Two point nine percent of the U.S. population identifies as American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN), but fewer than 0.3% are practicing dentists. The Society of American Indian Dentists (SAID) is dedicated to their mission to improve that statistic by encouraging Native American youth to pursue a career in dentistry and by supporting them through the entire process. They offer scholarships, conference stipends, DAT prep, interview prep, and more through their student membership. SAID is equally dedicated to improving culturally competent care and reducing health disparities among Indigenous communities, often inspiring their members to return to their own communities to practice.
Historically, SAID has maximized limited resources including staff capacity, time, and budget to make the greatest possible impact. However, there are significant opportunities for organizational growth and expanded outreach. One such opportunity presented itself when SAID acquired grant funding for the purpose of marketing outreach targeting AI/AN high school youth. The goal was to create a campaign that 1) introduced SAID as a credible resource to help students achieve their goal to become a dentist, 2) increased awareness that SAID is dedicated to helping students break through the barriers to become a dentist, 3) introduce SAID as a viable career path and inspire them to pursue a career in the dental field, and 4) motivated AI/AN students to engage with SAID.
Outreach is difficult because SAID’s audience is spread out geographically, faces unique systemic and educational barriers, and are potentially unaware of dentistry as a viable career path. It was important to make communications culturally relevant, visually representative, authentic, and inspiring, framing SAID as a supportive resource that propels students into a successful career in dentistry.
Due to the challenges that make it difficult to successfully connect with this unique audience, primary research was necessary to ensure engaging and relevant outreach. To start the project, multiple one-on-one discovery calls were coordinated with SAID members, both current students and practicing dentists. We wanted to know their motivations and ambitions, awareness gaps, perceived barriers, educational barriers, financial barriers, access to support and mentorship, fundamental values of family and community, personal challenges, relocation barriers, and perceived cultural disconnects to inform our strategy. One major insight gained from the discoveries was a need to target parents in addition to students because of the interconnectedness and shared decision-making of Indigenous families.
The resulting strategy was to 1) leverage the misrepresentation of AI/AN dentists to motivate AI/AN youth, 2) leverage the personal, family, and community benefits of a career in dentistry, and 3) address perceived barriers to an AI/AN’s career in dentistry. The desired key takeaway: “I can become a dentist, and SAID can help me pursue a career in dentistry so I can support myself and my community.”
To reach this audience, we recommended targeting through social media: a proven place to connect with youth of all cultures. Snapchat provides deep penetration among Gen Z, used 30+ times a day. Instagram reaches both teens and parents effectively, providing placement flexibility. TikTok is the number one platform for Gen Z in attention and discovery, where education meets entertainment, and the algorithm favors engagement vs. a following. A layered targeting approach allowed for connection with the intended user, including geographic information, interest and behavior signals, and contextual and context-based targeting.
The creative assets were designed to visually represent the target audience, also leveraging bright attention-grabbing colors, culturally relevant headlines, and fun, youthful typography. A clear preference for the messages “Heal Your Roots” and “So Many Teeth, Not Enough Native Dentists” was identified early in the campaign and we were able to optimize in real time toward those messages.
Across all tactics, the campaign served 2,613,351 impressions despite a limited grant budget. These impressions led to 37,441 clicks and an average CTR of 43%, more efficient than the industry standard of 1.00% for social media. Meta performed 39% above projections, resulting in 6,377 trackable actions. TikTok delivered 2,025,064 impressions, 101% above pre-campaign projections. The tactic concluded with a total of 24,651 clicks and 16,042 actions, resulting in an extremely efficient CPM of just $6.50, much more efficient than the projected $13.05. Snapchat’s click engagement is the highest among Snap users compared to other platforms, including an average CTR of 3.44%.
