How should a dental practice ask patients for Google reviews?
A dental practice should ask every patient for a Google review, the same way, soon after the visit: a short in-person request, then a direct review link by text or email to patients who agreed to receive messages. Do not offer rewards, do not filter out unhappy patients and do not write reviews for anyone. When you reply, thank the reviewer without confirming they are a patient or mentioning any treatment.
- Ask every patient, not only the happy ones; screening people before asking is review gating, which Google's policies prohibit.
- No incentives for reviews and no reviews written by staff or family; the FTC's rule on consumer reviews and testimonials took effect in October 2024.
- The best moment to ask is at checkout, followed by a short message with a direct link sent to patients who consented to messages.
- Reply to reviews without confirming the person is a patient or mentioning treatment, because HIPAA protects that information.
- Every practice welcome — retainers from $499/mo, Goals-Driven engagements, Performance-Linked Payout Models available.
- Dallas, Texas LLC
- US client team · Central Time (CST)
- 25+ US healthcare clients
- BAA signed with every client
- HIPAA compliance training across client and delivery teams
- Contracts and invoices in USD
-
Primary Care · North Dallas, TXCase study →
-
MedSpa · North Dallas, TX
-
Skin Care · Beverly Hills, CA
-
Dental · Christiansburg, VACase study →
-
Pediatrics · Blacksburg, VACase study →
-
Pediatric Dentistry · Blacksburg, VACase study →
-
Dental · Roanoke, VACase study →
-
Functional Medicine · Telehealth · USACase study →
“They were able to get all my ideas and work with me over a period of three to four months and create this amazing website. It's super customized, very modern, and it incorporates all the elements that I had wanted — the patient portal, nice pictures, a very interactive website, patient reviews. I would highly recommend their company to anyone who wants to make an excellent website.”
What is the right way to ask dental patients for Google reviews?
Ask every patient, consistently, at the end of the visit, and make leaving a review easy with a direct link. Keep the request short and personal, from the dentist or a team member the patient met. Treat all patients the same: no rewards, no pre-screening and no pressure. Then reply to reviews in a way that protects patient privacy.
A simple, compliant review routine
- At checkout: "If you were happy with today, a Google review really helps other patients find us. Can we text you the link?"
- Same day: send one message with the direct review link, only to patients who agreed to receive messages from the practice.
- A few days later: one gentle reminder, then stop.
- Weekly: reply to new reviews and share good ones with the team.
- Monthly: track new reviews, average rating and how many requests were sent.
Who on the team should ask?
The request lands best from someone the patient just spent time with: the dentist at the end of the appointment, the hygienist, or the front-desk team member who checked them out. Pick one owner for the routine so it happens every day, not only when someone remembers. A short line on the checkout screen or a desk card with a scannable code helps the team keep it consistent without sounding scripted.
Steady, recent reviews matter more than a one-time push. Our page on how many Google reviews a dentist needs explains why recency counts.
What can and can't a dental practice do when asking for reviews?
You can ask any patient for an honest review and make it easy to leave one. You cannot pay or reward people for reviews, ask only patients you expect to be positive, post fake or staff-written reviews, or hide negative ones. Google's own review policies and federal rules both apply, and state dental boards may add their own advertising limits.
| Practice | Allowed? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Asking every patient for an honest review | Yes | Fair, consistent requests are expected and encouraged |
| Sending a direct review link by text or email | Yes, with consent | Messaging rules such as the TCPA govern texts; get consent at intake |
| Asking only happy patients (review gating) | No | Google prohibits selectively soliciting positive reviews; see review gating |
| Discounts or gifts in exchange for reviews | No | Google bans incentivized reviews; the FTC rule bars incentives tied to positive sentiment |
| Staff, family or bought reviews | No | Fake and undisclosed insider reviews are prohibited by the FTC rule |
| Confirming treatment in a reply | No | Disclosing patient information without authorization can breach HIPAA |
The FTC's Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials took effect in October 2024 and allows civil penalties for knowing violations. As of October 2026, confirm current requirements with your counsel, as rules and enforcement priorities change.
Can you trust online doctor reviews, and what red flags do patients notice?
Patients do use reviews to choose a dentist, but many have learned to read them skeptically. They trust a profile with a steady flow of specific, recent reviews and thoughtful replies. They distrust sudden bursts of five-star ratings, vague praise and defensive or missing replies. Your request routine shapes which picture they see.
When patients ask what a red flag for a dentist looks like online, they usually mean signals like these:
- Many reviews posted in a short window, then nothing for months.
- Repeated complaints about surprise bills, pressure to accept treatment or long waits.
- Replies that argue with reviewers or reveal details about their care.
- No reply at all to clear, serious complaints.
Our page on whether patients trust online doctor reviews covers this in more depth. The marketing lesson is simple: an honest, steady review stream with professional replies is more persuasive than a perfect score.
What are good examples of positive dental review responses?
A good reply to a positive review thanks the person warmly, reflects the practice's values and says nothing that confirms they are a patient or what care they received. Keep it short, sign it from the team or the dentist, and vary the wording so replies do not look automated. Never repeat details from the review about treatment.
Reply examples you can adapt
- "Thank you for taking the time to share this. Our team works hard to make every visit calm and clear, and kind words like these mean a lot to us."
- "We really appreciate this review. Making people feel welcome is something our whole team cares about. Thank you!"
- "Thanks so much for the kind words. We'll pass them on to the team."
Avoid replies such as "Glad your crown fits well, see you at your six-month cleaning," because they confirm a patient relationship and treatment. HHS OCR has settled HIPAA cases, including one with a dental practice, over patient information disclosed in online review replies; see the HHS HIPAA Privacy Rule pages. For tougher cases, read how to respond to negative reviews under HIPAA.
What do strong five-star dentist reviews look like?
Strong reviews are specific and in the patient's own words: how the team made them feel, how clearly fees were explained, how easy booking was. You cannot script them or write them for patients. You can prompt specifics by asking, "If you leave a review, it helps to mention what stood out about your visit."
What we found when we studied 2,318 US dental practices on Google
Patients praise the care and the people. Where they push back is the treatment-plan conversation: upselling is the one review theme where complaints dominate.
2,318 US dental practices across 20 metros · review themes, pace and replies from a 120-practice subsample · every headline figure re-derived from raw data.
How can Ichelon Consulting US help with dental reviews?
We set up review routines that your team can run every day, with consented messaging, direct links, reply guidelines and monthly tracking. Ichelon Consulting US is a Dallas, Texas LLC and part of ICG, which has worked only in healthcare since 2018 with 150+ healthcare and life-sciences brands across ICG.
We sign a BAA with every US client and keep review and messaging workflows HIPAA-aware. Our Goals-Driven engagements track agreed monthly goals live on Ichelon Agency OS, with a report every Monday. Retainers start from $499/month, custom-scoped. See our dental marketing agency USA page, or book a free benchmarking call to see how your reviews compare locally.
Related pages from the US team
Dental Marketing Agency USA
Reviews, local search and patient acquisition for US dental practices.
Should dentists reply to Google reviews?
Why replies matter and how to write them safely.
Responding to negative reviews under HIPAA
How to handle complaints without disclosing patient information.
How to increase new patient flow
Where reviews fit in a practice's new-patient path.
Every practice welcome — Goals-Driven engagements from $499/mo
We benchmark your last 90 days, agree monthly goals with you, and track them live on Ichelon Agency OS with a report every Monday. Performance-Linked Payout Models are available. Our US leadership is based in Dallas, and strategy calls run in US business hours.
Common questions
How should a dental practice ask patients for Google reviews?
Ask every patient the same way, ideally at checkout, then send one message with a direct review link to patients who agreed to receive messages, plus one reminder. Keep it short and personal. Do not offer rewards, do not screen out unhappy patients first and never write reviews for anyone. Reply without confirming the reviewer is a patient.
Can a dentist offer a discount or gift for a Google review?
No. Google's policies prohibit incentivized reviews, and the FTC's rule on consumer reviews and testimonials, effective October 2024, bars incentives conditioned on positive sentiment. Some state dental boards add their own limits. Ask for honest reviews without any reward, and confirm current requirements with your counsel because rules and enforcement change.
Is it legal to ask only happy patients for reviews?
Asking only patients you expect to be positive is called review gating, and Google's policies prohibit it. Suppressing or filtering negative reviews can also raise problems under the FTC's rule on consumer reviews. The safer, more credible approach is to ask every patient consistently and respond professionally to whatever feedback comes in.
How should a dentist reply to a positive Google review?
Thank the reviewer warmly, mention your team or values, and keep it short. Do not confirm the person is a patient, mention treatment or repeat details from their review, because that can disclose protected health information under HIPAA. Vary the wording so replies do not look automated, and sign off from the team or the dentist.
Can you trust online dentist reviews?
Reviews are useful when read as a pattern rather than one by one. A steady flow of specific, recent reviews with professional replies is a good sign. Bursts of vague five-star ratings, defensive replies or ignored serious complaints are warning signs. Practices earn trust by asking every patient consistently and never buying, faking or filtering reviews.
A note on this guide: it explains marketing practice, not legal advice. Rules on privacy, advertising and insurance change and vary by state, so confirm anything compliance-related with your own counsel.
Build a review routine your team will actually run
Book a free practice benchmarking call with Ichelon Consulting US. We compare your review flow with nearby practices and set up a compliant request and reply process.