For dental practices · free guide
A free guide to filming a patient video with just a phone, at a patient's next visit, before any work is done. Plus a bonus on welcome videos for new inquiries.
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Most people choosing a dentist read reviews first, and most of them are at least a little afraid. Hearing a real patient say "I was nervous too" answers that fear better than anything written.
72.6% of U.S. adults say they're afraid of going to the dentist, and 26.8% rate their fear as severe. (Journal of the American Dental Association, September 2025)
Over 70% of people read reviews when choosing a healthcare provider, and 80% expect at least five reviews before they trust one. (Reputation and YouGov survey, 2022)
97% of consumers read reviews for local businesses, and 74% look for reviews from the last three months. (BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey, 2026)
Showing reviews raised purchase likelihood by 270%, and by 380% for higher-priced products. (Spiegel Research Center, Northwestern University)
85% of people say watching a video has convinced them to buy a product or service. (Wyzowl Video Marketing Statistics, 2026)
Written reviews get you considered. A real patient on camera, in their own words, is what helps a scared new patient pick up the phone. That matters most for the big decisions, like implants, veneers and Invisalign, where the higher price makes people look harder.
You don't need to chase anyone. The right patients are already coming in.
Patients at their regular cleaning. Long-time patients come in every six months, they trust your team, and many of them have a story about how they used to feel about the dentist.
Patients finishing a big case. The day the veneers go on, the implant crown is placed or the Invisalign comes off is when people are happiest and most grateful.
Either way, ask before any work starts. Once someone is numb, it's hard to talk clearly, and nobody wants to be filmed after an hour in the chair. Two minutes in a quiet room before they sit down is all it takes.
It helps to give them a heads-up when you confirm the appointment: "When you come in, would you be up for a quick two-minute video about your experience with us?" People say yes more easily when it isn't sprung on them.
The person the patient knows best should ask: their hygienist, the doctor, or the front desk person who always greets them. You can say it like this:
"You've been with us for a while, and we'd love to share what it's been like for you. Would you be up for answering a few quick questions on camera before we get started today? It takes about two minutes, and it's totally fine to say no."
A few things that make it easier:
Make it clear that saying no is fine. A patient who feels pressured won't sound like themselves.
Get written permission before you use the video. Under HIPAA, using a patient's story or image in your marketing generally requires a signed authorization, so use a proper form and check it with your compliance person or attorney.
Offer to send them the finished video. Most people love seeing it, and many will share it themselves.
A phone and five minutes of setup will get you a video that looks and sounds good.
Hold the phone vertical if it's mainly for Instagram, and set it on a small tripod or a shelf at the patient's eye level. Handheld video shakes and looks rushed.
Face the patient toward a window. Daylight looks warmer and friendlier than the bright overhead lights in an operatory. Keep the window in front of them, not behind.
Use a quiet room and close the door. A consult room or your office works better than the operatory, away from handpieces, suction and the radio.
Keep the phone close, about an arm's length away, or use an inexpensive clip-on microphone that plugs into the phone. People forgive a so-so picture, but they click away from bad sound.
Choose a background that looks like your practice, and tidy it first. Nobody needs to see instruments or a sharps container.
Have the person asking stand right next to the phone, so the patient looks just off camera, as if talking to a friend.
Start recording a few seconds early and let it keep rolling the whole time.
These are the questions I ask patients when I film them. They get people talking about how they felt, which is exactly what a nervous new patient wants to hear.
Before you started coming here, how did you feel about going to the dentist?
What's been different about coming here?
If you had work done, what's changed for you since?
What would you tell someone who's nervous about coming in?
A few tips while you're asking:
Ask them to answer in full sentences, like "Before I came here, I..." That way the answer makes sense without your question.
Don't hand them a script. Their own words are the whole point.
Let them pause. The best answer often comes right after a silence.
When they say something great, it's fine to ask, "Can you say that one more time?" The second take is usually smoother.
One good two-minute recording can be used several ways:
Put it on your website on the page for the treatment they talked about, or next to your new-patient form. That's where people decide.
Post the best 30 to 60 seconds on Instagram and your Google Business Profile, with captions, since most people watch with the sound off.
Send it to new patients after they book, so they arrive knowing what to expect.
Aim for one a month. Your patients are already on the schedule, so it takes almost no extra effort, and it keeps your proof recent.
Patient videos help people choose you. A welcome video helps the ones who already reached out actually show up.
Film one 30- to 60-second video of the doctor or your front desk saying hello, and send it to everyone who calls or fills out your form, the same day. Research on online inquiries found that businesses that responded within an hour were nearly 7 times as likely to qualify the lead as those that waited even an hour longer (Harvard Business Review, 2011).
Something like this works:
"Hi, I'm Dr. Lee. Thanks for reaching out to us. A lot of people who call us are nervous, and that's completely normal. At your first visit we'll just talk and take a look, and nothing happens that day unless you want it to. If you have any questions before then, just text us back. Looking forward to meeting you."
Upload it once (an unlisted YouTube link works fine) and add the link to the text or email your front desk already sends new inquiries. For a big case like implants or veneers, a 30-second personal version that uses their name goes even further.
None of this is required, and your patients are in good hands either way. But most practices never film their patients, which is exactly why the ones that do stand out. If you want to go above and beyond for nervous patients, this is an easy way to do it.
I'm Jack Holt, a documentary filmmaker in Atlanta. I shot and edited about 500 YouTube videos for a dentist's channel and made a brand documentary for Camp Creek Dental. If you ever want help filming or editing your patient stories, I'd be glad to talk.
Jack Holt · Big Brand Vision · 678-822-8203 · bigbrandvision.com
ADA News, "September JADA finds dental fear still prevalent in US," 2025
Reputation and YouGov patient survey, via Orthodontic Products, 2022
Spiegel Research Center, Northwestern University, "How Online Reviews Influence Sales"
Oldroyd, McElheran and Elkington, "The Short Life of Online Sales Leads," Harvard Business Review, March 2011 (summary of findings)