Want to know the real secret to getting more patients through your doors? It’s not fancy equipment or even the most competitive pricing. It’s Google reviews. Yep, those little star ratings have a HUGE impact on whether someone chooses your practice or the one down the street.
We’ve built countless review campaigns that have collected thousands of reviews for dental practices just like yours. And trust me, the difference between having 10 reviews and 100 reviews is like night and day when it comes to bringing in new patients.
Why Google Reviews Matter (And Why They Need to Be Fresh)
Let’s be real – people don’t choose dentists the same way they did 20 years ago. They don’t just go with whoever’s closest or who their neighbor recommends. They Google “dentist near me” and then immediately look at your star rating and how many reviews you have.
But here’s something most dentists miss: it’s not just about having a bunch of reviews from 2 years ago. Google (and potential patients) care about FRESH reviews. You need to consistently get new ones coming in. A practice with 50 reviews where the most recent one is from last week looks way better than one with 100 reviews where the latest is from 6 months ago.
Think of reviews like bread – they’re best when fresh, and nobody wants stale bread!
Set Up Your Google Business Profile Correctly
Before you ask for reviews, make sure your Google Business Profile is set up properly. Seems obvious. We’ve audited hundreds of dental practices and found that more than 60% of them have incomplete or incorrect information.
When we start working with a new dental practice, we audit and optimize their Google Business Profile within the first 5 days. Here’s what we typically fix:
- Missing business hours or incorrect holiday schedules
- Outdated photos (or none at all)
- Incomplete service lists
- Missing website links
- Unclaimed additional categories (many dentists only list “Dentist” but miss out on “Cosmetic Dentist,” “Family Dentist,” etc.)
If your profile isn’t set up right, you’re losing patients before they even see your reviews. Fix this first!
15 Ways To Get More Google Reviews For Your Dental Practice
Alright, now for the meat and potatoes of this article. Here are 15 proven ways to get more Google reviews for your dental practice:
1. Ask Them Directly
I know, groundbreaking advice, right? But hear me out – most dentists either don’t ask at all or they ask in a way that’s awkward and ineffective.
The magic moment to ask is right after you’ve completed a successful procedure and the patient is glowing.
Say something like: “I’m so glad we were able to take care of that for you today! We’d really appreciate it if you could leave us a quick Google review (takes less 52 seconds). And it helps people like you find us.”
Direct, simple, no pressure.
2. Make It Easy
Here’s where most dental practices drop the ball. They ask for a review but then expect patients to:
- Remember to do it later
- Know how to find your practice on Google
- Figure out how to leave a review
That’s way too many steps! Instead, create a direct link to your Google review form. You can use a link shortener to make it something simple like bit.ly/yourpracticereview.
Then print this on appointment cards, text it to patients after their visit, or even better – have it on a tablet in your office so they can do it before they leave.
3. Keep Reminding Them (Without Being Annoying)
People are busy. They forget. A gentle reminder can make all the difference.
We’ve found that the sweet spot is 3 reminders:
- One verbal reminder at checkout
- One text or email reminder the day after their appointment
- One final reminder 3 days later
More than that and you risk annoying them. Less than that and you miss out on reviews from willing patients who just need a nudge.
4. Do NOT Incentivize Positive Online Reviews
This one’s important, folks. I know it’s tempting to offer a discount on their next cleaning or a gift card for a review, but this is against Google’s policies. They can (and do) remove reviews they suspect were incentivized.
Plus, it’s just not ethical. You want genuine reviews from satisfied patients, not people who are only saying nice things because you bribed them.
5. Respond To Every Google Review
Yes, EVERY single one. Even (especially) the negative ones.
When you respond to positive reviews, it shows you appreciate your patients. When you respond thoughtfully to negative reviews, it shows potential patients that you care about fixing problems.
Plus, Google’s algorithm seems to favor businesses that engage with their reviews.
6. Put The Google Review Link In Your Waiting Room
This is so simple but effective. Create a small sign or card with a QR code that links directly to your Google review page. Place it in your waiting room with a friendly message like “Enjoy your experience today? Scan this code to let others know!”
Many patients will be on their phones while waiting anyway – give them something productive to do with that time!
7. Get A Review Collection Software
There are several software options specifically designed to help businesses collect more reviews. Tools help with automating the review request and reminders. They also help provide easy links for patients to click through and track to see what message is driving the most reviews.
A good review collection system can easily double or triple your review rate.
8. Collect Reviews with Social Media
Create posts that gently remind your followers to leave a review if they had a good experience.
Highlight particularly thoughtful reviews (with the patient’s permission, of course) to show others the kind of feedback you appreciate.
9. Give Your Patients A Call
For especially pleased patients or after major procedures with great results, a personal phone call can be very effective.
Have your office manager call simply to check in on how they’re feeling after their procedure. If they express satisfaction, that’s the perfect time to ask for a review.
This personal touch goes a long way, and patients are much more likely to follow through when they’ve verbally committed to someone.
10. Train Your Team
Your front desk staff and hygienists can be your best assets in collecting reviews. Make sure everyone on your team:
- Understands the importance of reviews
- Knows how to ask for them comfortably
- Has easy access to your review link
- Recognizes good opportunities to ask
Hold a quick training session and role-play different scenarios so they feel confident asking.
11. Time Your Requests Strategically
Timing is everything. Don’t ask for a review:
- When a patient is in pain
- If there was a long wait time
- If there was any kind of billing issue
- Immediately after delivering bad news
Do ask:
- After successful cosmetic procedures
- When you’ve resolved a long-standing issue
- When a patient compliments your service
- When they mention they’re new to the area (and might be telling others about good local services)
12. Create A Review-Worthy Experience
A review-worthy experience generates reviews. So what can you do to make your service unforgettably amazing?
Small touches like remembering personal details about patients, having a comfort menu (blankets, headphones, etc.), or sending a small thank-you note to new patients can transform a standard appointment into something people want to tell others about.
13. Share Positive Reviews In Your Office
Create a “Wall of Smiles” where you print and display positive patient reviews. This serves two purposes:
- It makes your featured patients feel special
- It subtly reminds other patients that leaving a review is appreciated
Plus, it creates a positive atmosphere in your waiting room!
14. Include Review Requests In Your Newsletter
If you send regular newsletters or email updates to your patient list, include a section asking satisfied patients to leave a review. Again, make it easy with a direct link or button.
15. Don’t Panic About Negative Reviews
Here’s something counter-intuitive – the occasional negative review can actually help you. A perfect 5-star rating with no negative reviews looks suspicious to many people.
We’ve even used negative reviews in our dental marketing because they can be funny and show you’re human. One of our dental clients had a 1-star review that said “The dentist wouldn’t give me the drugs I wanted” – we featured that in their social media with the caption “Guilty as charged! We care about your health more than your happiness sometimes 😉” and people loved it!
Respond graciously, fix what you can, and move on. A mix of mostly positive with a few less-than-perfect reviews looks authentic.
Do Dental Practices Even Need Google Reviews?
Short answer: YES.
Longer answer: Absolutely, positively, 100% yes.
Some dentists think reviews are just for restaurants and hotels. Wrong! In fact, 93% of people say online reviews impact their choice of healthcare provider. For dentists, that number is even higher because:
- Dental work is personal – it’s someone working in your mouth!
- Dental procedures can be expensive
- Many people have dental anxiety and want reassurance
- Insurance options often give patients multiple provider choices
The data doesn’t lie: practices with 50+ Google reviews get approximately 1.5 times more new patient calls than those with fewer than 10 reviews. And practices with reviews from the past month appear 2.7 times more often in local search results.
People are more likely to choose a dentist with more reviews and more recent reviews, even if another practice has a slightly higher average rating. And interestingly, patients are actually skeptical of dentists with only 5-star reviews – they assume they’re fake or filtered.
What other reviews should I collect?
While Google reviews should be your main focus, don’t ignore these other platforms:
Yelp
Yes, people still use Yelp, especially in urban areas. The key with Yelp is to never directly ask for reviews (they have strict policies against this). Instead, simply make patients aware that you’re on Yelp with signage in your office.
Facebook reviews are particularly useful for targeting local patients who are active on social media. These reviews also show up when people search for your practice on Facebook.
Healthgrades & WebMD
These healthcare-specific platforms are used by more research-oriented patients. They tend to be especially important for specialists like endodontists or oral surgeons.
Your Own Website
Testimonials on your website aren’t as powerful as third-party reviews, but they do allow you to highlight specific treatments and procedures in more detail.
If you have a patient who has already left a Google review, you can ask if they’d mind leaving one on another platform as well. But don’t ask this of everyone – review fatigue is real, and Google reviews should remain your priority.
Wrapping Up: Start Generating Reviews Today
Getting more Google reviews isn’t complicated, but it does require consistency and a system. The practices that succeed aren’t necessarily the ones with the fanciest offices or the latest technology – they’re the ones that consistently ask for reviews and make it easy for patients to leave them.
Start with these steps today:
- Verify your Google Business Profile is correct and complete
- Create a simple way for patients to access your review link
- Train your team on when and how to ask for reviews
- Implement at least 3-4 of the strategies above
- Respond to every review you receive
Or, you could hire us to handle all of this for you. We’ve helped hundreds of dental practices dramatically increase their review counts, and we guarantee we can generate more patients for your practice within the first 90 days – or we’ll work for free until we hit your target number.
One of our clients went from 17 Google reviews to over 200 in just 6 months, and saw a 22% increase in new patient appointments directly from Google searches. Another practice used our review system to overcome a few negative reviews that were hurting their business, and is now booked solid three weeks out.
The bottom line is this: in today’s digital world, your online reputation is often formed before you ever meet a patient. Google reviews are the cornerstone of that reputation. Start building yours today, and watch your practice grow.
Remember, every day without a system for collecting reviews is potentially new patients choosing the practice down the street instead of yours. Don’t let that happen – take action now.
Need help implementing these strategies? We’re here to help (book a call with our team here).