Ever wonder how that practice down the street has 300+ Google reviews and climbing… while yours barely moves?

You’ve tried a few things. Maybe you put up a QR code at the front desk. Maybe you even invested in an automated system to request reviews after appointments.

But the results? Meh. Meanwhile, your competitor across town is racking up positive reviews week after week. And you’re left wondering what they know that you don’t.

Here’s the truth: most dentists are overwhelmed by conflicting advice on how to get Google reviews. One blog says to automate the process. Another says to hand out review cards. You’ve heard of dentists that had success buying reviews, which is a surefire way to get penalized by Google.

But the top 10% of dental offices? They do things differently. They don’t rely on gimmicks or shortcuts. Instead, they use a simple, personalized system that works every time. And we know this because we work directly with those top-performing practices across North America.

We’ve seen firsthand what actually works when it comes to getting more Google reviews.

In today’s digital-first world, your Google reviews are your first impression, often before a patient ever clicks your site or calls your office. Here’s how it plays out: a patient searches “dentist near me.”

They see a list of practices in Google Maps. Before they even notice your address or your website link, their eyes go straight to the stars and the review count.

Over 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. And 90% read online reviews before visiting a business, including dentists.

That means your star rating and review count are no longer just “nice to have.” They are the deciding factor in whether a patient picks up the phone and calls you… or the practice down the street.

Think about it from a patient’s perspective. They search “dentist near me” and see two options:

• One office has 4.8 stars and 12 reviews

• Another has 4.9 stars and 324 reviews

Which one do you think they’re clicking?

Patients equate more reviews with more trust, stability, and quality care. It’s the difference between looking like a hidden gem and looking like the obvious, safe choice. For dentists, that translates directly into more phone calls, more bookings, and more new patients.

In fact, practices with 300+ reviews consistently get far more calls than those with fewer than 100, and even a small jump in star rating can dramatically change patient behavior.

Google is leaning heavily on AI, like Gemini, to decide which businesses show up first in local search. These systems don’t just look at your website — they scan for trust signals, and reviews are at the top of the list.

It is no longer just about having a profile. Google’s AI is analyzing:

• How many reviews you have compared to nearby practices

• How recent those reviews are

• The quality and tone of what patients are saying

And patients are starting to see the results of this shift. Instead of just a list of dentists, Google’s AI may now say: “Here’s ABC Dental, the clinic with the most reviews and highest rating in your area.”

That means your reviews have become your reputation — not only for patients, but also for Google’s algorithm. The more consistent, positive, and fresh your reviews are, the more likely you are to dominate local search and get the call before your competitors do.

Most dentists hope for reviews instead of building a process. The best practices turn it into a repeatable system that happens naturally, every day.

Here’s exactly how to do it:

The best time to ask for a review is when the patient is genuinely happy with their experience. Patients are far more likely to leave a positive review if you catch them in that moment of satisfaction — not days later through a generic email.

Think about it this way: if you send a review request two days after the appointment, life has already moved on. The excitement is gone, and your message feels like another piece of spam in their inbox.

Instead, focus on asking right after simple, positive procedures where patients feel good:

• Dental cleanings

• Teeth whitening

• Routine checkups or minor treatments

These are moments when patients are comfortable, smiling, and grateful. On the other hand, avoid asking after major or invasive procedures where the patient may be in pain, swollen, or stressed.

If everyone is responsible for getting reviews, then no one is responsible. You can’t just tell your staff, “We need more Google reviews” and hope for the best. Without clear ownership, the task will get forgotten or awkwardly skipped.

In most practices, there are two natural options:

• The dentist: Great after major treatments. If a patient just completed an implant, crown, or cosmetic procedure, the follow-up appointment or checkup is the perfect moment. The patient has seen results, trust is high, and a direct ask from the dentist carries weight.
• The staff: Great for consistency. Hygienists can ask after cleanings or whitening, and the front desk can follow through by sending the link before the patient leaves. Staff interactions happen every day, so this keeps reviews flowing regularly.

The key is to nominate specific people and make review requests part of their role. Many practices assign a “Review Manager” — one staff member who tracks how many reviews come in, reminds others to ask, and ensures the process doesn’t slip through the cracks.

When everyone knows their part, asking for reviews becomes a natural habit instead of a forgotten afterthought.

The worst thing you can do is either make every staff member guess what to say, or have them repeat the same stiff line over and over. Patients can tell when it sounds forced.

The solution is to give your team short, natural scripts that fit the situation. Scripts remove the awkwardness, keep the message consistent, and make patients more likely to say yes.

Here are three examples you can use right away:

For the dentist: “I’m so glad you’re happy with the results, it’s great to see you smiling. If you feel comfortable, would you please share your experience in a quick Google review? It helps other patients, just like you, feel confident choosing us, and it would mean a lot to our team.”

For the hygienist or dental assistant: “I’m glad your cleaning went well, your smile looks fantastic. If you wouldn’t mind, could you share your experience in a quick Google review? It really helps people who are looking for a dentist they can trust, and it means a lot to us when patients like you share their feedback. I can text you the link so it’s easy.”

For the front desk: “How was everything with Dr. Smith today?”
(Wait for the patient’s positive response.)
“That’s great to hear! Dr. Smith really goes above and beyond for every patient, so we love hearing that kind of feedback. If you’re open to it, would you be willing to share your feedback about our office in a Google review? I can text you the link right now, and it’ll take you less than a minute. We’d love to get more amazing patients like you, and your review would help a lot!

The goal is not to memorize a script word for word, but to give your team a comfortable framework. That way, no one is guessing, no one feels pushy, and patients feel like they’re just having a normal conversation.

When a patient agrees to leave a review, timing is everything. If they walk out the door without the “Write a Review” link, most will never follow through.

The practices that succeed with reviews keep it simple: ask, get the yes, and send the link right away — often while the patient is still in the chair.

Why? Because patients check texts instantly. An SMS with the review link has the highest chance of being opened and acted on. Email can work, but it often gets buried. The winning combo is a personal ask, followed by an immediate text.

How to get your review link:

1. Search your practice name on Google

2. Click “Write a review”

3. Copy the full URL

4. Save it as a template in your SMS and email system so staff can send it with two taps

Or, if you want to save some time, you can use a free tool that generates the link for you automatically. Here’s one you can try: Google Review Link Generator

SMS example

“Thanks for your visit today! Here’s the link to leave us a quick Google review: [link]. Your feedback helps other patients find us.”

Email example

Subject: Quick favor from today’s visit
“Thank you for choosing us! If you have a minute, would you mind sharing your experience in a quick Google review? Here’s the link: [link]. We’d be so grateful.”

Top dental practices know that reviews are a business metric — not a side project. They treat review collection with the same seriousness as production or case acceptance.

The first step is setting a clear weekly or monthly goal. For example, “We want 20 new reviews this month.” A number that is specific and measurable gives the entire team something concrete to work toward.

But here’s the critical part: they don’t just track their own reviews. They also track their competitors. Why? Because without context, you don’t know if you’re winning or losing.

On a whiteboard in the staff room they write down:

• How many reviews the practice has right now

• How many reviews the top five competitors have

• How many new reviews each office gained this month

This creates a clear picture of the local “race.” If your competitors are adding 10 new reviews a month and you’re only adding 3, you’re falling behind, no matter how good you feel about your progress.

Not every practice wants to rely on whiteboards or spreadsheets. That’s where reputation management tools come in. Platforms like BrightLocal, Podium, or our own Scorecard software take the same system of accountability and automate it.

Some dentists push back on the idea of rewarding staff for reviews. They think, “Why should I give bonuses or gift cards? Isn’t this part of their job already?”

Here’s the truth: reviews are not just another box to tick. They are one of the most powerful drivers of new patients your practice can get. If spending $100 on gift cards or a team lunch leads to even a handful of new patients, the return is massive.

Think of it this way — one new patient could easily spend $1,000 or more in your practice over the year. Compare that to the cost of a Starbucks card or lunch for the team. The math is obvious.

One of our clients in a competitive area told their staff: “If we become the most-reviewed dental practice in the city this year, I’ll close the office for a week and take everyone on a fully paid vacation to the Dominican Republic.”

Sounds extreme, right? But here’s what happened: in just three months, the team hit the goal. They became the most-reviewed practice in their area. The dentist followed through on the trip, and the payoff was incredible: they nearly doubled production over the next 12 months because patients were choosing them over competitors.

The takeaway? Incentives work. They create buy-in. They make the whole team feel invested in the outcome.

Ideas for incentivizing staff:

• Starbucks or Amazon gift cards

• A nice team dinner at a fancy restaurant

• Extra paid time off for hitting a big goal

• Bigger rewards for major milestones (like becoming the #1 most-reviewed practice in your city)

Google favors businesses that are active and engaged. When you reply to reviews, even with short, simple responses, it signals that your practice is real, reliable, and involved with patient feedback. That activity can give you an edge in local SEO rankings.

How to respond:

• Positive reviews: Keep it warm and simple. “Thank you, Sarah! We’re so glad you had a great experience today.”

• Negative reviews: Patients pay close attention here. A careless or defensive reply can do more damage than the review itself. The right way is to apologize, acknowledge room for improvement, and invite the patient to continue the conversation privately.

We actually created a full training video that shows dentists exactly how to handle negative Google reviews — step by step — without risking HIPAA violations or damaging their reputation. Patients don’t just look at what was said in a negative review, they look at how you respond. If you come across as defensive, you lose. If you come across as caring and professional, you win.

Most dentists and their teams already know how important Google reviews are. The problem is not awareness — it is execution. Over the years, we have seen the same mistakes repeated again and again by practices that want more reviews but never gain traction.

Here are the most common approaches that fail and why they do not deliver results:

Another popular request from staff is to “just put up a QR code” so patients can scan and leave reviews. While it sounds simple, it doesn’t work in practice. Posters on walls blend into the background—just like the cluttered bulletin boards you see at convenience stores. Patients rarely notice them, and even fewer actually scan and follow through.

The reality is that QR codes aren’t about making things easier for patients—they’re about making things easier for staff. It’s a passive strategy that avoids the discomfort of asking directly, but passive strategies won’t make you the top review practice in your area.

Tools like BirdEye, Podium, Swell, and countless others promise to make review collection easy by automating the process. Years ago, this approach gave some practices an edge, but today everyone is using them. If you’re just sending out automated texts or emails, you’ll only see a tiny percentage of patients actually leave reviews—often as low as 2–5%.

At best, you’ll keep up with the herd, but you won’t pull ahead of your competitors. The practices that dominate Google reviews today are the ones that personalize the process, not the ones relying on cookie-cutter automation.

There is also risk. If a patient had a poor experience and your system auto-prompts them, they are more likely to leave a negative review.

Some software tools claim to be “smart” enough to hide negative reviews and only post positive ones. This is called review gating—and it’s against Google’s policies. In 2018, Google explicitly banned it, and by 2022 they began cracking down harder, even penalizing SEO rankings when patterns of unnatural reviews were detected.

It’s not just Google either. In one well-known case, the FTC fined Fashion Nova $4.2 million for suppressing negative reviews, even though they were a small retail chain with just a handful of locations. Dental practices are not immune. If you’re caught gating, you could lose reviews, lose visibility, or even lose your entire Google Business Profile.

At its core, a review request is about the patient experience. If you rely solely on automation or impersonal reminders, you’re treating reviews like a vending machine transaction. Patients don’t feel appreciated, and they don’t feel a personal connection to your practice.

Think about it: Starbucks isn’t successful because of coffee vending machines—they’re successful because they deliver an experience. The same applies here. Reviews grow when your staff builds real relationships and personally asks for feedback, not when the process is completely automated and detached.