Are your patients suddenly searching only through AI tools like ChatGPT, or is Google still doing most of the heavy lifting?
Before you pivot your entire strategy, it’s worth looking at the data.
In this episode of The Dental Marketing Heroes Podcast, Ian Cantle (President and Chief Marketing Strategist at Outsourced Marketing and Dental Marketing Heroes) explains how dentists can attract new patients in 2025 and 2026 using a concept called Omnisearch—the combined power of SEO, AI search, and the platforms that feed both.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
• How search really works when someone has a toothache and needs a dentist right now
• How people searched a few years ago (96%+ going straight to Google)
• How things are changing with Google plus AI “answer engines” like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Meta
• Why about 94% of people still use Google when searching for local businesses
• What Ahrefs found when studying traffic sources for 82,000+ sites—why AI engines often send less than 2% of traffic
• How Google’s ecosystem (Google Business Profiles, YouTube, Ads, Analytics) gives it a massive long-term edge
• Why your website, schema, and structured data are the hub for both SEO and AI visibility
The three rules of Omnisearch:
1) Be Findable
A strong website, technical SEO, solid content, structured data, a complete Google Business Profile, and consistent local signals.
2) Be Useful
Clear, original content that answers real patient questions on Google and inside AI tools.
3) Be Credible
Consistent content creation, quality citations, reviews, and engagement that build trust across platforms.
When Omnisearch is working, your practice shows up everywhere patients look. You attract better patients, increase revenue, and grow your practice equity.
Episode Timeline
00:00 – Intro
00:25 – Why AI and SEO are top-of-mind for dentists
01:00 – The myth: “everyone has abandoned Google for AI search”
01:35 – What search really means: a person looking for help
02:10 – Two years ago: 96%+ of searches on Google
02:45 – Today: Google plus AI answer engines
03:30 – The 94% Google vs 6% AI/Bing breakdown
04:05 – Why AI-only marketing pitches miss key data
04:35 – Ahrefs study: insights from 82,000+ websites
05:10 – Why AI sends so little traffic to local and B2B sites
06:10 – The real question: where do people search for you?
06:45 – The SEO foundation: website, GBP, schema, reviews, social
08:00 – Google’s moat: Business Profiles, YouTube, Ads
08:45 – AI search: base training data vs live retrieval
10:00 – Why overlap between Google and AI data matters
10:40 – Your website as the visibility hub
11:15 – Introducing Omnisearch
11:40 – Rule #1: Be Findable
12:10 – Rule #2: Be Useful
12:40 – Rule #3: Be Credible
13:20 – What Omnisearch produces for your practice
13:50 – How to get started
14:30 – Final reminders
If this episode gave you clarity on how patients will actually find you in 2025 and 2026, like and share this podcast with another dentist or business owner.
Want a custom Omnisearch roadmap for your practice?
👉 Book a free discovery call and Practice Growth Strategy Session with Dental Marketing Heroes.
We’ll review how you’re showing up in SEO and AI search, then build a clear plan to improve your visibility and attract more of the right patients.
Learn more:
Dental Marketing Heroes – https://dentalmarketingheroes.com
Outsourced Marketing – https://outsourcedmarketing.ca
