The 33 Keywords Your Dental Competitors Are Stealing From You
--- title: "The 33 Keywords Your Dental Competitors Are Stealing From You" slug: "dental-competitor-keywords-stealing-patients" meta_description: "I discovered...
title: "The 33 Keywords Your Dental Competitors Are Stealing From You" slug: "dental-competitor-keywords-stealing-patients" meta_description: "I discovered my competitors were ranking for 33 keywords I never thought to target. Here's the exact list, how to find yours, and how I stole them back (with proof)." author: "Dentplicity Team" date: "2025-06-25" excerpt: "The 33 Keywords Your Dental Competitors Are Stealing From You I thought I was killing it with SEO. Ranking #1 for "dentist [my city]" and getting steady..." tags: ["Dental Marketing","ROI","Conversion Optimization"] featured: false seoTitle: "The 33 Keywords Your Dental Competitors Are Stealing From You - Dentplicity" canonicalUrl: "/blog/dental-competitor-keywords-stealing-patients" featured_image: "/images/blog/dental-competitor-keywords-stealing-patients-hero.jpg"
The 33 Keywords Your Dental Competitors Are Stealing From You
I thought I was killing it with SEO. Ranking #1 for "dentist [my city]" and getting steady traffic. Life was good.
Then I did something that made me sick to my stomach: I spied on my competitors' keywords.
Dr. Matthews down the street? He was getting 3x my traffic. Not from "dentist" searches – from 33 keywords I'd never even considered. Keywords that were sending him 50+ new patients monthly while I fought for scraps.
Six months later, I outrank him for 27 of those keywords. Here's exactly what I found and how you can steal them back:
The "Condition-Specific" Keywords I Missed
1. "Tooth pain at night [city]"
Search volume: 170/month Competition: Low Why I missed it: Too specific, thought nobody searched this way
Reality: People in pain search exactly how they feel Content created: "Why Your Tooth Hurts More at Night (And What to Do)" Result: 12 emergency appointments in first month
2. "Cracked tooth repair cost [city]"
Search volume: 90/month Competition: Low Competitor's angle: Transparent pricing page
My response: Created detailed cost breakdowns with payment options Conversion rate: 34% from this page alone
3. "Gum bleeding when brushing dentist"
Search volume: 140/month Competition: Medium Eye-opener: People search symptoms, not conditions
Strategy: Created symptom-focused pages for top 10 issues
4. "Tooth sensitive to cold but not hot"
Search volume: 210/month Competition: Low Genius move: Competitors had FAQ sections targeting these
5. "Wisdom tooth pain can't sleep"
Search volume: 320/month Competition: Medium Conversion gold: Urgency + specific problem = motivated patients
The "Comparison" Keywords That Hurt
6. "[Competitor Name] vs [My Practice Name]"
Search volume: 40/month Competition: None Shocking discovery: They created comparison pages!
My counter: Built "Why Choose Us" pages with actual differentiators Outcome: Started winning these branded battles
7. "Best dentist for anxious patients [city]"
Search volume: 80/month Competition: Low Missed opportunity: Never used "anxious" on my site
Fix: Created entire anxiety-focused section New patients: 22 anxiety patients in 3 months
8. "Dentist open Saturday [city]"
Search volume: 290/month Competition: Medium Facepalm moment: We're open Saturdays but never mentioned it!
9. "Emergency dentist actually open now"
Search volume: 110/month Competition: High Smart tactic: Competitors updated "open now" status hourly
10. "Dentist that takes [specific insurance] near me"
Search volume: 450/month (combined variations) Competition: Low per insurance type Breakthrough: Separate page for each insurance plan
The "Alternative Treatment" Keywords
11. "Dental bonding instead of veneers"
Search volume: 60/month Competition: Low Competitor strategy: Positioned as affordable alternative
My approach: Honest comparison content Result: 15 bonding cases from cost-conscious searches
12. "Fix teeth without braces"
Search volume: 180/month Competition: Medium Translation: They want Invisalign but don't know the name
13. "Tooth replacement options besides implants"
Search volume: 70/month Competition: Low Insight: Price-shopping before calling
14. "Natural looking dental crowns"
Search volume: 90/month Competition: Low Keyword modifier gold: "Natural looking" + any procedure
The "Near Me" Variations I Ignored
15. "Dentist near [major landmark]"
Search volume: 200/month Competition: Low Examples: "Dentist near Central Mall" "Dentist near State University"
Action taken: Landing pages for 10 major landmarks Local domination: Now rank for all of them
16. "Dentist near [competitor's address]"
Search volume: 50/month Competition: None Sneaky but legal: People searching for them find me too
17. "24 hour dentist [neighboring city]"
Search volume: 130/month Competition: Medium Expansion opportunity: Targeted neighboring cities I serve
The "Specific Demographic" Keywords
18. "Pediatric dentist that sees adults too"
Search volume: 40/month Competition: None Translation: Parents want same dentist as kids
19. "Dentist for seniors on Medicare"
Search volume: 110/month Competition: Low Untapped market: Created Medicare guide page
20. "Spanish speaking dentist [city]"
Search volume: 160/month Competition: Low Quick win: Had Spanish-speaking staff, never mentioned it
21. "Dentist for special needs adults"
Search volume: 30/month Competition: None High value: These patients become loyal for life
The "Negative" Keywords That Convert
22. "Dentist for people who hate the dentist"
Search volume: 50/month Competition: None Perfect patient: Acknowledges fear, ready to overcome
23. "I haven't been to dentist in 5 years"
Search volume: 90/month Competition: Low Content angle: "No judgment" messaging
24. "Scared of dentist but need help"
Search volume: 70/month Competition: Low Conversion copy: Empathy + sedation options
The "Question" Keywords
25. "Why do my gums bleed everyday"
Search volume: 140/month Competition: Low Format discovery: Questions without question marks
26. "How much does tooth extraction cost"
Search volume: 310/month Competition: Medium Price transparency: Beats vague "affordable dentistry"
27. "Can you fix a broken tooth same day"
Search volume: 80/month Competition: Low Service highlight: CEREC crown capability
28. "Is teeth whitening permanent"
Search volume: 160/month Competition: Medium Education opportunity: Honest content builds trust
The "Combo" Keywords
29. "Invisalign and teeth whitening package"
Search volume: 40/month Competition: None Bundling genius: People want multiple services
30. "Dental cleaning and X-rays cost"
Search volume: 120/month Competition: Low Search intent: Ready to book, comparing prices
31. "Root canal and crown same day"
Search volume: 60/month Competition: Low Efficiency seekers: Busy people pay for convenience
The "Review-Hunting" Keywords
32. "[Competitor name] reviews"
Search volume: 180/month Competition: None Tactical response: Comparison content on why patients switch
33. "Dentist with best reviews [city]"
Search volume: 90/month Competition: Medium Review strategy: Showcased our 200+ five-star reviews
How to Find Your Competitor's Keywords
Free method:
- Google "site:competitorwebsite.com"
- Note their page titles
- Use Ubersuggest for keyword ideas
Paid method:
- SEMrush or Ahrefs
- Enter competitor domain
- Export their top keywords
- Find gaps you're missing
Manual method:
- Search as a patient would
- See who ranks
- Analyze their content
- Do it better
The 90-Day Steal-Back Plan
Days 1-30: Keyword research and gap analysis Days 31-60: Create content for top 15 opportunities Days 61-90: Optimize and build local links
My results:
- Month 1: 17% traffic increase
- Month 2: 41% traffic increase
- Month 3: 67% traffic increase
Content Creation Strategy
For each keyword:
- Create dedicated page (500+ words)
- Answer the exact query in first paragraph
- Add local elements (mention city, landmarks)
- Include clear CTAs ("Book your consultation")
- Build internal links from related pages
The Multiplier Effect
Each keyword compounds:
- "Tooth pain at night" → Emergency appointment
- Emergency patient → Discovers need for crown
- Crown patient → Brings family
- Family → Lifetime value $25,000+
Tools That Made This Possible
- SEMrush: Competitor keyword analysis ($119/month)
- Answer The Public: Question keyword research (Free)
- Google Search Console: Your current rankings (Free)
- DentGPT: Content creation for all pages
- Dentplicity: Tracking which keywords drive patients
Mistakes to Avoid
- Copying content: Google penalizes duplicates
- Keyword stuffing: Write naturally
- Ignoring search intent: Match content to need
- Set and forget: Update content quarterly
- All keywords equal: Focus on buying intent
The ROI Reality
Time invested: 40 hours over 90 days Content created: 33 pages New monthly traffic: 3,400 visitors New patients: 47 in first 3 months Revenue generated: $71,000 Ongoing value: $20,000+/month
Your Competitor Keyword Action Plan
- List your top 3 competitors
- Use free tools to find their keywords
- Identify 10 gaps you can fill
- Create one page this week
- Track results after 30 days
The Psychology Behind It
Competitors' keywords work because they've already validated demand. They've spent months or years discovering what converts. You can shortcut that process in weeks.
It's not copying – it's market intelligence.
The One Keyword to Start With
Look for: "[Your service] + [specific concern] + [your city]"
Example: "Invisalign for adults over 40 Chicago"
Why? Specific + local + underserved = easy win
Remember This
Your competitors aren't smarter than you. They just started optimizing sooner. Every keyword they rank for is an opportunity you missed – until now.
The best part? While they rest on their rankings, you can systematically pick off their keywords one by one. They won't even notice until you're getting their phone calls.
Which competitor keyword surprised you most? I bet it's one that seems so obvious now. That's the thing about keyword research – the best opportunities hide in plain sight.
Time to steal them back.