How to plan a dental practice photoshoot

It’s photoshoot day at your dental practice!

When it comes to dental marketing, recent, custom, quality photos pack a punch. Photography makes a huge impact in elevating your brand aesthetic, establishing trust with patients, improving SEO, and ultimately bringing patients into your office. Planning a dental practice photoshoot to capture who you are is an important step in an effective dental marketing plan. 

We know photoshoots can sound intimidating, but a great dental marketing agency can make them fun and simple. In this post, we’ll help you plan your dental practice photoshoot from start to finish. We’ll cover: 

• The benefits of custom photos for your dental practice
• How to prepare for your photoshoot
• What types of photos to capture
• How to use the photos in your marketing strategy

The benefits of custom photos for your dental practice

Do I really need to invest the time and money into a photoshoot? 

Our resounding answer is YES! Of course, we understand that dentists and their teams are busy treating patients. Setting aside the time (and the budget) for an office photoshoot may not be your first priority. However, as dental marketers, we can assure you that custom photography is a part of your marketing strategy that delivers ROI. 

Here are just a few of the benefits of capturing organic photos for your dental office: 

• Photos help patients know and trust you 
• Custom photography improves the effectiveness of your Google My Business listing
• High quality photography improves your brand aesthetic and makes your practice look more professional and appealing on social media
• Organic photos improve the look, feel, and effectiveness of your website
• Customize photos set you apart from your competitors–especially the ones who are all using the same (cringe) internet stock photos
• Having photos of your real staff and patients makes your brand more authentic

How to prepare for your photoshoot

The first step is finding the right dental marketing company to partner with. (Check!) Once you’ve done that, preparation is easy. We share some simple tips to help our clients feel ready for photoshoot day. 

• Communicate with your team and patients who will be involved in the photoshoot. (That’s right–we like to include real patients!) Make sure they know what to wear, what time to arrive, and have access to any photo release forms you’d like them to sign. 
• Stage your office as if it were a house for sale. Remove clutter from countertops and temporarily hide away family photos, personal items, hand sanitizer, trash cans or anything else that you don’t want in the background.
• Find the right lighting. Make sure your photographer has access to the best lighting in your office. Avoid yellow or blue lighting or having a window behind the subject. Natural lighting facing the subject is ideal.
• Dress to impress! We ask doctors to dress in business casual for headshots. We also encourage them to bring their white lab coat. Fresh haircuts or a nice piece of jewelry are encouraged, but not required.
• Coordinate with your team. Matching scrubs can be fun in team photos, and business casual works well, too. We encourage teams to avoid busy patterns and consider brand colors. 
• Be confident and have fun. Not everyone loves the camera, and that’s ok. It’s our job to help you feel comfortable, to ask you questions, and to really capture the essence of your practice. We might even try to make you laugh. 

What types of photos should you capture in your brand photoshoot? 

Patients look at photos on your website, social media pages, and business listings (Google My Business, Yelp, or elsewhere) to get to know your office. Going to the dentist can be intimidating. Patients want to be able to see who will be treating them, what the office looks like, and what the atmosphere might feel like. 

Think of your brand photoshoot like a lifestyle photoshoot. We want to see your personality, make you laugh, and show real joy behind those beautiful smiles! Are you a pediatric office? Let’s capture a high five with a happy kid. An implant-practice? Let’s get a conversation with a patient who looks relaxed, comfortable, and at ease. 

Here’s a list of important photos to help patients get to know and trust your practice. 

• Headshots of the dentist, hygienists, and staff
• Team photos in various poses, interactions, and groupings 
• Office interior and exterior
• Patient photos and headshots (full face–not just the teeth!) 
• Lifestyle, action, or candid photos of patients interacting with staff

How to use the photos in your dental marketing strategy

The short answer is that we like to use custom photography in as many places as possible. That way, more potential patients are likely to get a strong sense of who you are. 

We use photos across your: 

• Website (home page, about page, team page, services pages, blogs, contact page, and more!) 
• Social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and others) 
• Emails
• Google My Business listing
• Yelp listing
• Printed marketing materials like trifolds and flyers

Dental Photoshoot FAQs: 

How long does it take? 

We typically plan about four hours, but that includes video shoots, interviews, and patient testimonials. We talk about that in another article. 

How often should I update my headshot? 

Well, we like to start by having you look in the mirror. Does what you see look like your headshot? If not, it’s time for a new one. 😉

Where do I start if I don’t have any recent custom photos? 

We like to start with a new headshot of the doctor, a team photo, and the exterior photo of the dental office (for your Google My Business listing). 

Plan your photoshoot with Pain-Free Dental Marketing

Leave it to the pros! Not only will we capture beautiful images of your practice, we also know how to leverage those photos and videos into your marketing strategy. Contact us today to learn more.