A recent uptick in dental patients checking online reviews

Back in 2016 I published a post with our data on the use of online reviews by dental patients. We continue to be the authoritative source on this data. To my knowledge, no one else in dentistry is compiling reliable data on the use of reviews by dental patients. Others are using generic information on the number of people who use online reviews. We actually ask patients who have asked for appointments whether or not they checked reviews first.

The use of reviews by patients began to become popular with the introduction of Google business listings in 2012. In 2014, we began compiling surveys of patients, asking them if they had used reviews to pick their dentist. Here is the trend I published in 2016, as we saw these reviews increase in importance:

Since then, the use of reviews tapered off somewhat, with around 55% of prospective new patients checking reviews. But just this year, that percentage increased to 70%. On the right is the data from the past 90 days.

We also segregate this data based on the type of dental practice. For dentists who are marketing smile makeover dentistry and more costly implant services or more sophisticated restorative services, there is a slightly greater percentage of patients checking reviews. Over the past year, the difference is about 8% more of patients checking reviews when they are seeking appointments with these dentists who are targeting a more sophisticated clientele.

Bottom line—as Google continues to make organic search more difficult, don’t underestimate the importance of cultivating good reviews. And remember our advice on managing reviews:

• Ask patients who write reviews to mention specifics about their procedures and the service they received. These can help rankings, and some people will search reviews for specific procedures or characteristics of your service.
• Don’t worry too much about an occasional negative review. People can be suspicious of a perfect review profile. Plus, if you respond politely to negative reviews, people tend to view you as a good listener who is trying hard to please your patients.