Course:
The New Reality of How Patients Find Dentists—and How to Adapt
Continuing Education Credits:
1 CE
Course Presenter(s):
Patrick McDonald, Head of Strategic Grow...Patrick McDonald, Head of Strategic Growth at RAMPEducation Methods:
Category:
Date Added:
10/16/2026
Course Overview
New patient call volume is softer than it was 2–3 years ago at dental practices across the country. It's not your front desk, your pricing, or your location. Something changed in how patients search. High-intent patients are now asking ChatGPT, Google's AI, and similar tools to recommend a dentist by name. They get a short list back. If your practice isn't on it, those patients call someone else before they ever see your website.
This session covers what changed, when, and why it shows up as a call drop first. We'll look at real data on how patients search in 2026, what AI tools actually use to decide which practices to recommend, and what solo practices can do about it right now without rebuilding their website or doubling their ad spend.
Course Objectives
1. Explain what shifted in local dental search behavior between 2023 and 2026 and why the impact shows up as fewer inbound calls before anything else
2. Identify the four things AI tools look at when deciding which dentist to recommend to a patient
3. Recognize why corporate dental chains already have an advantage in AI recommendations and understand what you can do to close that gap
4. Describe why most dental websites are invisible to AI for specific procedures and how to change that
Additional Information:
Date Added:
10/16/2026
Review Date:
10/16/2026
Expiration Date:
10/7/2029
Target Audience:
This course is intended for dentists and other dental professionals from novice to advanced.
Educational Method:
Self Instructional Online CE Course
IMAGE AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT:
No images in this presentation have been altered.
SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY STATEMENT:
Information shared in this continuing education activity is developed from clinical research and represents the most current information available from evidence- based dentistry.
KNOWN BENEFITS AND LIMITATIONS:
Information in this continuing education activity is derived from data and information obtained from the reference section.
EDUCATIONAL DISCLAIMER:
Completing a single continuing education course does not provide enough information to result in the participant being an expert in the field related to the course topic. It is a combination of many educational courses and clinical experience that allows the participant to develop skills and expertise.
This continuing dental education activity is a DentalXP activity. DentalXP designates this activity for 1 continuing education credit(s).
DISCLOSURE:
DentalXP ownership and staff have no relevant financial relationship to report.
DentalXP
Nationally Approved PACE Program Provider| for FAGD/MAGD credit.
Approval does not imply acceptance by
GENERAL DENTISTRY any regulatory authority or AGD endorsement
10/1/2025 to 9/30/2029.
Provider ID# 21759