and highlight your Google reviews. The businesses that show up there are more likely to get clicks than those that don't. Showing up in these local ads requires running Google Ads & having a verified Google Business Profile listing.
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However, search engines aren't the only reason to use locational words in the name of your practice. For example, if there is a local landmark or park nearby, you may be able to incorporate that name into yours. Consider taking advantage of community goodwill when you choose a name for your dental practice.
This can be a great branding approach, provided that you don't have immediate plans to open additional offices or to move.
Let’s look at an example.
This is what Riverwoods Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery did. The practice is in Provo, UT near an area known as The Riverwoods.
You can see that they used the Riverwoods name and even incorporated visual representations of the name into their logo design, including a tree and a river.
5. Your Patients and Target Audience
Anyone with marketing experience can tell you that when it comes to building a successful brand, your audience is a big part of the equation.
Why? Because not every dental practice is suitable for every prospective patient. Think about it. A practice that caters to children is not a good match for a wealthy single man. A practice that specializes in high-priced concierge dentistry will not appeal to a middle-class family.
For that reason, it is a good idea to choose a name that is likely to speak directly to the people in your target audience. Here are some examples.
The name of this practice and the tagline show prospective patients that they can expect a luxury experience. By contrast, check out this name (and logo) from a dental practice that specializes in treating kids:
Notice that the name, the colors, and the logo all work together to make it clear that this practice knows how to put kids at ease when they come to see the dentist.
The takeaway is that including your audience can help you create a compelling name and brand.
6. Your Patients' Feelings
Another useful marketing approach is to focus on the benefits of what you do. Specifically, how will patients feel if they choose you as their dentist?
One of the most popular options is to use the word smile in the name of your dental practice. It works because people make an association between their smiles and the condition of their teeth, and associate a smile with being happy. Look at this example from a Boston-area dentist:
The message this name sends is that not only will you have a great smile if you choose this dentist, but it will also be so beautiful that others will admire it. That is an attractive thought for many patients.
Some other examples along these lines include:
Happy Family Dentistry
The Painless Dentist
You can see how these names affect prospective patients’ emotions and influence how they think about your dental practice before they ever walk into the office.
7. Capture Patients' Attention
One trendy approach is to create a name that is an advertising jingle by itself. This approach can be effective if you can find something original and catchy.
Remember, your patients want to identify with your brand. When they receive a compliment on the whiteness of their teeth, you want them to share and refer their friends to you.
Some examples of wordplay include rhyming. We already talked about rhyming, but you could also play with double meanings. For example, one memorable name for a dental practice might be:
The Whole Tooth
It plays on the oath people take in court, but it replaces truth with tooth for a unique and memorable name.
You get the idea. Having a little fun with the name of your dental practice can help you stand out in a crowd. You don’t have to settle for an ordinary name when you can come up with something truly special.
Another argument favoring this type of creative naming is that your name can grow with your practice. You might be starting with just one dentist in one office, but with a creative name, you can easily add additional dentists, more staff, and even open more offices down the line. All without having to change your practice’s name.
8. Additional Considerations for Creating the Best Dental Practice Name
The options above cover the general naming ideas for dental practices. What else should you consider when naming your dental office? Here are some best practices.
- Is the name meaningful? Does your new business name convey the image or brand you want? You want it to be clear and concise so that people who search for a dentist online will quickly be able to identify with you.
- Is it warm and positive? Does the name you are considering have a positive connotation, or is it cold and clinical sounding? So many of my friends and family are intimidated by going to a new dentist, and most dentists understand that fear can be a factor. Having a dentist stand with a drill in your mouth while you have the irrigation drain hanging out on the other side can be scary for some patients. The first impression you make on prospective patients is primarily based on the name of your practice and a referral if you have been recommended to them. The right name goes a long way to making patients feel as comfortable as possible to trust you with their teeth (or their children’s teeth) before they enter your office.
- Is the domain name available? If you plan on creating a dental website, which you should, conduct a domain name search to see if that domain is already registered. This can be a difficult step, particularly if you choose the “smiles sell” approach. You want to make sure that you choose a name that allows you to claim the best possible domain for your website. This is a crucial step as you want to have a single identity, from online to your outdoor signage. In most cases, a .com extension is going to be better than the alternatives since it's what most people assume as a default. However, there's little to no SEO value regarding the domain extension you go with.
- Think about your logo. Your brand is more than just the name. You will need to create a dental logo that blends well with the name. Consider the logos of some top corporate brands. We know them intimately just from the logo. A memorable name will lend itself to a memorable logo, and that is important if you want to create a memorable brand.
- Do you need a tagline? A tagline may be necessary if your business name doesn’t convey what you do. For example, if you have a general name such as Smith Dental, then perhaps a tagline can add some detail to what you do. Also, you may consider using the tagline to highlight any state-of-the-art technology that you employ. For example, Smith Dental: Friendly Family Dentistry is clearer than the basic practice name.
- Is it easy to pronounce and remember? What brands do you think of first when you think about quality branding? The chances are that you are thinking of short names, things like Target. In tooth care, think about a name like Aquafresh. The name is short, it’s evocative, and it’s easy to say and remember. You have to think about what impression your business name leaves when people first see it. Remember, your name should be warm and inviting, not cold and clinical.
- Does it produce an image of what you do? People should be able to figure out what you do from your business name. Don’t leave any guesswork here. Be as clear as you can.
- Do you have a philosophy or mission statement? If so, you can use it as inspiration for naming your dental clinic. If you don't have a mission statement, I recommend you consider creating one and then using it as inspiration for your dental clinic name. It will help people identify with you. I would also encourage you to put your mission statement somewhere visible in the waiting room.
- Do you want to attract families? Are you good with children? If so, you may consider adding Family in your business name. Remember that family growth is one strategy that can help you add patients. Adults who get married and have kids will be happy to know that you can provide dental care for both them and their children.
- Demographic research may help you identify needs in your community. Do you know your target market and competition? Consider doing some homework on this one. Look at a Google map of the other dentists in your area. Are there a lot of other practices in the same general area doing the same thing you do? This point could help you stand out in the crowd by adjusting your brand. You don't have to change what you do, but you do need to find a way to differentiate yourself from the other choices in the area.
- It is best to keep it short and memorable. Try to capture as much meaning with as few words as possible. If the name is more than 3 or 4 words, you may consider abbreviating it. You can always use a tagline to further elaborate on your specialties. Remember, people always have a lot of things on their minds, so you want them to be able to remember your name easily.
- Think about sign options. Yes, you will be putting up signs, so you need a name and a logo that looks good on the street corner. It also needs to go on your business cards, dental practice brochures, and website. It is important to think about how the name you choose will look. How will you create a clear and concise image centered on your business name?
Next Steps After Naming Your Dental Practice
Shakespeare asked, What’s in a name? I hope you understand now that your dental clinic name plays a big role in your ability to differentiate yourself from competitors, attract new patients, and build a memorable and profitable brand. If you choose the right name for your dental clinic, patients will want to make you their dentist, even if they don't know anything about you.
A name is a powerful thing. Careful, thoughtful planning before choosing a name for your dental practice allows you to gain name recognition within your community. It also forms the cornerstone of your marketing strategy.
The next step is to use your new name to market your dental practice, attract new patients, and increase your profits. Partnering with an experienced dental web marketing agency can help you get on the right track. Titan Web Agency has years of experience in dental marketing, and we are here to help.
Recommended Reading:
- The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Dental Practice
- Starting a Dental Practice: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide
- Dental Practice Transitions: A Guide for Successful Dental Office Transitions
- Ultimate Guide to a Dental Practice Rebranding [Free Checklist]
- Dental Practice Valuations: A Guide for Dentists
- Dental Practice Financing: Business Loans for Dentists
- Relocating Your Dental Practice? Here's Your Step-by-Step Plan [Free Checklist]
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Tyson Downs is the founder of Titan Web Agency, a company specializing in marketing for dental professionals. With an impressive track record of working with over 100 dental practices, Tyson has a deep understanding of the unique marketing needs within the dental industry.
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