It actually started by accident… In 2006, when Bill and Debbie Hang asked me to build their first website for Face Focused Orthodontics, I didn’t know much about SEO. 

But I knew this: storytelling connects with patients.

We created a lot of video content—not because anyone told us to, but because it felt authentic. It was the best way to show people we understood their pain. That they weren’t alone or crazy. 

That there was a real diagnosis—and a real path forward.

That first Face Focused website was one of the first dental sites to use YouTube. Those videos traveled fast, reaching people all over the country. 

Without paying for SEO. Without gaming the system. 

And as a result, we ranked extremely well.

Meanwhile, the “SEO gold rush” was in full swing. Vendors were calling nonstop, pitching secret tricks and algorithm hacks. But when I showed them where we were already ranking, most were baffled.

The lesson stuck: High-value content, consistently published, was winning — and gimmicks were not.

From that point forward, I’ve always believed: Content-first SEO is where the value is for my clients (and myself).

Search Is Changing—Fast

Now, we’re facing another shift: the rise of AI-driven search.

With Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and Bing’s integration of GPT-4, search engines aren’t just listing links. 

They’re generating direct answers to user questions—often before users ever click a website.

For dental practices rooted in whole-body health, this shift isn’t a threat. It’s a massive opportunity…if you know how to respond.

I have never been a believer in “SEO hacking” your way to success. 

If you want to build a brand patients and parents value, consistently showing up as a trusted authority is your best path forward.

This article will break down exactly how to do that, using real examples from Dr. Christin Buehler at Buehler Family Dental and Breathe for Foundational Development, Dr. Laurie Johnson at Exceptional Dentistry, and Drs. Sara Larbi and Dmitry Dolgov at The Dentist Lounge.

Yes, AI Changed the Search Game—But Not the Endgame

Google and Bing aren’t just indexing websites anymore. They’re answering questions.

According to Search Engine Journal, Google’s SGE creates AI-crafted summaries pulled from multiple sources​. Bing’s GPT-4 integration works similarly.

And when these AI models decide what to highlight, they don’t pick gimmicks. 

They prioritize content that demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T)​.

That’s good news for airway and biologic dentists—because real-world experience is your superpower.

Take Dr. Laurie Johnson of Exceptional Dentistry. 

Her website, patient consults, and case presentations are all structured to build trust, showcase clinical depth, and affirm her role as a health partner—not just a procedural expert​.

If you lead with authenticity and patient-centered education, AI will increasingly favor you—not generic mass content.

Content That Connects: The New Rules for SEO

Here’s the new reality: if your website relies on generic service pages, you will consistently lose ground online.

AI-powered search engines don’t just match keywords.  They look for signs of first-hand expertise, clarity, and patient-focused value.

That’s exactly why Dr. Christin Buehler restructured her practice’s brand:

• Buehler Family Dental for general and cosmetic care
  
• Breathe for Foundational Development for airway-focused education​
  

The result?

More aligned patients.  Higher engagement.  Stronger SEO performance.

What did she do that you can do too?:

• Write for the real person behind the search (often a concerned parent).
  
• Use FAQ-style content to target natural language queries.
  
• Generate and optimize meta descriptions and page titles clearly.
  
• Implement schema markup (especially for FAQs, reviews, and services).
  
• Infuse every page (or almost every page) with stories, real experience, and patient-centered values.

Authenticity isn’t just a brand value anymore. It’s an SEO ranking factor.

How to Use ChatGPT Without Losing Your Voice

ChatGPT is not your content writer.

It’s your brainstorming partner, idea generator, and rough draft assistant.  But it’s not the voice of your practice—and never should be.

Many airway dentists ask: Can I use ChatGPT for SEO? The answer is yes—but only if you lead.

Here’s how the best practices use it:

• Brainstorm blog post topics based on patient FAQs
  
• Draft FAQ-style content to capture natural search queries
  
• Create meta tags and schema markup for technical SEO
  
• Draft outlines for patient education pages or articles
  
• Simplify medical explanations into patient-friendly language (that you then review and personalize)
  

The danger? Letting AI write for you instead of with you.

If your entire website sounds like an AI bot, you’ll lose trust—not just with Google, but with real patients. 

Google’s guidelines are clear: Real-world experience and author transparency matter​.

Use ChatGPT to save time, not to replace your expertise. Always add your voice, your story, and your judgment to every piece of content you create.

ChatGPT Is the New Search Bar (And Your Brand Needs to Show Up)

Here’s a shift everyone’s starting to talk about:Patients are now using ChatGPT directly to search for answers.

Think about questions like:

• “What are the symptoms of tongue tie in a toddler?”
  
• “Can mouth breathing affect facial development?”
  
• “Best airway dentist near me.”

These used to be answered only by Google. Now, ChatGPT can respond to those questions and others like them based on what it learns from your website content, trusted citations, schema markup, and the broader public internet.

It’s not real-time like Google—but it’s powerful, and it’s growing fast.

What this means for you:

• Publish clear, trustworthy, E-E-A-T-aligned content.
  
• Add structured data (schema markup) to your website.
  
• Get quoted or cited on reputable third-party sites (articles, webinars, podcasts).
  
• Focus on educational content—not just service listings.

You’re no longer just optimizing for Google bots. You’re educating AI and teaching it why your voice deserves to be heard.

Local SEO Is Still King—If You Adapt

Even as AI reshapes search, local search is still critical.

In SGE (Search Generative Experience), nearly half of local AI answers feature a map module with business listings​.  Your Google Business Profile (GBP) isn’t optional. It’s your frontline.

Drs. Sara Larbi and Dmitry Dolgov at The Dentist Lounge understand this.  They didn’t just optimize their GBP listing. They built local authority by:

• Cultivating reviews that reflect their airway philosophy
  
• Using long-tail keywords like “biologic dentist in Santa Monica”
  
• Publishing patient-centered content for their exact audience​

Want to win in local SEO?

Do what they did:

• Update your GBP weekly with posts and accurate info
  
• Encourage detailed patient reviews
  
• Use schema markup for your services and location
  
• Publish blog posts with natural, hyperlocal keywords
  
• Keep your Name-Address-Phone (NAP) data consistent everywhere
  

Local SEO isn’t just a checkbox anymore.  It’s how AI verifies that you’re real, trusted, and worth recommending.

SEO Isn’t About Tricks Anymore—It’s About Trust

While content drives SEO success today, technical SEO still matters enormously.

Google and Bing publish clear technical SEO guidelines​. Following them will give you good digital hygiene, usability, and trust-building.

Here are a few examples:

• Mobile-first design: Your mobile site is now the primary version Google indexes—not desktop.
  
• Core Web Vitals: Your site must load quickly, be visually stable, and offer a smooth user experience.
  
• HTTPS security: Encryption is mandatory. Secure sites earn more trust.
  
• Structured data (schema markup): Labeling your services, FAQs, reviews, and articles helps AI and search engines categorize you correctly.
  
• Clean, logical URLs: Human-friendly URLs like /services/airway-evaluation perform better than strings of random numbers or codes.
  
• Accessibility standards: Proper use of image alt text, heading structures (H1, H2, H3), and clear navigation improves both SEO and user experience.

If you align your technical setup with Google and Bing’s best practices and combine it with authentic, patient-first content, you’ll make consistent progress in search…now and in the AI-driven future.

Closing Thoughts (and a Quiet Invitation)

We’re in a new era of search. But the best strategy hasn’t changed…

Create valuable, clickable, trust-building content—and show up where your patients are searching.

If you’d like help doing that in a way that reflects your philosophy and values, let’s talk.

Book a 60-minute Lunch & Learn with me.
We’ll talk about what you believe, who you want to serve, and how to attract the patients who are already looking for you. You’ll leave the session with some actionable ideas you can use to start accomplishing your vision.