Dental Demographics: How They Impact Your Location Choice

Dental Demographics: How They Should Dramatically Affect Choosing the Best Location

Raise your hand if you've ever wanted to build a new dental practice but can’t decide where. You’re not alone!

Nearly every doctor-owner hits this exact moment of paralysis when considering where to build. And it makes sense — this might be the biggest investment of your career. Getting it right matters.

"Demographics can help create your success. And if you get this wrong, demographics can kill your success."

We’ve seen it happen. At Ideal Practices, our team uses a proprietary mix of government data, real estate trends, and business analytics to evaluate potential sites for startup practices. The truth? There’s no shortcut here, and free or cookie-cutter data won’t cut it.

A Real Startup Story

I recently spoke with a doctor in New York sharing space in a building with four other startups. One of them? Still working part-time after four years because his own practice never took off. Why? Poor site selection based on assumptions, not facts.

On the other hand, one of our clients ramped up with hundreds of new patients in the first few months. What made the difference? Customized demographic analysis — and the discipline to follow it.

What You Need to Know About Dental Demographics

1. Get Current Data
   Demographics can shift quickly. Your data should be updated every 3–6 months — anything older risks leading you down the wrong path.

2. Avoid Free Reports
   You wouldn’t tell your mom to pick her full-mouth implant plan based on a free community clinic. Don’t make a multimillion-dollar location decision on unvetted data.

3. Run from Cookie-Cutter Reports
   Your practice vision isn’t generic — so your demographics report shouldn’t be either. You deserve data aligned with your unique goals, values, and model of care.

18 Questions to Ask Before You Pick a Location

If you're still deciding where to build, ask yourself:

• Do I want a corner lot?

• What’s the ideal building size?

• Do I need a big sign — and can I even have one there?

• Is the concrete flooring adding costs?

• How close should I be to a major road?

• Is working in my home community a benefit or liability?

• Are there enough patients nearby?

• Is the area over-saturated with dentists?

• Will I outgrow the space too quickly?

• What’s the family income in this ZIP code?

• Is the population trending up or down?

• What level of PPO/Medicaid participation fits my model?

• Can my ideal patient be found here — and in what volume?

These questions are where real location planning begins — and where we guide our clients every day.

Four Keys to Smart Location Selection

1. Demographics
   Understand the real data: growth trends, household income, competition ratios, age spread. Ideal Practices uses a 12-point custom checklist that goes way beyond population stats.

2. Legal Considerations
   Your non-compete clause can block your dream location. Don’t let legal missteps cut off your options.

3. Other Startups
   Know what’s coming. Multiple startups in one neighborhood can create marketing saturation — not ideal when you're trying to grow fast.

4. Age Opportunity
   Look for nearby retiring dentists. You might be able to acquire their patient base — even before your build is complete. One of our clients secured first rights on a retiring doctor’s records before construction began.

What You Can Do Next

If you're planning a dental startup, let demographics be your guide — not your guesswork.

And if you're ready to get serious about site selection with expert support, we’re here to help.

Book a free 1-on-1 consultation with a dental startup expert now:
Schedule Your Consultation

Let’s make your practice vision a reality — one smart, data-driven decision at a time.