For many patients, reviews are the deciding factor between two nearby dental practices. Reviews also contribute to how prominent your practice appears in Google’s local results. The good news is that most happy patients are willing to leave a review. They simply need to be asked at the right moment, in the right way.
Why reviews matter so much for dentists
Choosing a dentist is personal. Patients want to know whether the team is gentle, whether appointments run on time and whether nervous patients are treated with patience. Reviews answer those questions in patients’ own words, in a way your website can’t. A steady flow of recent, genuine reviews tells both patients and search engines that your practice is active and trusted.
Build a simple, consistent system
Practices with lots of reviews rarely rely on luck. They make asking part of their routine:
- Ask at the right moment. The best time is right after a positive visit, when the patient is pleased. A personal request from the dentist or hygienist is especially effective.
- Make it effortless. Send a direct link to your Google review form by text or email after the appointment, and keep a QR code at the front desk.
- Ask every patient. Invite all patients to share their experience, not only those you expect to be happy. Google’s policies don’t allow selectively asking for positive reviews only.
- Train your team. Give everyone a short, natural way to ask, so it feels friendly rather than scripted.
What not to do
- Don’t offer discounts, gifts or entries into draws in exchange for reviews. Google doesn’t allow incentivized reviews.
- Don’t write reviews for patients, or ask staff, friends or family to post reviews.
- Don’t buy reviews or use services that promise them. Fake reviews can be removed and can put your profile at risk.
Respond to every review, with privacy in mind
Replying shows patients that you listen. Thank people for positive reviews and respond calmly and professionally to critical ones. In every reply, protect patient privacy: keep responses general, never confirm that the reviewer is a patient and never mention treatment details, even if the reviewer shared them. Health privacy laws apply to review replies too.
Handling a negative review
A negative review can feel personal, and a thoughtful reply can still win the trust of everyone who reads it. Acknowledge the concern, avoid arguing or sharing details, and invite the person to contact the practice directly so you can help. Then look at whether the feedback points to something worth improving. If a review breaks Google’s policies, for example if it’s spam or clearly not from a real patient, you can report it for review.
Using reviews on your website
Reviews can build trust on your website as well. Before featuring patient testimonials, check your dental regulator’s advertising rules, which may limit how testimonials are used, and make sure you have the patient’s permission.
Track your progress
Each month, note how many new reviews you received, your average rating and how quickly the team replied. A steady rhythm of new reviews matters more than a sudden burst. Our Google Business Profile checklist covers the rest of your profile, and our guide to dental SEO explains how reviews fit into the bigger picture.
Learn more about our local search services, or talk with us about building your practice’s reputation.