Marketing plan · La Jolla

Dental direct mail in La Jolla:
a new patient plan for dentists

By Best Direct Mail, San Marcos · Numbers from USPS and the US Census Bureau

La Jolla is part of the City of San Diego, but it has its own ZIP Code, 92037, and residents who expect a practice to know it. Within a few miles live families in Bird Rock, long-time residents in La Jolla Shores who want to keep their own teeth for life, hillside homeowners on Mount Soledad who want the best work available, and graduate students and young researchers in the condos near UC San Diego.

Patients here compare practices carefully, and a card has to look as good as the work it promises. Below we start with the public numbers for 92037, including how many new movers arrive in an average month, then go neighborhood by neighborhood: who lives there, which services fit and how to mail them. After that come a new movers plan, a year of mailings and what every dental postcard in California should include.

Don't be selfie-conscious postcard with a woman smiling into a hand mirror, a dentist, free whitening with the next cleaning, 25% off the first appointment and $50 off the first visit — A whitening and cosmetic card for La Jolla. (design DEN-15)

Dental postcard of a smiling family with coupons for $50 off the first visit, free whitening, free x-rays and a free toothbrush — A family welcome card for Bird Rock and the Shores. (design DEN-6)

Dental postcard offering complete care for the whole family, including cosmetic, restorative dentistry and implants — Complete care, from children's checkups to implants, for every part of 92037. (design DEN-13)

La Jolla by ZIP Code

ZIP Code	Homes (routes)	Households with children	Median household income	New movers a month (average)	Residents 65 or older
92037 All of La Jolla, from Bird Rock to La Jolla Shores and La Jolla Farms	19,025 (39)	20%	$147,230	about 240	25%

What the columns tell you:

Households with children: where a family practice, children's checkups and back-to-school cards will do best.
Median household income: higher incomes point to cosmetic work, aligners and implants. Lower incomes point to clear prices, payment plans and the insurance you take.
New movers a month: about how many households move to a new home in the ZIP Code in an average month. This is the size of your monthly new movers mailing.
Residents 65 or older: where implant, denture and consultation cards belong.

These figures cover whole ZIP Codes, and single routes inside them can be quite different. Our EDDM® route planner shows income, age, household size and the share of families with children for every route before you choose.

Homes and carrier routes are from the USPS EDDM® route map. Households with children, income, new movers and residents 65 or older are US Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates for the ZIP Code area. New movers a month is the number of residents who moved into a different home in the past year, turned into households and divided by 12.

New movers: on average about 240 households move to a new home in these ZIP Codes every month. Many of them will be looking for a new dentist.

What a mailing costs: $2,682 for 5,000 homes with our recommended 8.5 × 11 EDDM® postcard, including printing and postage. See our EDDM® prices for other quantities.

What to mail in each neighborhood

The Village and the Barber Tract (92037)

Around Prospect Street, Girard Avenue and the Cove, condo buildings and older cottages house many retirees, working professionals and part-time residents. Just south, the Barber Tract has quieter streets a few blocks from Windansea. Residents here walk to the Village and care how their smile looks.

What to offer: whitening, veneers and crowns, with a free cosmetic consultation, and appointments that fit around a busy week. Before and after photos of your own patients, used with permission, sell these services best.
How to mail: a mailing list filtered by age or income rather than whole routes. Many units are rented or used only part of the year.

Get beautiful healthy teeth you'll love postcard with a smiling woman and offers for a $99 whitening kit, a free water flosser and a $99 exam — Beautiful teeth you'll love: a cosmetic card for the Village. (design DEN-8)

Bird Rock (92037)

At La Jolla's southern end, next to Pacific Beach, Bird Rock has mid-century houses and new rebuilds on modest lots, with cafes and shops along La Jolla Boulevard. It is a neighborhood of families, many of them with young children at the local elementary school.

What to offer: one practice for the whole family, children's checkups and sealants, and aligners or whitening for the parents. Evening and Saturday hours matter to working parents.
Timing: back-to-school checkups in July and August.
How to mail: EDDM® on the routes that are mostly houses. Bird Rock is compact, so a few routes cover it.

Dental postcard with a smiling family, a child at the dentist, $50 off the first visit and free whitening — A back-to-school family card for Bird Rock. (design DEN-4)

La Jolla Shores (92037)

Between Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Village, La Jolla Shores has single-story homes from the 1950s and 60s on flat streets near the beach. Many owners have lived here for decades, and grandchildren visit often. Long-time patients stay loyal to a dentist, so a new practice wins them with a service they need.

What to offer: implants, dentures and crowns, a free consultation, and whether you accept Medicare Advantage dental plans. Large, easy-to-read type and a phone number people can call.
Timing: September, before the holidays and the year-end benefit rush.
How to mail: EDDM® on the routes of houses. Add a mailing list filtered by age to reach older adults in the rest of La Jolla.

Dental postcard with three generations of a family and coupons for free whitening, $50 off, free x-rays and a free toothbrush — Three generations on one card, for long-time La Jolla Shores residents. (design DEN-5)

Mount Soledad and the Muirlands (92037)

Above the Village, custom homes and estates with ocean views climb the slopes of Mount Soledad and fill the Muirlands. Incomes here tend to be high, and residents expect a practice with modern equipment, a calm office and time for their questions.

What to offer: implants, veneers and full smile makeovers, with a private consultation. Mention the technology you use, such as 3D imaging or same-day crowns, and sedation for anxious patients if you offer it.
How to mail: a mailing list filtered by household income, often printed on heavier stock. Fewer, better cards fit these streets better than a large EDDM® drop.

Experience professional dentistry, state-of-the-art technology and gentle care postcard with a collage of dentists at work, $50 off the first visit, 25% off the first appointment and free whitening — Technology and gentle care: an implant and cosmetic card for Mount Soledad. (design DEN-12)

Condos near UC San Diego (92037)

East of the Village, near the university, Scripps hospital and La Jolla Village Drive, condo and townhome complexes house graduate students, young researchers, medical residents and staff. People move in and out more here than anywhere else in La Jolla, and many are choosing a dentist on their own for the first time.

What to offer: a simple new patient price, whitening, aligners and online booking. Early and late appointments suit people with long days in the lab or the hospital.
Timing: late summer and early fall, when the school year starts and new leases begin.
How to mail: new movers every month, rather than whole routes. The people who just arrived are the ones looking for a dentist.

Are you selfie-ready? dental postcard with two smiling young women, 25% off the first appointment and $50 off the first visit — Selfie-ready: a new patient card for young adults near UC San Diego. (design DEN-14)

New movers in La Jolla: a monthly mailing

Moving is one of the main reasons people change dentists. In La Jolla that happens every month, in the condos near the university, in Bird Rock rebuilds and in homes in the Shores bought by new families. The table above shows about how many households move to a new home in 92037 in an average month.

Choose the area: the new movers within a few miles of your office, usually La Jolla plus the nearest parts of Pacific Beach and University City.
Mail every month: each card reaches people within their first weeks in a new home, while they are still choosing.
Make it a welcome: "Welcome to La Jolla" with your new patient offer, the insurance you take and how to book.

See how many new movers are on file around your office in our mailing list planner, or ask us for a monthly price. We print and mail them for you every month.

We specialize in bright smiles postcard with two smiling patient photos, $50 off the first visit, 25% off the first appointment and a comprehensive exam, cleaning and x-rays — Bright smiles: a monthly welcome card for new La Jolla residents. (design DEN-10)

EDDM® or a mailing list in La Jolla?

La Jolla is one ZIP Code, but its routes are very different:

EDDM® for Bird Rock and La Jolla Shores. These routes are mostly houses with residents who live there all year, so for a general or family practice nearly every home is a possible patient.
A mailing list for the Village, the hills and narrower services. Condos used part of the year and spread-out estates make whole routes costly. A list filtered by age or income reaches the implant and cosmetic patients you want.
New movers every month, on top of either one, and especially near UC San Diego.

A year of dental mailings in La Jolla

When	Who gets it	What the card says
Every month	New movers around your office	Welcome to the neighborhood, with your new patient offer, the insurance you take and your hours
January to February	The neighborhoods closest to your office	New year, new dental benefits: book your cleaning and exam
March to April	Higher-income neighborhoods	Whitening and cosmetic work before spring weddings, graduations and summer photos
July to August	Family neighborhoods	Back-to-school checkups and sealants for kids
September	Neighborhoods with many older residents	Implants, dentures and a free consultation
October to November	Your own patients, then the nearby neighborhoods	Use your dental benefits before they reset on January 1

You don't need every mailing. Most La Jolla practices start with the monthly new movers card and one neighborhood mailing, then add the others once they see which brings in patients. Our dental direct mail guide has more offer ideas for each one.

Healthy teeth and gums for the whole family postcard with children holding smile photos and a complimentary exam offer — Healthy teeth for the whole family: a year-end benefits card for La Jolla families. (design DEN-9)

What every La Jolla dental postcard should include

The dentist or practice name, so it is clear who is offering the service. Dental advertising in California must not be false or misleading.
"Specialist" only for real specialists. An orthodontist or oral surgeon can say so. A general dentist who offers implants or aligners should describe the service without suggesting a specialty.
Offers spelled out: what a new patient special includes, who it is for (new patients only, patients without insurance) and when it ends.
No waived co-pays or deductibles as an offer. That can break dental plan contracts and insurance rules.
The plans you accept, including Medi-Cal Dental if you take it. For many families it is the first thing they check.
Where you are in La Jolla, with a landmark people know, your hours and whether you see children, evenings or Saturdays.

These are general points, not legal advice. Your dental association or a healthcare attorney can confirm the exact wording of your offer, and we adjust any design to match.

Dental postcard designs

Start from one of our ready-made dental postcards. We add your logo, offer, license number and photos, send you a proof, then print and mail it. Need a custom design, or have your own? Just let us know.

Dental marketing plans in other cities

La Jolla at a glance

Homes and mail routes: About 19,000 homes on 39 routes
New movers: About 240 households a month
Best areas: Families: Bird Rock. Cosmetic work: the Village, the Barber Tract and Mount Soledad. Implants and dentures: La Jolla Shores and the Muirlands. Young adults: the condos near UC San Diego.
What it costs: $2,682 to mail 5,000 homes by EDDM®
Where to start: A monthly new movers card plus one mailing to Bird Rock or the Shores, near your office.

Frequently asked questions

How many new movers are there in La Jolla each month?

The table above shows about how many households move to a new home in 92037 in an average month, from US Census Bureau estimates. It is a good guide to the size of a monthly new movers mailing. The exact count for the area around your office is in our mailing list planner.

Where should a family dentist mail in La Jolla?

Start with the routes closest to your office, then Bird Rock and the house routes of La Jolla Shores. Both are mostly year-round family homes and easy to reach by EDDM®.

Where should I mail implant and denture postcards in La Jolla?

La Jolla Shores has many long-time residents and is easy to reach by EDDM®. For older adults and higher-income households in the Village, the Muirlands and on Mount Soledad, use a mailing list filtered by age or income.

How do I reach UC San Diego students and staff?

Mail new movers every month, with an extra push in late summer and early fall, when the school year and new leases start. Keep the card simple: a new patient price, whitening and online booking. Mailing whole routes of student condos reaches many people who will move again soon.

Do you serve La Jolla?

Yes. Our print shop is in San Marcos, and we print and mail for dental practices across San Diego County, including La Jolla. We take EDDM® mailings to the Post Office that delivers your routes.

Get a quote for your La Jolla mailing

Tell us which neighborhoods and services you want to focus on. We'll reply with a price for printing and mailing, and the routes or list we recommend.

Dental direct mail in La Jolla:a new patient plan for dentists