The way people search online is changing, and the way they look for a doctor or dentist is changing too. Potential patients can now ask ChatGPT or Gemini about symptoms, treatments, and healthcare providers, while Google itself is becoming more AI-driven.
So, are Google Ads still worth it for dental and medical practices?
The short answer is yes. Google Ads remain highly relevant because they can put your practice in front of potential patients at the point when they’re actively searching for a healthcare provider or service.
Are patients still using Google?
Yes, and in large numbers. According to BrightLocal’s 2026 Consumer Search Behaviour research, 71% of consumers used Google Search at some point during their most recent search for a local business.
So while AI is changing how people find information, it hasn’t replaced Google. In fact, the same research found that many people who used AI during their search went back to Google or another channel to verify information before making a decision.
Why do Google Ads still work for healthcare practices?
The strength of Google Ads comes down to intent.
Someone scrolling through social media may or may not be looking for a dentist or doctor. Someone searching “emergency dentist Brisbane”, “skin cancer clinic” or “female GP near me” has a much clearer need.
Google Ads can help your healthcare practice appear when potential patients are actively looking for the services you provide.
This can be particularly useful when you want to:
- attract more new patients
- fill gaps in your appointment book
- promote specific or higher-value services
- build awareness for a new practice or location
- compete for searches where other practices rank ahead of you
Has AI changed Google Ads?
Yes, it has, with Google building more AI into its search and advertising products. Google Ads now uses AI across areas such as bidding, search term matching, and ad content. Google is also integrating AI Overviews into Search, changing what some search results pages look like. For healthcare practices, there’s an important distinction. Google currently doesn’t show healthcare ads within AI Overviews because healthcare is treated as a sensitive category. However, eligible Google Ads can still appear above or below AI Overviews.
So, while the search page is changing, paid search remains an important part of it.
How can you reach the right local patients?
Location targeting is one of the biggest advantages of Google Ads for healthcare practices. A dental or medical practice typically wants to reach people who live, work, or spend time within a realistic distance of your practice.
Google Ads campaigns can target specific locations and focus on searches relevant to your services, such as:
- “emergency dentist [suburb]”
- “children’s dentist [suburb]”
- “GP clinic near me”
- “dermatologist [location]”
The aim isn’t simply to generate more clicks. It’s to generate enquiries and appointments from the right people.
Is search optimisation still important?
Yes. Google Ads and search optimisation do very different jobs.
Google Ads can generate visibility quickly when someone is actively searching. Search optimisation helps build your practice’s longer-term visibility across Google as well as AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini.
For many practices, the strongest approach is to use both. Google Ads can help capture immediate demand, while SEO, AEO and GEO build visibility across the broader ways patients now search.
Are Google Ads worth it for your healthcare practice?
Google Ads can be very successful for healthcare practices, but their success depends on how well the campaign is set up and managed. Your targeting, keywords, location settings, ad wording, landing pages and conversion tracking all influence whether your advertising turns into new patient enquiries.
At MedDigital, we specialise in healthcare marketing and are a certified Google Partner. We manage Google Ads campaigns for dental, medical and allied health practices with a focus on attracting the right patients and measuring what happens after they click.
Want to learn more? Book a 15-minute chat with MedDigital Managing Director Ian Shapland to discuss how Google Ads and search optimisation could support your practice.
