Written by Market My Market’s content team, with contributions from Brandi Bellingham, Hannah Kernal, Isabel Skormin, and Anastasiya Kalyuk
Digital content can serve as a valuable resource for patients seeking information and answers to various questions about their physical and oral health. If written well, this content can prove even more valuable for medical and dental offices hoping to connect with potential patients by helping them rank higher on Google. Unfortunately, despite this type of content’s inherent value for both readers and businesses, medical and dental topics are some of the most challenging subjects for writers to tackle.
Explaining complex topics in a clear, concise, and engaging manner is a true art that requires excellent communication skills, which not all writers possess. From dissecting intricate medical and surgical procedures to simplifying the mysteries of dental hygiene, the writers on Market My Market’s content team are not just wordsmiths, but translators of medical wisdom. As a team, we bridge the gap between the expert jargon of the healthcare industry and the curiosity of the common reader.
This post looks at one specific challenge: how a writer turns a clinical subject into something a nervous patient can follow without losing accuracy. Our dental marketing resources cover the wider strategy around that content, from local SEO to patient communication.
Why Health Content Is Held to a Higher Standard
Google treats health topics as “Your Money or Your Life” subjects, meaning content that could affect a reader’s health, safety, or finances if it is wrong. Google’s guidance on creating helpful, reliable, people-first content asks site owners to show who wrote a page, how it was produced, and why readers should trust it, and it names trust as the most important part of E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness).
For a dental or medical practice, that standard cuts both ways. A clear, accurate explanation of a procedure can help a patient feel ready to book a visit. A vague or outdated one can mislead a reader and undercut the practice’s credibility with both patients and search engines. That is why the writers below spend as much time on research and tone as they do on the writing itself.
Brandi Bellingham, Content Specialist
Writing about medical and dental topics often requires a deep understanding of complicated scientific and technical concepts. Because of this higher level of complexity, before I put finger-to-keyboard, I start by conducting in-depth research on the topic. I consult credible sources such as medical journals, authoritative websites, and academic publications to ensure I have a clear understanding of the subject matter before I begin writing. With these topics, I need to be extremely careful to avoid spreading false or outdated information, making fact-checking a vital and time-consuming task.
Once I feel like I have the basics down, I need to sort out how to convey the information in a way that’s empathetic and reassuring while maintaining accuracy. The medical and dental fields are rife with technical jargon and terminology that can be intimidating for the average reader. Therefore, it’s important that I translate this jargon into understandable language without oversimplifying or coming off too abrasively.
Breaking up long paragraphs, using bullet points, and providing clear headings can help make these difficult topics easier to digest. However, relating with the reader is a more powerful strategy. If the reader feels like their concerns are felt by the writer, they will feel more connected to the content and the client’s mission.
Hannah Kernal, Content Writer
Medical and dental topics, similar to our legal content, should always be handled carefully and thoughtfully. We typically point audiences to consult a medical professional before they move forward with any decisions. While exploring complex medical and dental issues can be interesting, we would never claim to know as much as the individuals and teams who have had more education and experience than we do.
It would be irresponsible to make definitive claims about their well-being or what conditions or issues they might have. Offering a diagnosis to readers might constitute medical advice, but we’re writers. We leave diagnosis, treatment, medical recommendations, and next steps to the professional medical and dental providers. Ultimately, this is far safer and helps readers make an informed decision.
Isabel Skormin, Content Specialist
As the daughter of a dentist, I have seen my father struggle firsthand with content writers he worked with who just could not quite grasp the level of professionalism necessary for this type of content while still having an approachable feel for potential patients. When it comes to our medical and dental clients, I always keep in mind that patients trust our clients with their health, so they need to know that this doctor or dentist knows what they’re talking about before they book their appointment.
While we would never give patients medical or dental advice in our writing, we can research relevant topics and provide our clients’ potential patients with information that will let them know that they have come to the right place for whatever healthcare needs they are in search of. As with all of our clients at Market My Market, we are proud to say that our content process is designed to ensure the content we create is thoughtful, informative, and brings value to our clients’ digital brand.
What Accurate, Patient-Friendly Health Content Looks Like
Taken together, the approaches above point to a few qualities any practice can look for when it reviews the medical or dental content on its own website, whoever writes it:
- Current, credible sources: Clinical claims trace back to peer-reviewed research, professional associations, or government health agencies, and statistics are checked against the original source rather than repeated from another blog.
- Plain language without lost meaning: Technical terms are explained the first time they appear, and simplification never changes what a procedure involves or what a study found.
- Education, not diagnosis: The page describes options and what to expect, then points readers to the provider for advice about their own situation.
- Measured promises: Outcomes are described with words like “may” and “can,” since results vary from patient to patient.
- No identifiable patient details: General service-line content stays general, so nothing on the page could identify a specific patient or visit.
Content that meets these standards tends to read more calmly and earn more trust, which is why careful research and editing are worth the time. Our team has written more about doing high-quality research for content marketing and about how peer review elevates content quality before anything is published.
Reach Out to Market My Market for Superior Marketing Solutions
Tackling complex medical and dental topics is a task that demands accuracy, clarity, and empathy. The experienced content writers at Market My Market are here to help you gain new leads, elevate your content, and develop a unique content strategy while you focus on running your business.
To talk about the content on your practice’s website, fill out a contact form for a free discovery call.
Frequently Asked Questions About Writing Medical and Dental Content
Why is medical and dental content harder to write than other topics?
Health topics combine technical terminology with readers who are often anxious or unsure what is wrong. The writer has to research the subject thoroughly, explain it in plain language without changing its meaning, and keep a reassuring tone, all while avoiding anything that reads like a diagnosis or a promise of results.
What does YMYL mean for a dental or medical practice website?
YMYL stands for Your Money or Your Life. Google uses it for topics where inaccurate information could affect a reader’s health, safety, or finances. Health content falls into this group, so Google looks for clear signs of trustworthiness, such as accurate information, credible sources, and transparency about who created the page.
Can a content writer give patients medical or dental advice?
No. A writer can explain what a condition or procedure generally involves and what patients can expect, but diagnosis, treatment recommendations, and next steps belong to licensed providers. Good health content encourages readers to talk with their dentist or doctor about their own situation.
How can a practice tell whether its website content is accurate?
Start by checking that statistics and clinical claims trace back to a current, credible source, such as a professional association, a government health agency, or peer-reviewed research. Then have a provider at the practice review service pages for accuracy, since they know how procedures are actually performed in their office.
How should health content handle patient stories and privacy?
General service-line content should stay general and never include details that could identify a specific patient, visit, or outcome. Practices covered by HIPAA should treat any patient-specific material with care and follow their own privacy policies before anything about a patient appears online.