Photo Stories: The Art of Smiling with Dr. Larry, Toledo's Premier Dentist

The photos you use on your website, social media accounts, and marketing materials should represent your brand. This is especially true when it comes to the dental industry. When it comes to photography for dentists, no one understands this better than Dr. Larry, Toledo’s Premier Dentist.

Show Off Your Smile

A great smile lights up a photograph like little else. Thich Nhat Hanh is quoted saying, “Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.” It’s true. Your smile is beautiful! And that’s what people want to see: smiles.

Photography for dentists — “Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.” -Thich Nhat Hanh

The Untapped Power Of Smiling written by Ron Gutman, concludes with this thought from the author: “In my fascinating journey to uncover more about smiling, I discovered something far greater than just a way to get through a challenging run – I found a simple and surprisingly powerful way to significantly improve my own life and the lives of others.”

In the article, he lists three important things a smile can accomplish:

When you smile, you look good and feel good.
When others see you smile, they smile too.
When others smile, they look good and feel good, too.

A simpler version is on kidshealth.org: “Smiling Can Lift a Bad Mood. Scientists have found that smiling on purpose can help people feel better. Just the simple act of putting a smile on your face can lead you to feel actual happiness, joy, or amusement. Smiling on purpose changes brain chemistry.”

So, go ahead and SMILE!

Photography for Dentists

Dental photography needs to be professional yet authentic. In this photo, Dr. Larry has a warm and natural smile.

To achieve this type of smile, you’ll need to relax. As you’re taking photos, remember to breathe. Inhale deeply, then exhale as you smile. Don’t clench your jaw, or your smile will look forced.

Another way to ensure your photo turns out well is to keep your head up. Make sure you’re eye-level with the camera lens – or above.

Have Some Fun

During the photo shoot at your dental office, your staff may feel anxious. Few people enjoy having photos taken of them. It helps if you have someone on your team to lighten the mood.

Dr. Larry’s team is very warm and friendly, but his office manager took it to another level. She brought energy and made everyone laugh. The reason this is important is because it helped everybody relax and enjoy themselves. The photos radiate the friendliness and warmth of the team and Dr. Larry.

Photos with Patients

When it comes to photography for dentists, every smile is important, from staff photos to photos with your dental patients. The photo session was relaxed and easy – Dr. Larry’s staff and patients had a great time talking as we snapped photos.

In addition to a great smile, your dental photography needs to be beautiful. To create the right aesthetic, patients were asked to wear dark gray clothing. This ensured that the colors worked well with Dr. Larry’s team uniforms as well as the dental office.

Prior to our photo session in Toledo, we created a list (with the help of our marketing team) of images we wanted to capture. We listed all the procedures that Dr. Larry offered. We also were sure to take photos of Dr. Larry consulting with his patients.

As you can see in the photo above, it’s important to capture context. In this instance, the book cover was vital to show, so that viewers understood what the conversation was about. Also notice that the folder is black and purple – the colors of Dr. Larry’s website and marketing materials.

These photos can be used in your marketing campaigns. For example, Dr. Larry posts photos on Facebook to increase traffic to his website. These posts are branded with Schmakel Smile Design’s logo and brand colors, so the look and feel is consistent with his website and print materials.

Dental Staff Photography

The photo below is an authentic, emotive image. Three of Dr. Larry’s team surround a computer screen. The smiles are contagious! This is the key to great photography for dentists: a truly happy office environment filled with people who enjoy their work.

Photographing An Exam

Photos show your potential patients what they can expect when they visit your dental office. This helps relieve anxiety.

If someone has never met you or visited your office, she may be wary of what to expect. Showing her photos of your office, your staff and patients, and you – the dentist – is the best way to lower her fear. This helps to increase conversions (in this case, a new patient calling your office to make an appointment).

That means your photos can actually help you get more patients! That is the power of good photography.

For his patients in Toledo, Dr. Larry demonstrated what a typical exam looks like. He walked us through the procedure for a dental exam. These images are essential for your dental website and marketing campaign. Why?

You can use these images in so many ways to help grow your practice and solidify your brand.

Here is one way Dr. Larry uses his photography on his website:

Your Dental Office

In addition to photos of your team and the services you offer, be sure to photograph the outside of your office. This is helpful to first-time visitors who may not know what your office looks like. These are also great photos to use on your Google business listing and on social media.

These images are used on Dr. Larry’s website to help new patients recognize the outside of his Toledo office. It’s also a great way to showcase the atmosphere in your office and lower patient anxiety.

Custom Dental Website Design

If you’d like a website that is truly unique, please consider Artonic in Michigan. We plan, design, and develop completely custom dental websites – websites that are built from scratch.

We also offer photography, videography, logo design, and branding. Artonic has a full-service digital marketing team as well, to promote your brand and grow your business.

Resources for Dental Photography

Thinking about designing a website for your dental practice? Consider adding an element of authenticity to your design with custom photography.

This free ebook, 10 Stats About the Value of Photography & Videography in Web Design, is a must-read for any dental professional exploring website design and thinking about photos. Inside, you’ll find solid stats that make the case for custom photos and videos on your website.