Health

Frontier Dental Lab’s Direct-to-Consumer Marketing Connects Dentists and Patients

Published

3 years ago

February 28, 2023

Dr. Caylin Frye, a cosmetic dentist at Mid-City Smiles in New Orleans, has worked in the dental industry for over two decades. In all that time, she has never had a dental lab bring a patient to her office door. However, that’s exactly what happened when Frontier Dental Lab Group connected her with Ignacia Soto-Aguilar.

The inspiration behind Frontier Dental Lab’s direct-to-consumer campaign

Gil Villavecer, Chief Marketing Officer at Frontier Dental Lab Group, was well aware of two key factors influencing Frontier’s marketing strategy. First, he knew his clients were dentists who tended to stick to traditional marketing methods as simple as word of mouth. Second, he knew that most people didn’t realize dental labs even existed. For these reasons, labs like Frontier have historically been absent from the direct-to-consumer marketing space.

“I like to be a trailblazer,” says Villavecer. “My lightbulb moment came when I realized that we have far more horsepower than the average dentist. After all, what dental office has a full-time marketing department? To better serve our dentists, I shifted our approach to a direct-to-consumer campaign.”

Villavecer’s first hurdle was introducing Frontier Dental Lab Group to a public that, up until that point, had been unaware of its existence. In general, dental labs have avoided digital marketing, but Villavecer knew the internet was the only way forward. So, Frontier uploaded educational clips to YouTube and fired up an Instagram account with a new mission to “Educate, Entertain, and Connect.”

Frontier Dental Lab’s DTC marketing in action

Frontier Dental Lab’s most innovative initiative is its Smile Simulations. Through this program, potential patients upload selfies to Frontier’s website and receive before and after pictures showing the possibilities of a smile makeover.

Soto-Aguilar first encountered Frontier Dental Lab through the Smile Simulation initiative and was blown away by her digital makeover. “The assessment was so quick and personal,” she remembers. “I received my before-and-after shots in an hour, and I couldn’t believe the amount of detail that Frontier put into it. That was my first insight into how much Frontier cares about its patients. They enabled me to visualize exactly how I would look with a new smile.”

Along with the Smile Simulation, Frontier Dental Lab sent a list of seven Trusted Frontier Dentists in Soto-Aguilar’s area who could make her simulation a reality. “We try to make research easy for people,” says Gil. “We believe that educated consumers are the best consumers.”

Frontier Dental Lab builds trust between dentists and patients

For convenience, Frontier linked each cosmetic dentist’s Instagram profile. When Soto-Aguilar clicked on Dr. Frye’s Instagram account, she felt an instant connection.

“Dr. Frye and I are both artists,” she explains. “I saw the care she put into her online presence and knew I would be in good hands. In this digital world, we put our work out there to show our clients what they can expect before we ever meet them. It’s visual and very intimate.”

Soto-Aguilar’s trust in Dr. Frye grew with every new piece of information she learned. She scanned through before and after shots of smiling patients and read a feature article about Dr. Frye dancing with her clients. Above all, she was struck by Dr. Frye’s honesty in describing her practice.

“I felt like I already knew her,” recalls Soto-Aguilar. “She wasn’t trying to sell anything to me. She was just talking about her passion for beautiful smiles.”

Within two days of uploading her selfie to Frontier Dental Lab’s Smile Simulation Center, Soto-Aguilar was talking with Dr. Frye in her office as if they had known each other for years. At that consultation, she scheduled an appointment for 20 veneers.

Dr. Frye says this is the most straightforward case she has closed in 21 years because of the foundation of trust established before the consultation. “Ignacia contacted me through the email from Frontier Dental Lab and was so excited that she even brought the smile simulation to our consultation. By the time we met, she trusted my work as a cosmetic dentist and Frontier’s work as a dental lab.”

In fact, Dr. Frye was so thrilled about the direct-to-consumer marketing that connected her to Soto-Aguilar that she shot a text to Villavecer that day: “Hey, Gil! Super cool story! A patient went through the smile simulation on your site, you sent her my info, and she’s coming in tomorrow. That’s the power of your marketing in the flesh!”

Villavecer counts that among the most exciting messages he has ever received. The only one he might enjoy more came days later from Soto-Aguilar. Along with pictures of her new smile, she texted: “Hi, Gil! You’ll love to see this! My smile is just how you imagined it!”

Currently, Frontier is focusing on harnessing the power of digital marketing to reach consumers. Its ground-breaking efforts to Educate, Entertain, and Connect potential patients prove that this marketing campaign is about much more than sales — it’s about building relationships and helping potential patients imagine the possibilities.

Health

Precision with Compassion: How Dr. Nader Amiran Balances Clinical Expertise with Human Connection

Published

2 months ago

May 30, 2026

Michelle Langton

Somewhere along the way, healthcare became fast, technical, and transactional. Patients learned to nod along, accept explanations they barely understood, and hope the treatment worked.

Dr. Nader Amiran chose a different path. At AIRE Dental Group, he has built a reputation not just for clinical accuracy, but for the way he connects with people before he ever connects the data. His work sits at the intersection of science and trust, where listening is not a courtesy, but a diagnostic tool.

For Dr. Amiran, empathy is not a soft skill layered on top of technical expertise. It is the foundation of precision. He believes you cannot treat what you do not fully understand, and understanding begins long before imaging or exams. It starts with hearing how a patient lives, where their discomfort shows up, and how long they have been carrying it.

This philosophy shapes every interaction in his practice. Consultations are unhurried. Questions are encouraged. Patients are not rushed toward conclusions. Instead, Dr. Amiran takes time to understand the full picture, knowing that pain rarely exists in isolation. Jaw discomfort, headaches, or bite changes often come with frustration, fear, or confusion after years of unanswered questions. Those emotions matter because they influence how patients experience care.

One of the defining elements of his approach is how he explains complex findings. Dentistry, especially TMJ and functional care, can feel overwhelming. Dr. Amiran makes it accessible. He uses visuals, models, and imaging to show patients what is happening inside their own bodies. The goal is clarity, not complexity. When patients understand what is causing their symptoms, anxiety gives way to confidence. Studies have shown that patients forget between 40% and 80% of the medical information provided by healthcare practitioners immediately, which highlights the importance of clear explanations and visual education during consultations.

This commitment to education did not come without challenges. Early in his career, Dr. Amiran often treated patients who had already seen multiple providers and still felt stuck. Many had received treatment without ever truly understanding their diagnosis. Those experiences reinforced an important lesson: even the most accurate clinical decision loses impact if the patient feels excluded from the process. The role of patient education in improving compliance and treatment outcomes has been widely supported in clinical literature evaluating communication strategies in healthcare (Kessels, 2003).

In response, he made education central to care. Treatment plans are discussed in plain language, with a clear explanation of why each step matters. Patients are invited into the decision-making process rather than being handed instructions. This approach builds trust, but it also improves outcomes. When people understand their condition, they are more engaged and more invested in maintaining progress. Studies evaluating patient-centered care models have demonstrated that involving patients in treatment decisions improves adherence and satisfaction rates (Street et al., 2009).

Precision still plays a critical role. Dr. Amiran relies on advanced diagnostics, careful evaluation, and evidence-based planning. Technology provides valuable insight, but he is clear about its role. Data informs decisions; it does not replace judgment. Imaging shows structure, but listening reveals context. Together, they create a more complete understanding than either could alone.

What sets his work apart is how seamlessly these elements come together. Clinical accuracy does not overshadow compassion, and empathy does not dilute rigor. Each strengthens the other. By treating patients as partners rather than problems to solve, Dr. Amiran creates an environment where healing feels collaborative, not imposed.

At AIRE Dental Group, patients often describe a shift in how they experience care. For the first time, they feel heard. For the first time, the explanation makes sense. That sense of clarity changes everything. It turns treatment from something that happens to them into something they actively participate in.

Dr. Nader Amiran’s approach challenges a common assumption in modern medicine: that efficiency and empathy cannot coexist. His work proves they can. When precision is guided by understanding, results last longer, trust runs deeper, and care feels human again.

In a field driven by innovation, his philosophy is a reminder that the most powerful tool in dentistry is still the ability to listen.

References:

Kessels RPC.
Patients’ memory for medical information.
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 2003.

Street RL, Makoul G, Arora NK, Epstein RM.
How does communication heal? Pathways linking clinician–patient communication to health outcomes.
Patient Education and Counseling. 2009.