"How much will it cost me?" is the right question, but an incomplete one. What matters more is how much it will bring you. This article builds on our complete guide to systematically getting new patients and digs into the actual numbers — from the budget to its make-up to calculating the return.
Short answer: rough ranges and what they depend on
Most clinics invest €500 – €3,000 per month in marketing. The figure depends on the clinic's stage, its town and competition, the type of treatments (self-pay are pricier to acquire but more profitable), and whether you do everything yourself or work with an agency.
A new clinic in a smaller town gets by on €500 – €800, while an established clinic in a larger city targeting implants and aligners often spends €2,000 and up. A lower figure is not automatically "cheaper" — if it brings no patients, it costs more than a higher but working budget.
What makes up the budget (ads, content, tools, agency)
A marketing budget is not a single line item. To know what you're paying for and where you can save, split it into four parts:
- Ad spend (media spend) — money that goes straight to Google and Facebook. Typically 40 – 60% of the total. An agency never sees this; it goes to the platform.
- Content and creative — photos, video, copy, landing pages. More up front, then ongoing upkeep.
- Tools and automation — a booking system, CRM, a reviews tool, and possibly an AI receptionist from around €199 a month that captures leads 24/7.
- Agency or specialist work — setup, optimisation, reporting. You pay for expertise and time, not for the clicks themselves.
When someone offers "complete marketing for €300 a month", their own work almost always eats most of it and only a few euros are left for the actual ads — which is why it brings no patients. For more on why ads fail, see why Facebook ads aren't bringing patients.
How much to invest by clinic stage
There is no universal number, but the clinic's stage is a good guide. Start lower, measure your cost per patient, and only then scale:
| Clinic stage | Monthly budget (rough) | Main goal |
|---|---|---|
| New clinic | €500 – €800 | First patients, local visibility |
| Growing clinic | €800 – €2,000 | A steady flow of bookings |
| Established clinic | €2,000+ | Scaling and self-pay patients |
If you want to grow and take the clinic to the next level, see how we help with that through the Next Level Clinic programme for scaling clinics.
How to calculate ROI (patient value, ROI)
The return is the only number that truly decides. You calculate it from the value of a patient and what it cost to acquire them. A worked example on a €1,000 monthly budget:
| Metric | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly budget | €1,000 | Ads + work + tools |
| New patients per month | 20 | From ads and leads |
| Cost per patient | €50 | €1,000 / 20 |
| Average patient value | €300 | First visit + treatments |
| Revenue from new patients | €6,000 | 20 × €300 |
| ROI | 6× | €6,000 / €1,000 |
This is a conservative example. For self-pay treatments the patient value is far higher — a single patient for implants worth €1,500 – €3,000 covers a whole month's budget on their own. So track patient value over the entire relationship, not just the first visit, and factor in that a happy patient refers others.
Facebook vs Google budget
How you split the money between channels depends on the goal. Google Ads captures people who are already searching for a dentist (higher intent, pricier clicks), while Facebook and Instagram create demand and are strong for aesthetics and aligners (cheaper reach, a longer path to booking).
For most clinics a mix works — start with roughly 60% on Google and 40% on Facebook and adjust by results. You'll find a detailed comparison with a recommended split in our article on whether Google Ads or Facebook pays off more.
When an agency is worth it and when it isn't
An agency is worth it, quite simply, when it brings in more than it costs. The basics — your Google profile, reviews and website — you can handle yourself. But with paid ads, automation and optimisation, mistakes run into hundreds of euros a month, and a partner can save you those.
- Do it yourself if you have time to learn, a small budget, and only want local visibility.
- An agency makes sense when you're spending €800+ on ads, want to grow faster, or are targeting lucrative self-pay treatments.
- Always ask for the numbers — cost per patient and ROI. If an agency can't show them, that's a warning sign.