At a Glance
Whether you’re looking for your first dental writing client, trying to move beyond low-paying work, or ready to build a more reliable pipeline, this blog post covers 12 practical strategies to help you get there, including:
- Start with the people you already know
- Make LinkedIn your dental writing shop window
- Approach dental practices directly
- Look beyond dental practices
- Build relationships with dental marketing agencies
- Use Upwork strategically
- Look beyond job boards for opportunities
- Create your own opportunities instead of waiting for them
- Don’t wait until you feel “experienced enough”
- Find better-paying dental writing clients
- Turn one client into ongoing work
- Build your own dental writer client-finding system
One of the questions I hear most often from aspiring dental writers is a pretty simple one:
“How do I actually find clients?”
It’s a fair question.
You can learn how to write. You can understand dentistry. You can build a portfolio and polish your LinkedIn profile. But none of that matters much if you’re sitting at your desk wondering where your next project is coming from.
I know because I’ve been there myself.
When I started writing professionally back in 2010, I didn’t have a ready-made list of dental clients waiting to hire me. I had to work out where the opportunities were, how to approach potential clients and, perhaps most importantly, how to turn one-off projects into ongoing relationships.
Sixteen years later, I’ve written for dental practices, agencies and some of the biggest names in the dental industry. I’ve also learned that finding clients isn’t about sending hundreds of generic pitches and hoping someone eventually bites.
It’s about knowing where to look, knowing who to approach, and giving people a good reason to choose you.
And here’s the good news: there are way more potential clients for a good dental writer than you might think.
They aren’t just dentists and dental practices either. There are dental manufacturers, laboratories, software companies, agencies, publishers, dental education providers, and healthcare businesses that all need a stream of good content.
In this mega-guide, I’ll show you 12 practical ways to find dental writing clients, win better-paying work and build a reliable stream of ongoing projects, whether you’re looking for your first client, trying to move beyond low-paying work or ready to build a more sustainable freelance business.
Let’s get into it.
1. Start With the People You Already Know
When you’re looking for your first dental writing client, it’s tempting to start searching job boards or sending cold pitches to dentists you’ve never spoken to.
But before you do that, look closer to home.
You may already know people who could help you find work.
Look at your existing professional and personal network. Have you worked in healthcare, dentistry, marketing or communications before? Do you know any dentists, practice managers or dental business owners? Perhaps you’ve worked with someone who now works for a dental company or marketing agency?
Even friends and family can sometimes make useful introductions.
I’m not suggesting you start bombarding everyone you know with messages asking if they have any writing work. That’s unlikely to end well.
Instead, keep it simple:
Let people know what you’re doing and make it easy for them to help.
For example, if you’ve recently decided to specialise in dental writing, you could send a short, informal message to a relevant contact:
Hi (Name). I’ve recently started specialising in dental content writing, helping practices and dental businesses create useful, patient-friendly content for their websites and blogs. If you happen to know anyone in the dental sector who might need a writer, I’d really appreciate an introduction.
That’s it. No hard sell. No lengthy pitch. Simply put yourself on their radar.
And don’t overlook people you’ve worked with in the past. A former colleague might now work for a dental manufacturer. Someone you wrote healthcare content for previously might know a practice that needs help with its website. A client who gave you one small project six months ago might have plenty of other content they haven’t yet asked you about.
In fact, your existing clients can be one of your best sources of new work, which is something we’ll come back to later.
You don’t need a network of hundreds of dental professionals, either. One useful introduction can be enough to start a relationship that leads to much more work.
So, before you start hunting for strangers, take a good look at the people already in your corner. You may be surprised by what you find.
2. Make LinkedIn Your Dental Writing Shop Window
If you’re serious about finding dental writing clients, you need to be on LinkedIn. No excuses! 😊
Your profile should make it immediately obvious what you do, who you help, and why someone should consider hiring you.
If you’re a dental writer, don’t simply describe yourself as a “freelance writer”. That’s so broad, and besides, you’re effectively competing with thousands of other writers.
Instead, make your specialism clear.
Your Headline, About section and Featured section should all reinforce the same message: you’re a writer who understands dentistry and can create content for dental businesses.
Then start demonstrating that expertise.
Don’t wait for clients to build your portfolio
One of the biggest obstacles for new dental writers is the old catch-22:
“I need experience to get clients, but I need clients to get experience.”
You don’t.
If you don’t have any dental clients yet, create your own examples.
For instance, create a fictional practice and write two or three pieces for it. You might create a patient-friendly blog about dental implants, a treatment page for Invisalign, or a piece explaining what patients can expect from a root canal.
You don’t need to pretend the practice is real. Make it clear that these are speculative portfolio pieces created to demonstrate what you can do.
The important thing is that they should look and read like something a real dental practice could actually publish.
And don’t just throw the articles into a Word document and call it a portfolio. Present them professionally. Give your fictional practice a name, think about who its patients are, and write with that audience in mind.
You could even create different samples for different types of clients. If you’d like to work with dental manufacturers, create a more technical B2B piece. If you’re targeting practices, demonstrate patient-facing content. If agencies are your target, show that you can adapt your writing to different briefs and audiences.
Your portfolio doesn’t have to prove that you’ve already had dental clients. It needs to prove that you can produce the kind of work those clients need.
But what about posting?
You don’t need to spend hours posting on LinkedIn every day. A couple of useful posts each week is enough to keep you visible. Share something you’ve learned, comment on developments in dentistry, explain a common problem, or offer a useful observation about dental content.
You’re not constantly saying, “Hire me.”
You’re showing potential clients that you know your subject and know how to communicate it.
A tip I've learned from using LinkedIn
I try to make around 80% of my connections people who are part of my target audience – dentists, practice owners, and dental business owners.
Why?
Because these are the people who may ultimately need my services. They’re typically the decision-makers, or they’re often close to the person who is.
The other 20% can be fellow writers, marketers, people in the wider dental industry, and anyone else I find interesting or useful to connect with.
I’m also deliberate about the content I post.
I’ll try to write posts aimed primarily at dental professionals and business owners, rather than constantly talking about writing to other writers. I’ll also comment on dental-related posts and join conversations where I can genuinely add something useful, something of value. Just replying “Great post” doesn’t really cut it!
And then I pay attention to what happens.
If a particular post gets considerably more engagement than usual, I’ll look at why. Was the subject particularly relevant to dentists? Did it answer a question? Did it provoke discussion?
Then I’ll create more content around subjects that clearly resonate.
You don’t need to guess what your audience wants to read. Let your own LinkedIn statistics give you clues.
Another top tip:
LinkedIn can also be useful for finding the people who might actually hire you.
Search for:
- Dentists and practice owners
- Practice managers
- Dental marketing managers
- Dental companies and manufacturers
- Dental marketing agencies
- Healthcare marketing professionals
Follow them. Engage with their posts. Pay attention to what they’re doing and, where appropriate, start a conversation.
And when you do approach someone directly, don’t immediately launch into a generic sales pitch.
Take a look at their website first. Is their blog neglected? Are their treatment pages thin? Have they recently introduced a new service? Is there something you could genuinely help them with?
That gives you a reason to make contact.
LinkedIn works best when you think of it as your professional shop window, rather than a place to endlessly announce that you’re available for work.
Make it clear what you do. Demonstrate that you know what you’re talking about and build relationships.
Then, when someone needs a dental writer, you’re already on their radar.
3. Approach Dental Practices Directly
If you’re waiting for dental practices to advertise that they’re looking for a writer, you could be waiting a very long time.
Many practices need better website content, patient education articles, and regular blog posts, but they won’t necessarily advertise for a freelance dental writer.
Sometimes, you have to identify the opportunity yourself.
Start by looking for dental practices that could genuinely benefit from better content. They could be clinics you know in your immediate area.
Perhaps their blog hasn’t been updated for two years. Maybe their treatment pages are little more than a few paragraphs copied from a generic template. Perhaps they’ve recently started offering dental implants, Invisalign or another treatment but haven’t created any useful patient information around it.
These are all potential opportunities.
Look for the problem before you make contact
Before contacting a practice, spend a few minutes looking at its website.
Don’t simply send:
“Hi, I’m a dental writer. Do you need any content?”
That’s a message they could receive from dozens of freelancers.
Instead, find something specific you could improve.
For example:
“I noticed you’ve recently introduced Invisalign, but there’s currently no dedicated page explaining the treatment to prospective patients. I write patient-friendly dental content and thought this might be something I could help with.”
Now you’re not just asking for work, you’re looking to fill content gaps.
Alternatively, perhaps a practice has a strong website but hasn’t published anything recently. Maybe its competitors are answering common patient questions that it isn’t addressing. Or perhaps the practice is trying to attract patients for a particular treatment and could benefit from a series of targeted articles.
These insightful observations give you a genuine reason to start a conversation.
Just one thing, though…
Don’t try to sell everything at once
Your first contact doesn’t need to be a detailed proposal covering ten different services.
Instead, simply tell them what you noticed, explain briefly how you could help, and, if appropriate, offer an idea for a piece of content that would be useful to their patients.
And remember that not every practice will be a good prospect, and not every practice is going to respond.
But that’s okay.
You’re looking for practices where you can see a genuine content need and where the person you’re contacting has the authority to do something about it.
I’d rather send five thoughtful, personalised approaches to good prospects than fifty generic emails to practices chosen at random.
Remember, the goal isn’t to contact as many dental practices as possible. It’s to identify 5-10 genuine practices that need content help.
4. Look Beyond Dental Practices
Dental practices aren’t the only potential source of work for a freelance dental writer. In fact, some of the most interesting dental writing opportunities can come from businesses that operate behind the scenes.
Think about everything that goes into the dental industry.
There are implant manufacturers, orthodontic companies, dental laboratories, software providers, equipment manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, education companies, dental associations, dental publications, and the list goes on…
All of these businesses need content, and much of it requires someone who understands dentistry.
This is where your specialist knowledge can give you a real advantage.
A dental software company, for example, might need blog posts explaining how digital dentistry is changing the patient experience. An implant manufacturer might need technical articles for dental professionals. A dental education company may need patient-friendly content, course materials, or email campaigns.
These aren’t necessarily jobs advertised as “dental writer” positions. The company may simply be looking for a content writer, copywriter, or healthcare writer who understands its subject matter.
So where do you start?
Make a list of potential clients.
Start by creating a simple list of dental companies you’d like to work with.
Search for businesses on Google or LinkedIn in areas such as:
- Dental implants and orthodontics
- Dental equipment and technology
- Practice management software
- Dental laboratories
- Dental suppliers and distributors
- Dental education and training
- Dental associations
- Dental publications
- Oral healthcare products
Then look at their websites and LinkedIn profiles.
Are they publishing regular blog content? Do they have a resource centre? Are they launching new products or services? Are they active on LinkedIn but producing little written content?
These can all be clues that a company might benefit from a good dental content writer.
Then…
Make the first connection
Once you’ve identified a dental company you’d like to approach, start by finding the right contact.
LinkedIn is particularly useful here. Search for people with roles such as:
- Marketing Manager
- Marketing Director
- Content Manager
- Head of Content
- Communications Manager
- Brand Manager
- Digital Marketing Manager
For a smaller dental company, it might simply be the founder, managing director, or even a principal dentist.
Follow the company and the person you’re interested in, and spend a little time looking at what they’re posting. If they regularly share content, launch products, or discuss industry developments, that’s useful information. It gives you something relevant to talk about when you make contact.
Then you can send a short connection request or message rather than launching straight into a sales pitch.
Hi (name), I’ve been following [Company] and really like the work you’re doing in digital dentistry. I’m a specialist dental writer and thought it would be good to connect.
That’s enough.
You don’t have to sell anything in your first message.
Once you’ve connected, keep an eye on what the company is doing. If you spot a genuine content opportunity, that’s when you can follow up with something useful and specific:
Hi (Name), I noticed you’ve recently launched your new implant system. I wondered whether you’ve considered creating a patient-friendly guide explaining how it works. It’s the sort of dental content I specialise in, and I’d be happy to send over a few ideas if useful.
Again, that’s a much warmer approach than:
“Hi, I’m a freelance dental writer. Do you need any content?”
And there are other ways to make that first connection, too. If the company has a general marketing or contact email, you can introduce yourself there. If you already know someone who works for the organisation, ask for an introduction. And if you’re attending a dental conference or event, don’t underestimate the value of meeting people in person and following up afterwards.
The principle is the same whichever route you take:
Find the person who is likely to need your services, understand what the company is doing, and give them a reason to have a conversation with you.
And don’t automatically assume that the biggest companies are out of reach. I landed one of my biggest clients (a global dental implant company) using this exact method.
5. Build Relationships With Dental Marketing Agencies
If you want to build a steady stream of dental writing work, don’t overlook dental marketing agencies. Some of my most lucrative periods have come from agency work.
Here’s what you need to know:
An agency that specialises in marketing for dentists may have dozens of practices on its books. Those practices all need website copy, blog posts, treatment pages, social media content, email campaigns and other forms of dental content.
And while the agency has the clients, it needs reliable writers who understand dentistry.
That’s potentially a very attractive symbiotic relationship that can keep you busy, month in and month out.
So, how do you find agencies that work with dentists?
Start by finding agencies that specialise in:
- Dental marketing
- Healthcare marketing
- Medical marketing
- Dental SEO
- Healthcare content marketing
- Dental website design and development
Look at their websites and client portfolios. If you can see that they’re working with dental practices, dental groups or other healthcare businesses, they’re worth investigating.
Then look for the person responsible for content. That might be a founder, marketing director, content manager or account director.
Don’t assume the person with “content” in their job title is necessarily the person who hires freelance writers.
At a smaller agency, that might be the founder or account director. At a larger agency, it could be someone in content, SEO, or accounts management.
Once you’ve identified the agency you’d like to approach, you’ll need to find a way of getting your message in front of the right person.
LinkedIn is often the easiest place to start
Search for the company and then look at its employees. If you’ve identified the founder, marketing director, or content manager, you can connect with them directly or send a message if their settings allow it.
You can also check the company’s website. Look at the About, Team, or Contact pages for names and email addresses.
If you can’t find an individual email address, don’t let that stop you.
A general contact or enquiries address is better than abandoning a good prospect altogether. You can simply address your email to the person you’ve identified and make it clear why you’re getting in touch.
And don’t overlook the obvious: pick up the phone. For a smaller company, a quick call asking who deals with freelance content writers can be surprisingly effective.
The goal is to avoid sending your carefully written introduction into a generic inbox with no idea who will see it.
Do a little research first. Finding the right person can make the difference between being ignored and starting a conversation.
Okay, so, once you’ve found the contact details of the person you need to get in touch with, don’t fire off a generic “Do you need any help?” email.
Instead, look at the agency first.
What services do they offer? Do they talk about content marketing? Are they publishing blogs for their clients? Do their clients’ websites have regularly updated content?
If you can identify a genuine need, your approach becomes much more relevant.
For example:
Hi (name), I came across your agency while looking at dental marketing companies and noticed you work with many dental practices. I’m a specialist dental writer and wondered whether you ever work with freelance writers to create patient-facing blogs, treatment pages, and other dental content for your clients. I’d be happy to send over a few examples of my work if useful.
Simple. Professional. And, crucially, specific to them.
One good agency can be worth several individual clients
This is where the agency model gets particularly interesting.
If you approach ten individual dental practices, you might eventually land one or two clients. With an agency, one successful relationship could potentially lead to work for several of its clients.
You might start with one blog post.
Then another.
Then a monthly content package.
Before long, you could become the agency’s go-to dental writer.
And that’s a very different position from constantly searching for your next project.
Of course, agencies aren’t automatically better than working directly with dental practices. You need to consider their rates, deadlines, expectations, and how they manage their clients. But if you find an agency that values specialist writing and treats its freelancers well, it can become one of the most reliable sources of ongoing dental content writing work you have.
And there’s another advantage…
Working with an agency can expose you to different types of dental businesses and content. You might find yourself writing for general practices one week, an orthodontic practice the next, and a dental implant clinic after that.
That experience can strengthen your portfolio and make you a more versatile freelance dental writer.
The goal here isn’t to collect as many clients as possible. It’s to build relationships with clients and agencies that have the potential to keep you busy.
6. Use Upwork Strategically
Upwork remains one of the world’s largest freelance marketplaces, connecting businesses that need freelance services with writers, designers, developers, and other professionals. It’s loved and hated in equal measure by freelancers, and there are good arguments for both sides.
That said, for a dental writer, it can be a super-quick way of finding potential clients and paid writing projects, and that’s exactly where I started, all those years ago.
However, there’s a knack to using it effectively. You don’t necessarily need to search for the exact words “dental writer” to find relevant work.
Broaden your searches
Rather than relying on a single search for dental writer, try searching for related terms such as:
- Healthcare writer
- Medical writer
- Healthcare content writer
- Health writer
- Oral health writer
- Patient education writer
- Medical content writer
- SEO content writer
Upwork allows freelancers to search for jobs using keywords and save their searches, so you can create several searches and check them regularly rather than starting from scratch every time you log in.
For example, you might have one search for:
dental writer
another for:
healthcare content writer
and another for:
medical content writer
You can then check each search regularly and see what new opportunities have appeared.
Pay attention to when the job was posted, too. If you find an excellent opportunity that was posted yesterday, it’s generally more worth investigating than an equally good-looking project that’s been sitting there for two weeks.
Don’t apply to everything
Broadening your searches doesn’t mean applying for every job containing the word healthcare.
You still need to read the brief carefully.
Does the client actually explain what they need? Do they provide information about the subject matter, the number of articles, the intended audience, or the type of content they’re looking for?
Compare these two examples:
“I’m looking for a healthcare writer to help with some content. Please get in touch if you’re interested.”
And:
“I’m looking for an experienced dental content writer to write 10 blog posts on the subject of dental implants. All topic areas will be provided.”
The second brief immediately gives you much more information. You know the subject, the type of content required, and the approximate scope of the project.
The first is far more vague.
That doesn’t automatically make it a bad opportunity, but it does mean you should find out more before investing time in an application.
Remember, your time has value too.
Look at the client, not just the job
Before you apply, take a few minutes to look at the client’s history.
Have they hired writers before? Do they appear to understand what good content costs? This is particularly important on Upwork because you’ll come across projects offering very low rates for professional writing. Some are simply unrealistic.
You might see jobs asking for a 1,500-word article for a small, fixed fee, or offering a few dollars for work that could take several hours to research, write, and edit. Don’t assume that you have to compete for these projects simply because you’re new to freelance writing.
Remember you’re trying to build a professional dental writing business, not win a race to the bottom.
Look at the proposed budget and consider whether it represents a reasonable return for the time and expertise the project will require. If it doesn’t, move on.
You’ll also find that some clients have a history of hiring freelancers at extremely low rates. That’s useful information. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a bad client, but it may mean they’re unlikely to value the level of specialist expertise you’re offering.
Don’t be afraid to say no.
When you’re starting, it can be tempting to think that any paid work is better than no work. But accepting poorly paid projects can leave you with little time to look for better opportunities, while also establishing a rate that becomes difficult to move away from later.
Your goal isn’t simply to get an Upwork job. It’s to find clients who recognise the value of specialist dental writing.
And don’t automatically dismiss a project because it isn’t explicitly dental. The wider healthcare market can contain opportunities where your dental knowledge is highly relevant.
For example, a healthcare company might need patient education content about oral health. A medical technology company might need content explaining a product used in dentistry. An agency might be looking for a healthcare writer who can demonstrate experience producing accurate, patient-friendly content.
Your job is to recognise those opportunities.
One final piece of advice: don’t let Upwork become your entire client-finding strategy.
It’s one source of work, not the source of work.
Use it alongside LinkedIn, direct outreach, dental marketing agencies, and the other approaches we’ve covered in this guide.
The goal isn’t to spend your life scrolling through job listings. It’s to build several reliable ways of finding dental writing clients.
7. Look Beyond the Big Freelance Platforms
Upwork isn’t the only place where you can find freelance writing work.
In fact, if you’re serious about building a dental writing business, it’s a good idea not to rely on any single platform.
The more places you look, the more opportunities you’re likely to uncover. And sometimes the best opportunities aren’t found on traditional freelance marketplaces at all.
Start with LinkedIn
We’ve already talked about using LinkedIn to build your professional profile and connect with potential clients. But don’t forget that LinkedIn is also a useful place to find actual writing opportunities.
Search LinkedIn Jobs using terms such as:
- Dental content writer
- Dental writer
- Healthcare writer
- Medical writer
- Healthcare content writer
- Medical copywriter
- Health content writer
- Freelance writer
Don’t restrict yourself to the exact phrase dental writer.
A company looking for someone to write about oral health might advertise for a healthcare writer. An agency working with dental clients might simply advertise for a freelance content writer. And a medical technology company may be looking for a writer who understands its particular area of healthcare.
The job title doesn’t always tell you everything you need to know.
It’s also worth searching LinkedIn posts, rather than just the Jobs section.
People regularly post things such as:
“Looking for a freelance healthcare writer…”
or:
“Does anyone know a good medical writer who can help with a project?”
These posts can be particularly useful because you’re sometimes seeing an opportunity before it has made its way onto a formal job board.
And don’t forget to use your network.
If you’ve built up a decent collection of dental contacts on LinkedIn, someone in your network may mention that their company is looking for a writer or ask for recommendations. That’s one of the reasons why being visible and demonstrating your expertise matters.
Don’t overlook Indeed
Indeed can be another useful source of writing opportunities.
You can search for freelance, contract and remote writing positions using terms such as medical writer, healthcare writer, content writer and copywriter.
You may find that many of the results aren’t specifically dental, and some will require experience you don’t have. That’s fine.
You don’t need to apply for everything you find.
You’re looking for opportunities where your combination of writing ability and dental knowledge gives you a genuine advantage.
For example, a healthcare company looking for a general content writer may not be particularly interesting.
But a company looking for someone to create patient education content about oral health?
That’s potentially far more relevant.
The same principle applies to other job boards and freelance-writing websites.
Don’t simply search for dental writer and conclude that there isn’t any work because the results are limited.
Think laterally.
Look for specialist opportunities
It’s also worth keeping an eye on websites and communities that cater specifically to freelance writers, healthcare professionals or particular industries.
You may find other opportunities through:
- Freelance writing job boards
- Healthcare and medical writing communities
- Dental industry websites
- Professional organisations
- Industry newsletters
- Writing and content marketing communities
- Social media groups
Some opportunities may be advertised publicly. Others may simply be mentioned in a post or newsletter.
And here’s an important point:
Don’t assume that every opportunity has to be advertised as a freelance dental writing job.
A dental company might be looking for a copywriter.
A healthcare agency might need a content writer.
A software company might need someone to create educational content.
A dental publication might need contributors.
Your job is to recognise where your specialist knowledge could make you a good fit.
Be selective
There’s a temptation when you’re starting to think that finding opportunities is simply a numbers game.
Apply for everything. Send as many applications as possible. Something will eventually stick.
I don’t agree.
Yes, you need to put yourself in front of potential clients. But managing your time effectively matters too, right?
If you’re spending hours every week applying for jobs that pay very little, have nothing to do with dentistry, or attract hundreds of applicants, you’re probably not using that time particularly well.
Instead, ask yourself:
Does this opportunity suit my skillset?
Does my dental knowledge give me an advantage?
Does the client appear to value quality content?
Could this potentially lead to ongoing work?
If the answer to most of those questions is no, move on.
Your time could be better spent finding a more suitable prospect.
Don’t want to spend your week searching?
And this is where there’s another problem.
You could spend an hour checking LinkedIn, another hour searching Upwork, then trawl through Indeed and various freelance-writing websites looking for something relevant.
Before you know it, you’ve spent half a day looking for work rather than actually doing any writing.
That’s something I’ve become increasingly conscious of over the years.
Finding opportunities is important, but it shouldn’t become your full-time job.
That’s one of the reasons I created the DWC Monday Job Watch.
Every week, I search across LinkedIn, Upwork, job boards, and other sources for dental, oral-health, healthcare, and specialist writing opportunities that I think are genuinely worth a closer look.
If you’d rather spend your time applying for relevant opportunities rather than hunting for them, you can join the DWC Monday Job Watch and have fresh opportunities delivered to your inbox every Monday.
The wider point, though, is this:
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Use Upwork. Use LinkedIn. Check Indeed. Look at other job boards. Keep an eye on relevant communities and industry sources.
But don’t spend your entire working week searching.
The aim is to build several reliable ways of finding dental writing clients, so that no single platform determines where your next project comes from.
8. Create Your Own Opportunities Instead of Waiting for Them
Think about what’s happening in the dental industry.
A dental practice might have just launched a new implant service. A dental software company might have released a new product. Perhaps an orthodontic business has expanded into a new market but hasn’t produced any useful content to support it.
You don’t have to wait for them to advertise for a dental content writer.
Instead, look for what’s happening inside the business and ask yourself:
“What content could help this business make the most of that opportunity?”
That’s the key.
You’re not simply looking for businesses that might need a writer.
You’re looking for a reason why they might need one now.
It’s all about being proactive. So, start paying attention to things such as:
- New products or services
- New practices or locations
- New treatment offerings
- Product launches
- Company announcements
- Changes in regulations or technology
- New markets or audiences
- Areas where their existing content is noticeably thin
For example, perhaps a dental practice has just started offering Invisalign.
Rather than sending:
“Hi, I’m a freelance dental writer. Please let me know if you have any writing requirements.”
you could approach them with something much more specific:
“I noticed you’ve recently started offering Invisalign. Have you considered creating a series of articles answering some of the questions patients are likely to have before booking a consultation? I have a few ideas that could work well for your website.”
See the difference?
You’re not asking the business to invent a project for you.
You’re bringing them an idea.
And if they like the idea, you’ve already done the hardest part: you’ve started a conversation.
Think like a problem-solver, not a job hunter
This is an important shift in mindset.
When you’re looking for advertised writing jobs, you’re competing for opportunities that already exist. There may be dozens of other writers applying for the same project.
When you identify a content opportunity yourself, you’re creating a conversation that may not have happened otherwise. In other words, you’re creating an opportunity!
You might spot that a dental practice has launched a new treatment but has very little information about it on its website.
Perhaps an implant manufacturer has released a new product but hasn’t published an accessible article explaining it to dentists.
Or maybe a dental technology company has developed something interesting, but its website is full of technical product information and doesn’t explain the benefits particularly well to its target audience.
These are all potential content opportunities.
Your job is to recognise them and take action.
Still confused?
Don’t worry, I have you covered.
This is how you do it.
Step 1 – Look for a trigger
Keep an eye on the businesses you’d genuinely like to work with and watch for something that creates a potential content opportunity.
It might be a new product, service, treatment, location, technology or target market.
You don’t need to find a business that is actively looking for a writer.
You need to find a business that has something worth talking about.
Step 2 – Identify what content could help
Once you’ve spotted an opportunity, think about it from the client’s perspective.
What information would their customers or patients need?
What questions are they likely to ask?
What could the business explain better?
Could they benefit from a blog post, patient guide, landing page, email sequence, case study, or series of articles?
This is where your dental knowledge becomes particularly valuable.
You’re not simply offering to write.
You’re demonstrating that you understand what the business is trying to achieve and can see where content could help.
Step 3 – Start a conversation
Once you’ve identified a genuine opportunity, find the appropriate person and send a short, relevant message.
It doesn’t need to be a lengthy sales pitch.
For example:
“Hi [Name], I noticed you’ve recently launched your new implant system. I wondered whether you’ve considered creating a patient-friendly guide explaining how it works and answering some of the questions patients are likely to have. It’s the sort of dental content I specialise in, and I’d be happy to send over a few ideas if useful.”
That’s much more likely to generate a response than:
“Hi, I’m a freelance dental writer. Do you need any content?”
You’re giving them something to think about rather than simply asking them to give you work.
Don't neglect your own content
So, don’t wait for the perfect opportunity
You don’t need to identify ten companies every week or spend hours analysing other people’s websites.
Simply start by keeping your eyes open.
When you notice a business or a company doing something new or interesting, ask yourself whether there’s a content opportunity hiding behind it.
Then, if you have a genuinely useful idea, start the conversation.
You may get a “Thanks, but no thanks.”
And that’s fine.
But you may also get:
“That’s actually a really good idea. Let’s talk.”
And suddenly, you’ve gone from scratching your head wondering where the next writing job is coming from to creating one.
Trust me. That’s a much more powerful position to be in.
9. Don't Wait Until You Feel "Experienced Enough"
If you’re new to dental writing, there’s a good chance you’ll experience a familiar problem:
You look at established dental writers and think,
“They’re far more experienced than me. Why would anyone hire me?”
Or perhaps:
“I’m not a dentist.”
“I don’t know enough about dentistry.”
These are understandable concerns. But what if I told you they never go away?
Yes folks – imposter syndrome is real!
Those very same concerns still enter my head from time to time. It’s just that I’ve learned to deal with them.
Here’s the thing…
If you wait until you feel completely ready, you could be waiting for a very long time.
Nobody starts with decades of experience.
I certainly didn’t.
When I started writing about dentistry, I hadn’t ever worked in the dental industry. I wasn’t an established specialist with a portfolio full of major dental companies.
I had to learn, build my experience, and gradually prove to clients that I could do the job.
And you can do the same.
You don't need to know everything
One of the misconceptions about becoming a dental writer is that you need to be an expert in every aspect of dentistry.
You don’t.
You need to be able to research properly, understand the subject you’re writing about, ask sensible questions when you don’t understand something, and turn complex information into clear, useful content.
And if you’re writing clinical content, you should always work from reliable sources and, where appropriate, have the material reviewed by a suitably qualified dental professional.
That’s part of being a good dental content writer.
Start where you feel most comfortable
You might not be ready to approach a major dental manufacturer right now.
But that’s okay.
Instead, start with the type of work you’re capable of producing now. Create those portfolio pieces. Approach smaller practices. Build relationships. Learn from every project.
Then gradually move up.
Your first client doesn’t have to be your dream client. It just needs to be your first step.
And don’t underestimate how quickly your experience can accumulate once you start.
One good project becomes a portfolio piece. A satisfied client can become a repeat client. A repeat client can introduce you to someone else. Your LinkedIn profile becomes stronger. Your knowledge grows. Etc, etc…
Before long, you look back and realise that you’re no longer the inexperienced writer wondering whether you’re good enough.
You’re now the experienced dental writer that your younger self was looking for.
That’s why I wouldn’t wait until you feel completely confident.
Build your skills, do your research, create good work, and start putting yourself in front of potential clients. Confidence tends to arrive after you start, not before.
10. Find Higher-Paying Dental Writing Clients
One of the biggest mistakes people make when thinking about how to find dental writing clients is trying to chase every project.
If you really want to find higher-paying dental clients, start looking for those who value specialist knowledge.
Think about the businesses we’ve already discussed: dental manufacturers, technology companies, established practices, dental marketing agencies and healthcare businesses. Their content may require a greater understanding of dentistry, and that gives a specialist dental writer an advantage.
When you’re looking for potential clients, ask yourself the following:
Does this client need someone who understands dentistry?
Is the content important to their business?
Are they likely to need ongoing content rather than a single cheap article?
Can I offer something that a generalist writer can’t?
Those questions can help you focus your time on better prospects rather than simply applying for every writing job you can find.
And when you approach those clients, don’t sell yourself as someone who can produce 1,000 words for a certain price. Instead…
Sell your expertise
You’re bringing an understanding of dentistry, the ability to research clinical subjects, experience writing for specific audiences, and the ability to turn complex information into clear, useful content.
That’s considerably more valuable than simply counting words.
I’ll let you into a secret…
The person who referred me wasn’t simply passing on my name because I was a writer. They knew what I specialised in and understood the value I could bring to the client.
That’s one of the reasons building a reputation within the dental industry matters.
You don’t just want people to think:
“You write blogs.”
You want them to think:
“If someone needs specialist dental content, I know exactly who to recommend.”
Look for clients who could give you more than one project
There’s another reason to think carefully about who you’re approaching.
A dental practice might need a single treatment page. But a dental marketing agency could potentially need dozens of articles. A dental manufacturer might need website content, blogs, product pages, emails, and technical articles.
The best client isn’t necessarily the one offering the highest rate for a single article. It could be the one with the potential to give you regular work.
That’s why I always recommend looking beyond the immediate project.
And once you start identifying clients who understand the value of specialist dental content, there’s another question you’re going to need to answer:
What should you actually charge them?
That’s a subject I could devote an entire guide to; and, as it happens, I have 😊.
Mastering Your Wealth is my practical pricing guide for dental writers, covering how to work out what your writing is worth, how to structure your pricing and how to avoid the race to the bottom.
11. Turn One Client Into Ongoing Work
Finding your first dental writing client can feel like the biggest hurdle.
But once you’ve done it, don’t immediately move on to finding the next lead.
Instead, explore ways to turn that first project into a relationship.
Let’s say you’ve just written a blog post for a dental practice, for example. What you don’t want to do is deliver the article, send your invoice and disappear off the face of the earth.
Think about:
What else might this client need?
Perhaps the practice needs more blog posts. Perhaps its treatment pages need updating. Maybe it could benefit from patient guides, email content, social media posts or new pages for recently introduced treatments.
And you don’t have to wait for the client to suggest these ideas themselves. So here’s what you should do…
Once you’ve delivered a good piece of work, try asking a simple question:
“Is there any other content you’re working on at the moment that I could help with?”
You might be surprised by the answer.
Become the writer they think of first
This is where great client service becomes a client-finding strategy.
Meet your deadlines. Make the client’s life easier. Follow the brief. Ask sensible questions. Be responsive. And, most importantly, produce work that makes the client think:
“I’d rather give the next piece to them than find another writer.”
Once you’ve earned that trust, your relationship can develop naturally.
A one-off blog post can become a monthly blog. A monthly blog can become a collection of treatment pages. Those projects can lead to other work within the business or introductions to other people.
And don’t be afraid to ask for referrals when you’ve established a good relationship.
You don’t need to say:
“Do you know anyone who needs a dental writer?”
Try something more natural:
“I’m looking to take on one or two more dental clients over the next few months. If you know another practice or dental business that could use help with its content, I’d really appreciate an introduction.”
That’s a perfectly reasonable request, and one that you shouldn’t discount.
Treat all existing clients like a warm lead.
This is something worth remembering whenever you find yourself worrying about where your next dental writing client is coming from.
The people you’ve already worked with know you.
They’ve seen your work. They know you’re reliable. You’ve already overcome the biggest barrier of all: getting them to trust you.
So before spending hours searching job boards or sending cold pitches, take a look at your existing and previous clients.
Is there more you could do for them?
Could you suggest a new project?
Have you followed up recently?
Could you ask for a referral?
Remember, finding clients isn’t always about finding someone new. Sometimes it’s about looking after the relationships you’ve already built.
And in my experience, that’s one of the most effective ways to build a sustainable freelance dental writing business.
12. Build Your Own Dental Writer Client-Finding System
We’ve already covered a ton of ways to find dental writing clients.
But there’s one problem with having 12 different ways to find clients: you could read this article, feel inspired, and then do absolutely nothing with it.
I’ve been writing professionally for 16 years, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that finding clients becomes easier when you make it part of your daily routine.
You don’t need to spend hours looking for work.
Instead, set aside a little time each week and give yourself a simple system to follow.
My Five-Step Weekly System
1. Find five potential clients
Spend some time looking at dental practices, dental companies, agencies, or healthcare businesses that you could genuinely help.
2. Contact three
Don’t send three identical pitches. Choose three good prospects and make each approach relevant to the business and the person you’re contacting.
3. Apply for two suitable opportunities
Check LinkedIn, Upwork, and other job sources. Remember to search beyond dental writer and look for healthcare, medical, oral-health, and related opportunities.
4. Publish one useful piece of content
This could be a LinkedIn post, an article, or something else that demonstrates your knowledge. Remember, you’re not just trying to attract readers. You’re giving potential clients a reason to believe you know what you’re talking about.
5. Follow up
Look back at the people you’ve contacted previously. Did someone respond but not take things further? Did a previous client mention another project? Is there someone you’ve been meaning to reconnect with?
Don’t assume that no reply means no.
A polite, useful follow-up email can sometimes turn a conversation into a project.
Give it time
This is perhaps the most important part of the system.
You might follow these steps for a week and get absolutely nowhere.
That’s normal.
Finding your first dental writing client isn’t usually about one magical email or discovering a secret job board. It’s about putting yourself in front of the right people consistently and building relationships over time.
Five prospects a week becomes 20 a month.
Three personalised approaches a week become 12 a month.
Two carefully chosen applications a week give you another eight opportunities to pursue.
And some of those conversations will go nowhere.
That’s okay.
You only need a few of them to turn into clients.
The aim isn’t to spend every waking hour looking for work. It’s to create a system that keeps new opportunities coming into your business while you get on with actually doing the writing.
And that’s the real secret to finding dental writing clients: don’t rely on luck. Build a habit.
Your 30-Day Dental Writer
Client-Finding Plan
We’ve covered a lot in this bumper guide, and I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed.
So if you’re new to dental writing, please don’t try to tackle everything in this guide at once.
Give yourself 30 days and focus on building a simple habit of looking for, approaching, and following up with potential clients.
Here’s how I’d approach it if it were my first month.
Week 1: Get yourself ready
Before you start contacting potential clients, make sure you’re ready when someone takes an interest.
Create or update your LinkedIn profile.
Make it immediately clear that you’re a dental writer and explain the type of clients and content you specialise in.
Build a small portfolio.
If you don’t have any clients yet, create two or three strong speculative pieces. You don’t need 20 samples. You need a few examples that demonstrate what you can do.
Then make a list of 20 potential clients.
These could include dental practices, dental companies, marketing agencies, laboratories, software companies, or other businesses you’d genuinely like to work with.
Don’t contact them yet.
Spend some time researching them.
Week 2: Start making connections
Now it’s time to put yourself out there.
Choose three potential clients from your list and make a personalised approach.
Connect with relevant people on LinkedIn. Look for content managers, marketing directors, practice owners, practice managers, or agency founders.
If you’ve spotted a genuine content opportunity, tell them about it.
At the same time, start looking for relevant writing opportunities on LinkedIn, Upwork, and other job boards.
Don’t apply for everything.
Choose opportunities where your dental knowledge gives you a genuine advantage.
Week 3: Become more visible
Keep contacting potential clients, but now increase your visibility too.
Publish at least one useful LinkedIn post aimed at the people you’d ultimately like to work with.
It doesn’t have to be about finding work.
Write about something you know.
Explain a dental topic. Comment on a development in dentistry. Share an observation about dental content. Answer a question that a practice owner, practice manager, or dental professional might have.
Then look at what gets a response.
Your LinkedIn statistics are telling you what your audience finds interesting. Listen to them.
Continue applying for suitable writing opportunities and make a point of following up with anyone you’ve already contacted.
Week 4: Follow up and refine
Now look back at the previous three weeks.
Who responded?
Who connected with you?
Did anyone ask for your portfolio?
Did you have any conversations?
Which types of clients seemed most receptive?
Which LinkedIn posts generated the most interest?
Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t landed a client yet.
You’re looking for patterns.
Perhaps dental marketing agencies responded more often than practices. Perhaps your posts about dental technology generated more engagement than your general dental posts. Perhaps healthcare writing opportunities produced better results than searching specifically for dental writers.
Use what you’ve learned to decide where to focus your efforts next month.
And then start the process again.
After 30 days, you should have more than just a list of potential clients
You should have:
- A stronger LinkedIn presence
- A portfolio you can confidently share
- A list of potential clients
- New professional connections
- Experience pitching your services
- A better understanding of where opportunities appear
- Some conversations that may develop into work
- A clearer idea of which types of clients you want to pursue
You may even have landed your first client.
But if you haven’t, don’t assume the system isn’t working.
Finding good dental writing clients takes time. The aim of your first 30 days isn’t necessarily to build a full client roster. It’s to build a repeatable process that you can continue using month after month.
Keep showing up, keep improving your approach, and keep putting yourself in front of the right people.
That’s how you turn finding dental writing clients from something you worry about into a habit that you can build on month after month.
Frequently Asked Questions About Finding Dental Writing Clients
Can I become a dental writer without being a dentist?
Absolutely. You don’t need to be a dentist to become a dental writer. What you do need is the ability to research dental topics carefully, understand the information you’re working with, and communicate it clearly to the intended audience.
If you’re writing clinical or patient-facing content, you should always use reliable sources and, where appropriate, have content reviewed by a suitably qualified dental professional.
Your real value as a dental writer comes from combining good writing skills with an understanding of dentistry.
Where can I find dental writing jobs?
There isn’t one single place to find dental writing work.
Try LinkedIn, Upwork, Indeed and other freelance job boards, but don’t restrict your searches to the term dental writer. Healthcare, medical, oral-health and content-writing searches can uncover relevant opportunities too.
You can also find work by approaching dental practices, dental companies and marketing agencies directly.
And, of course, there’s the DWC Monday Job Watch, which brings relevant writing opportunities together for you each week.
How much can a dental writer earn?
There’s no single answer because rates vary considerably according to your experience, the type of content you’re producing, the client, and the complexity of the project.
A beginner might start at a relatively modest rate while building experience and a portfolio. As your skills and specialist knowledge develop, you can move towards project-based pricing and higher-value work.
I’d avoid choosing your rates simply by looking at what other writers charge. Your goal should be to build expertise and attract clients who value it.
Do I need previous writing experience to get my first dental writing client?
No. You only need to demonstrate that you can produce the type of content a client needs.
If you haven’t worked with dental clients yet, create a few strong speculative pieces for your portfolio. You could write a patient-facing blog, treatment page, or article for a fictional dental practice and use these to demonstrate your skills.
Your first client doesn’t need to know that you haven’t worked with dental clients before. Moreover, they probably wouldn’t be remotely interested.
They just need to know that you can do a great job for them.
Is there enough work for freelance dental writers?
Yes. The dental industry is much bigger than dental practices alone. Manufacturers, laboratories, software companies, agencies, education providers, and other dental businesses all need content, and plenty of it.
The trick is to stop waiting for someone to advertise the exact job you want and start looking for businesses you can help.
Ready to Find Your Next Dental Writing Client?
Whether you’re just starting out or already have a few clients, the next step is simple: start putting what you’ve learned into action.
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