Dentist Schema – Complete Guide for Dental Practices
Dentist schema markup is specifically designed for dental practices, oral surgeons, and dental specialists. It provides structured data about dental services, credentials, specialties, and healthcare-specific information for better search engine understanding and patient discovery.
What is Dentist Schema?
Dentist schema describes dental healthcare providers, including general dentists, oral surgeons, orthodontists, and dental specialists. It provides specific properties for dental specialties, procedures, credentials, and dental-specific information that helps search engines properly categorize dental practices.
Why Dentist Schema Matters
Dentist schema is crucial for dental practices because it enables proper categorization of dental services, establishes credibility through dental credentials display, and helps patients find appropriate dental care based on their specific needs and location.
The key insight: Dentist schema transforms dental listings into properly categorized healthcare entities that search engines can feature in health-related searches and local dental directories.
What Dentist Schema Includes
SEO Benefits You Get
Dentist Schema Implementation
Complete Dental Practice Schema Example
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Dentist",
"@id": "https://example.com/dental-practice/#dentist",
"name": "Bright Smile Dental Care",
"description": "Comprehensive dental care practice offering preventive dentistry...",
"url": "https://example.com",
"telephone": "+1-555-1234",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "789 Dental Way",
"addressLocality": "Healthy City",
"addressRegion": "HC",
"postalCode": "54321",
"addressCountry": "US"
},
"openingHoursSpecification": [
{
"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
"dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday"],
"opens": "08:00",
"closes": "17:00"
}
],
"availableService": [
{
"@type": "MedicalProcedure",
"name": "Dental Cleaning",
"description": "Professional teeth cleaning and oral health assessment",
"procedureType": "PreventiveProcedure"
}
],
"medicalSpecialty": "https://schema.org/Dentistry",
"hasCredential": [
{
"@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
"credentialCategory": "Dental License",
"name": "DDS - Doctor of Dental Surgery"
}
],
"aggregateRating": {
"@type": "AggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "4.9",
"ratingCount": "312"
}
}
</script>Required vs Recommended Properties
Required Properties
- •
name- Practice name - •
address- Physical location
Dental-Specific Properties
- •
medicalSpecialty- Dental specialties offered - •
availableService- Specific dental services - •
hasCredential- Dental credentials and licenses - •
healthcareReportingData- Dental practice reporting data
Dentist Schema Best Practices
Content & Accuracy
Advanced Features
Common Dentist Schema Mistakes
❌ Incorrect Dental Specialties
Mistake: Using non-standard or incorrect dental specialty classifications.
Fix: Use proper Schema.org medical specialty URLs for dentistry-related fields.
❌ Unverified Dental Credentials
Mistake: Including unverified or expired dental licenses.
Fix: Only include currently active dental licenses verified through official state dental boards.
❌ Incomplete Service Information
Mistake: Listing dental services without proper MedicalProcedure categorization.
Fix: Use MedicalProcedure types with appropriate procedureType classifications for dental services.
❌ Missing Healthcare Compliance
Mistake: Not including required dental practice reporting data.
Fix: Include healthcareReportingData with appropriate dental practice information.
Validate Your Dentist Schema
Testing Tools & Resources
Official Google Tools
Dental-Specific Testing
- • Verify dental specialty accuracy
- • Check credential verification
- • Test local dental search appearance
- • Validate healthcare compliance data
Additional JSON-LD Examples
General Dental Practice
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Dentist",
"@id": "https://example.com/dental-practice/#dentist",
"name": "Bright Smile Dental Care",
"description": "Comprehensive dental care for the whole family. Services include preventive care, restorative dentistry, cosmetic procedures, and emergency dental services.",
"url": "https://example.com",
"telephone": "+1-555-0123",
"faxNumber": "+1-555-0124",
"email": "[email protected]",
"medicalSpecialty": "Dentistry",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "123 Dental Avenue",
"addressLocality": "Springfield",
"addressRegion": "IL",
"postalCode": "62701",
"addressCountry": "US"
},
"geo": {
"@type": "GeoCoordinates",
"latitude": "39.7817",
"longitude": "-89.6501"
},
"openingHours": [
"Mo 08:00-17:00",
"Tu 08:00-17:00",
"We 08:00-17:00",
"Th 08:00-17:00",
"Fr 08:00-15:00",
"Sa 08:00-12:00"
],
"availableService": [
{
"@type": "MedicalProcedure",
"name": "Dental Cleaning",
"description": "Professional teeth cleaning and oral hygiene maintenance"
},
{
"@type": "MedicalProcedure",
"name": "Fillings",
"description": "Tooth-colored composite fillings for cavities"
},
{
"@type": "MedicalProcedure",
"name": "Root Canal Therapy",
"description": "Endodontic treatment to save infected teeth"
},
{
"@type": "MedicalProcedure",
"name": "Dental Implants",
"description": "Permanent tooth replacement with titanium implants"
},
{
"@type": "MedicalProcedure",
"name": "Teeth Whitening",
"description": "Professional teeth whitening treatments"
}
],
"paymentAccepted": [
"Cash",
"Credit Card",
"Dental Insurance",
"Financing Available"
],
"currenciesAccepted": "USD",
"priceRange": "$$",
"aggregateRating": {
"@type": "AggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "4.8",
"ratingCount": "342",
"bestRating": "5",
"worstRating": "1"
},
"review": [
{
"@type": "Review",
"author": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Patient Review"
},
"reviewRating": {
"@type": "Rating",
"ratingValue": "5",
"bestRating": "5"
},
"reviewBody": "Excellent care and friendly staff. Dr. Johnson is very professional and gentle.",
"datePublished": "2024-01-15"
}
],
"founder": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Dr. Sarah Johnson",
"jobTitle": "Lead Dentist",
"medicalSpecialty": "Dentistry"
},
"employee": [
{
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Dr. Sarah Johnson",
"jobTitle": "DDS - General Dentistry"
},
{
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Dr. Michael Chen",
"jobTitle": "DDS - Orthodontics"
}
],
"hasCredential": [
{
"@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
"name": "American Dental Association Accredited",
"credentialCategory": "certification"
}
],
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/brightsmiledental",
"https://www.healthgrades.com/dentist/dr-sarah-johnson",
"https://www.zocdoc.com/dentist/sarah-johnson-dds"
],
"hasMap": "https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bright+Smile+Dental+Care",
"isAcceptingNewPatients": true,
"healthPlanNetwork": [
"Delta Dental",
"Aetna Dental",
"Blue Cross Blue Shield Dental"
]
}
</script>Specialty Dental Practice
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Dentist",
"@id": "https://example.com/orthodontics/#dentist",
"name": "Straight Smile Orthodontics",
"description": "Specialized orthodontic care for children and adults. Offering traditional braces, Invisalign, and advanced orthodontic treatments with the latest technology.",
"url": "https://example.com",
"telephone": "+1-555-0987",
"email": "[email protected]",
"medicalSpecialty": ["Dentistry", "Orthodontics"],
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "456 Orthodontic Lane",
"addressLocality": "Portland",
"addressRegion": "OR",
"postalCode": "97205",
"addressCountry": "US"
},
"openingHours": [
"Mo-Th 08:00-17:00",
"Fr 08:00-15:00"
],
"availableService": [
{
"@type": "MedicalProcedure",
"name": "Invisalign Treatment",
"description": "Clear aligner therapy for discreet orthodontic treatment"
},
{
"@type": "MedicalProcedure",
"name": "Traditional Braces",
"description": "Metal and ceramic bracket orthodontic treatment"
},
{
"@type": "MedicalProcedure",
"name": "Retainers",
"description": "Custom retainers to maintain orthodontic results"
},
{
"@type": "MedicalProcedure",
"name": "Orthodontic Consultations",
"description": "Initial consultations and treatment planning"
}
],
"paymentAccepted": [
"Credit Card",
"Dental Insurance",
"Flexible Spending Accounts",
"Payment Plans Available"
],
"aggregateRating": {
"@type": "AggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "4.9",
"ratingCount": "198",
"bestRating": "5",
"worstRating": "1"
},
"founder": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Dr. Emily Rodriguez",
"jobTitle": "Board-Certified Orthodontist",
"medicalSpecialty": ["Dentistry", "Orthodontics"],
"hasCredential": [
{
"@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
"name": "American Board of Orthodontics Certified",
"credentialCategory": "certification"
}
]
},
"employee": [
{
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Dr. Emily Rodriguez",
"jobTitle": "DDS, MS - Orthodontics"
}
],
"areaServed": [
{
"@type": "City",
"name": "Portland"
},
{
"@type": "City",
"name": "Beaverton"
},
{
"@type": "City",
"name": "Milwaukie"
}
],
"hasOfferCatalog": {
"@type": "OfferCatalog",
"name": "Orthodontic Services",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "Offer",
"itemOffered": {
"@type": "MedicalProcedure",
"name": "Complimentary Consultation",
"description": "Free initial orthodontic consultation and treatment planning"
},
"price": "0",
"priceCurrency": "USD"
}
]
},
"sameAs": [
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/straight-smile-orthodontics",
"https://www.yelp.com/biz/straight-smile-orthodontics-portland"
],
"isAcceptingNewPatients": true,
"healthPlanNetwork": [
"Delta Dental",
"PacificSource Dental",
"Regence Dental"
]
}
</script>SEO & Rich Results Notes
SEO Benefits
Dentist schema enhances dental practice visibility and patient acquisition:
- • Rich local business displays in healthcare searches
- • Enhanced visibility in dental service queries
- • Integration with Google My Business and healthcare directories
- • Better targeting for dental emergency and appointment searches
- • Improved credibility signals for healthcare providers
Rich Results Eligibility
Dentist schema enables enhanced healthcare displays:
- • Local business rich cards with dental practice information
- • Healthcare service listings with specialties and services
- • Integration with health search results and directories
- • Emergency contact and availability information
- • Insurance and payment acceptance displays
Reference: Google's Search Central recommends Dentist markup for enhanced healthcare and local business search appearance.
Important Warnings
- Medical Accuracy: All medical information must be accurate and compliant with healthcare regulations. Misleading health information can result in penalties and legal issues.
- Credential Verification: Only claim verified credentials and certifications. Unauthorized use of professional titles can result in disciplinary action.
- Emergency Services: Clearly indicate emergency service availability. Misrepresenting emergency capabilities can endanger patients.
- Insurance Information: Insurance acceptance must be current and accurate. Outdated insurance information harms patient experience.
Official Documentation
- Schema.org: Dentist specification
- Google Search Central: Local business markup guide
- Rich Results Test: Validate Dentist markup
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dentist schema used for?
Dentist schema describes dental practices, dentists, and dental services. It helps search engines display dental practice information including services, credentials, and contact details directly in search results.
How do I add Dentist schema to my dental website?
Add JSON-LD structured data with required properties like name and address. Include optional properties like medicalSpecialty, availableService, and paymentAccepted for enhanced dental practice listings.
What are the required properties for Dentist schema?
Required properties include name (practice name) and address. For rich results eligibility, you'll also need medicalSpecialty set to "Dentistry" and other practice information.
Does Dentist schema enable rich results?
Yes! Dentist schema enables rich local business displays in Google Search with practice information, services, and contact details. It helps dental practices stand out in local search results.
How do I specify dental specialties?
Use medicalSpecialty array to include "Dentistry" and specific specialties like "Orthodontics", "Oral Surgery", or "Pediatric Dentistry". This helps with specialty-specific searches.
Can Dentist schema include insurance information?
Yes, use paymentAccepted to list accepted insurance providers and payment methods. Include healthPlanNetwork for insurance network participation information.
What's the difference between Dentist and MedicalBusiness schemas?
Dentist is a specific subtype of MedicalBusiness designed for dental practices. MedicalBusiness is more general for healthcare providers, while Dentist includes dental-specific properties and services.
How do I add dentist credentials and qualifications?
Include founder or employee with Person schema for individual dentists, including their credentials, education, and certifications. Link to professional associations and licenses.
Can Dentist schema include emergency services?
Yes, use availableService to list emergency dental services and contactPoint for emergency contact information. Include hoursAvailable for emergency service hours.
How do I specify dental services offered?
Use availableService array with Service objects including service names, descriptions, and pricing. Include common dental procedures like cleanings, fillings, and orthodontic services.
Does Dentist schema help with local dental searches?
Yes, Dentist schema significantly enhances local visibility for dental practices. It helps dental offices appear in local search results and healthcare service queries.
How do I handle multiple dentists in one practice?
Use employee array with Person schemas for each dentist, including their specializations and availability. Link to individual dentist profile pages for detailed information.
How often should I update Dentist schema?
Update when services change, new dentists join, or contact information updates. Keep insurance acceptance, hours, and service information current for accuracy.
Related Schema Types
Related: MedicalBusiness, Person, LocalBusiness, Organization, Offer, Review