Google reviews for dentists: how many you need, and how to get them every week
On Google Maps, the practices at the top have far more reviews than everyone else — not better ratings. We recorded 1,353 dental listings in 118 US towns to see how many is enough, and what else in a Google Business Profile costs practices patients.
How many reviews is enough
Look up “dentist” and your town on your phone, and note the review counts of the three practices on top. That is your real target. Across the 64 towns we measured:
Volume isn’t the only factor — in 52% of towns the most-reviewed practice was not in the top three, because Google also weighs relevance and distance. But a practice with a fraction of the top three’s reviews rarely gets there. See the full data.
How we get you more reviews, every week
- Ask every patient, at the right moment. A short text after the visit with a direct link to your Google review form — sent automatically from our CRM, so it never depends on a busy front desk remembering.
- Make it one tap. No login hunt, no searching for your practice — the link opens the review box.
- Answer every review. Thank the good ones and handle the hard ones calmly, without confirming anyone is a patient.
- Never game it. No incentives, no filtering who gets asked — those break Google’s rules and put the listing at risk.
The Google Business Profile details that cost patients
Wrong hours send patients to a closed door; a second, forgotten listing splits your reviews; a dead website link sends the most motivated people — the ones who clicked through — to an error page. We fix these first, because they cost nothing to fix and they cost patients every day they stay.
Show your reviews where patients decide
54% of the practices we audited had their Google rating missing or buried on their own website, and only 9% of the sites we measured marked their rating up for search. Your reviews are the strongest thing you have — they belong on the first screens of your site. See dental website design.
How we start
Pricing
Every plan runs on our dental CRM ($500/mo, required): every call, form and patient conversation in one place, so each dollar is traced to a patient. The full system — CRM, social, SEO, practice marketing — is ≈$2,399/mo plus 15% of ad spend, after a one-time $999 setup. See all pricing.
How does your listing compare with your town’s top three?
We’ll check your Google Business Profile, reviews and website by hand and send you the report. Free, no commitment.
Questions dentists ask us
How many Google reviews does a dentist need?
Enough to stand next to the top three in your own town. In the 64 towns we measured, the first result had a median of 574 reviews and the top three 380; everyone below them had 79.
Can we offer patients a discount or a gift for a review?
No. Google’s policies don’t allow offering anything in exchange for reviews, and the FTC’s 2024 rule bans fake reviews and paying for positive ones. Asking every patient, simply and at the right moment, works without the risk.
Should we reply to negative reviews?
Yes — briefly, calmly, and offline where possible. Never confirm that the reviewer is a patient or mention their treatment: HIPAA applies to review replies too.
Can we ask only happy patients for reviews?
No. Google doesn’t allow selectively asking for positive reviews (so-called review gating). Ask everyone; a steady flow of honest reviews is what moves a listing.