47 : Earned Media for Dentists: The Link-Building Strategy That Builds Your Reputation and Rankings

Most dentists focus on blog posts and ads to build authority online, but Google and AI systems increasingly decide who to recommend based on who other trusted sources vouch for. In this episode, digital PR expert Chris Panteli breaks down how dentists can earn media coverage in publications like Forbes, Healthline, and People Magazine, and why that matters more than ever in the age of AI search.EPISODE OVERVIEWChris Panteli, founder of Linkifi.io, joins Adrian Lefler to explain how earned media and digital PR are reshaping dental authority building online. From backlinks to brand mentions, Chris walks through why Google and large language models like ChatGPT and Gemini rely on third-party trust signals to decide which dentists to recommend. Whether you are a solo practice owner wanting local recognition or a DSO building national brand awareness, this episode covers practical strategies for landing your name in trusted publications, what tier one placements actually do for your website, and why a dentist in a small market can realistically get quoted in the New York Times.ABOUT CHRIS PANTELIChris Panteli is the founder of Linkifi.io, a digital PR agency specializing in earned media and authority building. After building his own personal finance website and earning placements in major publications through journalist outreach, Chris turned that skill into a full-service agency. Linkifi offers two core services: SEO Digital PR, focused on earning authoritative backlinks, and Authority PR, focused on building brand visibility across Google, LLMs, and national media.DENTAL AI AND TECH COMPANIES MENTIONEDLinkifi - https://www.linkifi.io/Linkifi Free Cheat Sheet - https://go.linkifi.io/press-coverage-cheat-sheet-pageHARO (Help a Reporter Out) - https://www.helpareporter.comSource of Sources - https://www.sourceofsources.comQuoted - https://quoted.newsResponse Source - https://www.responsesource.comSEMrush - https://www.semrush.comAhrefs - https://ahrefs.comChatGPT - https://chat.openai.comPerplexity - https://www.perplexity.aiClaude - https://claude.aiGemini - https://gemini.google.comGrok - https://x.aiADDITIONAL EDUCATIONhttps://mysocialpractice.com/2025/06/seo-for-dentists/https://mysocialpractice.com/2025/11/marketing-for-dentists/https://mysocialpractice.com/2025/12/dental-brand-mentions/CONTACT INFOGuest: Chris Panteli Website: linkifi.ioHost: Adrian Lefler Website: https://mysocialpractice.com Phone: 877-316-7516👍 Subscribe for more on dental marketing, AI in dentistry, and practice growth.#DentalMarketing #DigitalPR #AIinDentistry #Dentistry #DentalPracticeGrowth #EarnedMedia #DentalSEOTERMS & TRANSLATIONS (For Show Notes)Earned Media Coverage or mentions a business receives because of genuine credibility, not paid placement. For dental practices, this means getting quoted in a publication like Healthline because a journalist found your expertise valuable.Backlink A link from another website pointing to your website. A backlink from a trusted source like the American Dental Association signals to Google that your dental practice is credible and worth ranking.LLM (Large Language Model) The technology behind AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity. These systems understand conversational language and are increasingly where patients turn to find dental recommendations.Digital PR A strategy that uses journalist outreach to earn trusted links and brand mentions. For dental practices, this means pitching expert commentary to journalists covering health topics so the practice becomes a cited authority online.Tier One Publication A media outlet recognized for high traffic and strong editorial standards, such as Forbes, Healthline, the New York Times, or the Guardian. A mention or link from a tier one publication carries far more authority than one from a lesser-known site.HARO (Help a Reporter Out) A free platform where journalists post requests for expert commentary. Dentists can monitor these requests and pitch their expertise to earn quotes in national publications at no cost.AI Overview Google's AI-generated answer appearing at the top of certain search result pages. These summaries pull from trusted sources, and dental practices with strong earned media coverage are more likely to be cited.Brand Entity How Google and AI systems identify and understand a business as a distinct, trustworthy presence online. For a dental practice, this includes consistent information across the website, social profiles, and third-party mentions so AI systems recognize and trust who you are.