Google Ads for orthodontists
LocaliQ's 2025 healthcare benchmarks put orthodontics at $8.76 per click, the highest of 16 healthcare specialties, and $71.52 per lead (US campaigns, October 2024 to September 2025). A 14.21% conversion rate keeps that lead cost below general dentistry's $84.77, and one full treatment is worth far more than the lead.
Orthodontic cost per click and per lead
| Category | Data period | Cost per click | Click-through rate | Conversion rate | Cost per lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orthodontics[1] | Oct 2024 to Sep 2025 | $8.76 | 4.35% | 14.21% | $71.52 |
| General Dentistry[1] | Oct 2024 to Sep 2025 | $7.03 | 5.06% | 7.74% | $84.77 |
| All healthcare[1] | Oct 2024 to Sep 2025 | $5.64 | 6.07% | 8.09% | $66.02 |
| Dentists & Dental Services[2] | Apr 2025 to Mar 2026 | $8.00 | 5.66% | 10.67% | $72.97 |
Orthodontics had the lowest click-through rate of the 16 specialties at 4.35%, but one of the higher conversion rates.[1] People click fewer orthodontic ads, and the ones who click are close to booking.
Cost drivers for orthodontists
- Case value. A full course of braces or aligners is a large, multi-month treatment, so practices can bid high.
- Competition from dentists. General dentists who offer aligners bid on the same terms.
- Aligner brands. Direct-to-consumer aligner companies advertise nationally on aligner searches.
- Two audiences. Parents researching braces for a child and adults looking at aligners search differently and respond to different offers.
A budget for 30 consultation leads a month
A single-location orthodontic practice wants 30 consultation requests a month.
30 orthodontic leads a month
Google can spend up to twice the daily budget on a single day but caps the month at 30.4 times it.[5]
The two budgets differ because the benchmark cost per lead, cost per click and conversion rate are each calculated separately across thousands of campaigns, not taken from one account. Plan for the higher one, then use your own numbers after 30 days.
RunAds plans the campaign at your budget and writes the ads.
Campaign structure for an orthodontic practice
Separate the parent audience from the adult audience, and keep your brand on its own.
| Campaign | Ad groups | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Braces for kids and teens | Braces for kids, orthodontist for teens, first orthodontic visit | Speak to parents. Payment plans and insurance on the page. |
| Adult aligners | Clear aligners, invisible braces for adults, aligner orthodontist | Speak to adults. Highlight that an orthodontist supervises treatment. |
| Cost and financing | Braces cost, aligners cost, orthodontic payment plans | Price-research searches. A page with real price ranges and financing. |
| General orthodontics | Orthodontist near me, free orthodontic consultation | Tight radius around each office. |
| Brand | Practice name and doctor names | Protects referrals and word of mouth. |
Keywords to start with
Phrase and exact match, grouped by audience.
General
orthodontist near mefree orthodontic consultationorthodontist accepting new patients
Kids and teens
braces for kidsorthodontist for teenswhen should my child get braces
Adults
clear aligners near mebraces for adultsinvisible braces
Cost
how much do braces costaligners costorthodontist payment plans
Negative keywords for orthodontists
These remove DIY, product and job searches. Add plurals too.[3]
diy bracesat homemail orderrubber bandswaxretainer casealigner cleanerjobssalaryorthodontic assistantdental schoolresidencycolorspicturesfree braces
Ad copy examples
Two sets of responsive search ad assets. Only state offers and financing your practice really has.
Braces for kids and teens
Headlines (up to 30 characters)
- Braces for Kids and Teens25
- Free First Consultation23
- Monthly Payment Plans21
- Orthodontist Near You21
- Evening Appointments20
Descriptions (up to 90 characters)
- Book your child's first orthodontic visit. We explain the plan and the cost up front.85
- Metal and clear braces from a specialist orthodontist. Payment plans and insurance help.88
Adult aligners
Headlines (up to 30 characters)
- Clear Aligners for Adults25
- Orthodontist-Led Aligners25
- See Your Smile Plan19
- Book a Free Consult19
Descriptions (up to 90 characters)
- Clear aligners planned and checked by an orthodontist, with in-office visits throughout.88
- Find out if aligners fit your case. Free consultation and a written treatment plan.83
Add call assets for office hours and turn on call reporting.[4] Aligner brand names belong to their makers, so check Google's trademark rules before you put one in ad text.
How RunAds runs Google Ads for orthodontists
What the agent does for you
- Builds separate campaigns for parents and adults from your site, limited to the area around each office.
- Writes the ads around your consultation offer and financing, and shows you the launch before anything goes live.
- Adjusts bids by time of day, device and location, and brings budget changes back to you as approval cards.
- Tracks consultation bookings server-side with Smart Pixel and blocks fraudulent clicks on expensive terms.
See how RunAds works for dental practices on Google Ads for dentists, or the pricing section.
Credit packs from $25, 5 credits per $1 of ad spend.
Common questions
How much do Google Ads cost for orthodontists?
LocaliQ's 2025 healthcare data has orthodontics at $8.76 per click, a 14.21% conversion rate and $71.52 per lead. General dentistry was $7.03 per click and $84.77 per lead in the same report.
Why do orthodontic clicks cost more than other healthcare clicks?
Treatment cases are large and patients stay for many months, so practices bid high. General dentists who offer clear aligners and direct-to-consumer aligner brands bid on many of the same searches.
How much should an orthodontic practice spend on Google Ads?
30 consultation leads a month at $71.52 each is $2,146. Sized by clicks it's $1,849. Set the target from how many new-patient exams your schedule has open each month.
Should orthodontists advertise braces and clear aligners separately?
Yes. Adult aligner searchers and parents looking for braces for a child want different things, so separate campaigns let each have its own copy, page and budget.
Can RunAds run Google Ads for an orthodontic practice?
Yes. RunAds is an AI agent that builds the campaigns from your site, writes the ads and watches the account daily. Nothing goes live until you approve it.
Sources
- Healthcare Search Ads Benchmarks for 16 Specialties, LocaliQ, by Susie Marino. Last updated January 13, 2026; data from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025.3,542 US search campaigns, at least 43 per specialty. The page says its averages are medians.
- NEW 2026 Search Advertising Benchmarks (+Tips), LocaliQ (with WordStream), by Stephanie Heitman. Last updated June 1, 2026.Google Ads and Microsoft Ads search campaigns across 23 industries. The page labels each figure an average.
- About negative keywords, Google Ads Help. Checked Nov 6, 2026.Negative keywords don't match close variants, so synonyms and singular or plural forms have to be added separately. Casing and misspellings are covered automatically.
- About call assets, Google Ads Help. Checked Nov 6, 2026.Numbers can be set to show only when the business can take calls, and call reporting counts calls as conversions.
- About average daily budgets, Google Ads Help. Checked Oct 30, 2026.A campaign can spend up to 2x its average daily budget on a given day, and up to 30.4x it in a month.
Every outside number on this page links to its source above, with the date we checked it. RunAds has not published its own account data here.
Related pages
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