Are Google Reviews Hurting Your Dental Practice?

Here’s the thing—you can’t make everyone happy. Ever. And that’s okay.

Yet, I see dental teams panic over a single bad review, worrying about how to respond while staying HIPAA-compliant, questioning if they should offer a discount, or even reconsidering their office policies. But let’s pause for a second:

Have you ever searched for a new restaurant and found one with 100 glowing reviews and maybe a handful of 1-star reviews? Did that stop you from trying it out?

Or have you ever seen a product online with only perfect 5-star reviews and immediately thought, These reviews seem fake? I know I have.

The reality is, a mix of reviews actually makes your practice look more credible, not less. The fear of a bad review has led to discounts, supervised neglect, and compromising core values for far too long. Instead of stressing over that one negative Google review, here’s what you should do instead.

Step 1: Digest the Review – Is There a Learning Opportunity?

Not every bad review is a disaster—some may reveal a legitimate issue that needs to be addressed.

Ask yourself:

• Are patients misunderstanding our treatment estimates?

• Do we need to be clearer about billing practices?

• Are we not explaining our periodontal policy well enough?

Sometimes, a bad review is just a communication breakdown, and fixing the underlying issue can actually improve patient satisfaction moving forward.

Step 2: Respond – But Not Emotionally

The worst thing you can do is respond while you’re upset. Instead, take a deep breath (or let ChatGPT write a response for you 😉) and keep it professional and brief:

Example Response:

"We are truly sorry to hear about your experience. One of our core values is making every patient feel valued at our practice. Please contact us directly—we’d love the opportunity to make things right."

That’s it. No arguing. No explaining. No HIPAA violations.

Step 3: Encourage More Positive Reviews

For every unhappy patient, there are dozens who love your office. But here’s the catch—happy patients don’t automatically leave reviews.

Here’s how to get them to:
✅ Ask in person at checkout: “We’d love for you to leave us a review!”
✅ Make it easy—send a text or email with a direct review link.
✅ Track requests in your software so you can thank them next time.
✅ Pro tip: Make sure they’re not logged into your office Wi-Fi while leaving the review, as Google may flag multiple reviews from the same IP address.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Let One Review Define Your Practice

One negative review doesn’t ruin your reputation—how you handle it does. Instead of fearing bad reviews, use them as an opportunity to learn, improve, and build a stronger practice.

Remember: A perfect 5-star rating can look suspicious. Patients trust businesses that have a mix of real, authentic reviews.

So next time you see a negative review pop up, don’t panic. You’ve got this.