Whether Google Ads or Facebook advertising pays off more doesn't depend on which channel is "better," but on what you want to achieve and which kind of patient you're after. This comparison is part of a bigger picture — to understand how ads fit the whole system, read the guide on how to systematically get new patients.
Short answer: when Google and when Facebook
Choose Google Ads when you want to capture patients with an urgent need — toothache, a cracked crown, "dentist near me." Choose Facebook and Instagram when you want to sell pricier self-pay treatments the patient is still only considering. The strongest results come from combining the two.
How Google demand works (people are already searching)
Google captures existing demand. A patient types "dentist Bratislava" or "emergency dental clinic" into the search bar, and you appear at the exact moment they're deciding. That makes this patient far closer to booking than anyone simply scrolling social media.
Cost per click in dentistry usually ranges from €0.50 to €3 — higher in competitive cities and for expensive terms (such as "dental implants"). The click costs more, but a single booked implant patient worth thousands of euros returns many times over. To turn those clicks into bookings, though, the ad must lead to a conversion-ready website and a fast response.
How Facebook and Instagram work (creating demand)
Facebook and Instagram don't wait for the patient to search — they create demand. Someone who never thought about whitening or invisible aligners sees a before/after photo, a happy patient's story or a short clinic video, and starts to consider the treatment. That's exactly why social media is ideal for building demand for premium treatments and for branding.
Reach here is cheaper and visual content performs brilliantly — but beware: if ads are running and patients aren't coming, the problem is usually targeting, the offer, or what happens after the click. We cover the most common causes in why Facebook ads aren't bringing patients.
Comparison table: cost, speed and patient type
It's clearest side by side. The figures are rough for the Slovak market and vary by city, competition and treatment:
| Criterion | Google Ads | Facebook and Instagram |
|---|---|---|
| Type of demand | Existing (patient is already searching) | Created (interest must be sparked) |
| Speed of first leads | Hours to days | Days to weeks |
| Cost per click (rough) | €0.50 – €3 | €0.10 – €0.60 |
| Patient readiness | High — wants to book | Lower — still considering |
| Best for | Urgent cases, "dentist near me" | Implants, aligners, aesthetics, brand |
The ideal mix of both channels
For most clinics, linking the two channels pays off the most. A practical approach looks like this:
- Google Ads to capture urgent demand — "dentist near me," emergencies, toothache. This gives you a steady flow of bookings from people deciding right now.
- Facebook and Instagram to build demand for pricier treatments and to make patients remember you before they even need you.
- Remarketing ties both together: anyone who visited your website sees a reminder on social media and comes back to finish booking.
If your clinic has few patients, don't force both channels live at once — we'll build a plan with you based on your stage and the budget that makes sense.
Why ads sometimes fail and what it costs
Neither Google nor Facebook is a magic button. Ads fail when they target the wrong people, have a weak offer, lead to a slow website, or when no one answers the lead quickly. Before comparing channels, it's worth knowing how much to actually invest and how to calculate ROI — that's in how much dental marketing costs — and if your ads aren't working, walk through the most common reasons.