You have seen the guy.
Listens to one episode of Diary of a CEO, and suddenly he is waking up at 5am, meditating with his phone on airplane mode, running 10k fasted and finishing it all off with a three-minute ice bath. By lunchtime he has done red light therapy, posted about discipline and eaten exactly 37 grams of protein from grass-fed venison.
Ask him when he last flossed?
Insert tumbleweed here.
Before I begin, do not shoot. This is not a pop at anyone who does any of these things. If you are trying to make positive changes to your life and escape the doom and gloom of the world, good for you. Heck, I do some of them myself.
Growing up, I struggled with my mental health and also got pretty hefty, just under 20 stone, or 127kg for the slightly more experienced folk. The best way for me to have a great day is to make sure the first hour is great. Achieve something big or small, like a walk, usually with a weighted backpack, engage with nature and learn something new.
01.The Wellness Boom That Forgot the Mouth
We are in a full-blown health boom. Podcasts, influencers and personal trainers are turning every part of the body into a project.
Gut health is sexy now
People are talking about digestion, microbiomes and what their breakfast is doing to their energy.
Hormones are a hot topic
People are tracking mood, cycles, testosterone, stress and everything in between.
Sleep is a performance metric
There are men in their 20s tracking sleep like they are Olympic athletes.
But teeth? Gums? Plaque? Still stuck in the “ugh, do I have to?” category.
Which is wild when you think about it, because the mouth is literally the start of the body. The science linking oral health to heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, sleep quality and more is very real. Just not very viral.
02.Let’s Be Honest: Flossing Does Not Hit Like a Cold Plunge
Honestly, it is probably this: brushing and flossing do not feel rewarding.
There is no dopamine kick. No Instagrammable moment. No visible glow. You floss every night for a month, and what do you get? Slightly less guilt at your next hygiene appointment.
Compare that to the cold plunge: immediate rush. Or a run: endorphins. Or a smoothie: something you can photograph with a quote from Huberman underneath.
Oral health is private. It is invisible. And let’s face it, it still feels like a chore from childhood, not a tool for performance or longevity.
03.But Here’s the Thing, Dentists Can Change That
This is where practice owners are sitting on a huge opportunity. Because everyone is already obsessed with health. They want to live longer, sleep better, stay sharp and avoid meds.
They just do not know that their mouth is holding them back.
You do not need to lecture them. You just need to reframe it.
You are not just filling teeth
You are helping people eat, smile, speak and live without pain or embarrassment.
You are reducing inflammation
Position prevention and hygiene around wider health, not just plaque control.
You are helping people function
Chewing, sleeping, confidence and long-term health all connect back to the mouth.
And right now, not enough dental practices are saying that clearly.
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04.Why You Should Stop Marketing Like a Dental Practice and Start Marketing Like a Wellness Brand
If you read any part of this, read this part.
Dental practices are still, for the most part, selling procedures.
- “We do implants.”
- “We offer whitening.”
- “We do check-ups and cleanings.”
But look at how actual wellness brands market. They do not sell the service. They sell identity, transformation and belonging.
05.1. Sell a Lifestyle, Not a Treatment
Peloton never sold bikes. They sold motivation, transformation and a community of people getting stronger together.
You are not selling a filling. You are giving someone the ability to eat without pain, speak with confidence and age with their dignity intact. That is the lifestyle.
Instead of this
“We place dental implants.”
Say this
“You deserve to chew, smile and live without compromise.”
06.2. Build Personal Brands Around Trust
Why are patients obsessed with doctors on podcasts? Because they are human, passionate and educational. They talk like real people, and they believe in what they do.
Your practice’s most powerful marketing asset is not your technology. It is your face. Your voice. Your story.
So show up on video. Talk about the links between oral and systemic health. Be the local voice that patients trust before they ever Google another dentist.
07.3. Create a Culture, Not Just a Clinic
People join CrossFit classes, meditation apps and wellness clubs because they want to be around something bigger than themselves.
So what if your practice was that?
- What if new patients felt like they were entering a health movement?
- What if your hygiene plan felt like a membership in something that protected their future?
- What if your staff sounded like health coaches, not just receptionists and hygienists?
You are not just fixing teeth. You are building a culture of vitality.
Copy how they talk. Mirror their energy. Align your mission with theirs: long-term health, high performance and a better life.
Once you do that, you are not just a dentist in your town anymore. You are a wellness leader with a purpose. And that changes everything.
08.The Final Word
People are tracking everything now: sleep, steps, macros, mental health. They will invest in therapy, supplements, saunas and even smart water bottles.
But the part of their body that is literally the gateway to all of it? Still treated like an afterthought.
It is not their fault. No one has told the story well.
But that is your opportunity. To be the practice that makes it click. To take your spot at the table in the wellness world. To show people that dentistry is not just about teeth, it is about how they live, age, sleep and function.
And if you are not doing it, some other practice will.
Written by Kieran Standen, founder of Wise Agency and recognised expert in dental marketing.