Reputation management for dentists: reviews, replies and recovery

Why reviews matter twice

Reviews persuade patients choosing between practices, and they're part of how Google judges prominence in local search. Volume, recency and rating all count, and so does whether you reply.

Earning reviews the right way

• Ask every patient, at the moment they're happiest, usually at checkout or by text shortly after the visit.
• Make it one tap: send a direct link to your Google review form.
• Ask everyone. Inviting only patients you expect to be happy ("review gating") is against Google's review policies, and the FTC has said it can be deceptive.
• Never offer discounts, gifts or entries in exchange for reviews, and never write reviews for yourself or competitors.

Replying without breaking HIPAA

Dental practices have been fined by HHS for revealing patient information in replies to online reviews. A reply must not confirm that the reviewer is a patient or mention any treatment details, even if the reviewer shared them first.

• Thank positive reviewers in general terms: "Thank you for the kind words. We're glad you had a great experience with our team."
• Take complaints offline: "We take every concern seriously and would like to talk. Please call our office manager at (555) 555-5555."
• Never argue, explain the clinical situation, or reference appointments.

Handling a bad review

• Reply calmly within a day or two using a privacy-safe template.
• Contact the patient privately if you know who it is, and try to resolve the issue.
• If a review breaks the platform's rules (for example it's fake, off-topic or from a competitor), flag it through the platform's process. Don't threaten the reviewer.
• Look for patterns: repeated complaints about wait times or billing are operational problems to fix, not marketing problems.

Monitor everything in one place

Track Google, Facebook, Yelp and healthcare directories together, with alerts for new reviews, so replies happen in days rather than months.