How to Get More Google Reviews for Your Dental Practice
Why Google Reviews Matter for Dentists
For most patients, choosing a dentist starts with a Google search. Before they ever pick up the phone, they're reading reviews. A dental practice with 15 reviews and a 4.2 rating loses patients every day to the competitor across town with 120 reviews and a 4.8.
The good news: most of your patients are happy to leave a review. They just don't think to do it — unless you ask.
The Problem With Manual Review Requests
Asking patients for reviews in person is awkward. Sending a generic follow-up email gets ignored. Most front desk staff are too busy to remember to ask every single patient.
The result: your happiest patients never leave reviews, while the rare unhappy patient goes straight to Google.
5 Ways to Get More Google Reviews for Your Dental Practice
1. Ask Right After the Appointment
Timing is everything. The best moment to request a review is within 24 hours of a positive appointment — while the experience is fresh. A simple text message or email with a direct link to your Google review page dramatically increases completion rates.
2. Make It Ridiculously Easy
Don't make patients hunt for your Google profile. Send them a direct link that opens the review form. Every extra click you remove increases the number of reviews you get.
3. Personalize the Ask
A message that says "Hi Sarah, we're so glad your cleaning went well today" performs far better than a generic "Please leave us a review." Patients respond to feeling seen.
4. Automate the Follow-Up
If a patient doesn't respond to the first message, a gentle follow-up 3–5 days later can double your response rate. Automation makes this effortless — set it once and let it run.
5. Train Your Front Desk Team
Your staff are your biggest asset. Brief, genuine conversations at checkout — "If you have a moment, we'd really appreciate a Google review" — can meaningfully increase your review volume, especially when paired with automated follow-ups.
What to Do With Your Reviews
Collecting reviews is only half the job. Respond to every review — positive and negative. A thoughtful response to a critical review shows prospective patients that you care about their experience. Google also rewards active engagement with better local search rankings.
How ReviewPull Helps Dental Practices
ReviewPull automates the entire review collection process for dental practices. After each appointment, patients automatically receive a personalized message with a direct Google review link. No manual follow-up, no awkward in-person asks.
Most practices using ReviewPull see their first new reviews within 48 hours of setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it against Google's policy to ask patients for reviews? No — asking for reviews is perfectly fine. What Google prohibits is incentivizing reviews (offering discounts, gifts, etc.) or selectively asking only happy patients. Ask all patients equally and you're in the clear.
How many reviews does a dental practice need? There's no magic number, but 50+ reviews with a 4.5+ rating is where most practices start seeing a meaningful lift in new patient calls. The more recent your reviews, the better.
What if I get a negative review? Respond promptly and professionally. Thank the patient for their feedback, apologize for any shortcoming, and offer to make it right offline. This shows prospective patients that you're responsive and care about quality.
ReviewPull helps local businesses collect Google reviews automatically. Learn more →