Online reviews for dental practices: getting more and replying safely
Short answer: Ask every patient for a Google review on the day of their visit, with a direct link or a QR code at the front desk. When you reply, never confirm that the person is a patient or mention their treatment. Report reviews from people who were never patients.
People choose a dentist the way they choose a restaurant: they read the reviews first. A practice with a steady stream of recent reviews gets the call.
Ask every patient
Most satisfied patients never write a review unless asked.
- Ask in person at checkout. “Would you mind leaving us a review? Here is the code.”
- Follow up the same day by text or email with a direct link to your Google review form.
- Ask everyone. Choosing only the happy ones is against Google’s rules.
- Offer nothing. No discount on the next cleaning, no gift card draw.
You can make the link and the QR code with our free Google review link generator.
Replying without breaking privacy rules
In the United States, HIPAA applies to what your practice says in public. A review does not give you permission to discuss the patient.
Do not:
- Confirm that the reviewer is or was a patient.
- Mention any treatment, appointment, bill or insurance detail.
- Correct their account of what happened in the chair.
Do:
- Speak about your policies in general terms.
- Invite them to contact the office directly.
A reply that is safe:
Thank you for the feedback. We take concerns like this seriously and aim for every visit to be comfortable. Please call our office manager on 555-0100 so we can talk with you directly.
The same care applies to good reviews. “Thank you for your kind words” is fine. “Glad your crown turned out well” is not.
A fake or unfair review
- Never a patient. Check your records. If there is no match, reply in general terms and report the review to Google as not based on a real experience.
- A former employee or a competitor. Report it as a conflict of interest.
- A real patient who is unhappy. It stays. Reply calmly, take it to the phone, and fix what can be fixed.
Step by step: How to get a fake Google review removed.
Where reviews matter for dentists
- Google. By far the most read. Start here.
- Healthgrades and similar directories. Claim your profile so the details are right.
- Yelp. Do not ask for reviews there; Yelp discourages it. Keep the page accurate and reply.
A weekly routine
- Monday: reply to every new review.
- Every day: the front desk asks every patient.
- Monthly: check your rating and how many reviews arrived, next to the practices nearby.