You already know how important customer service, quality of care, and patient experience are to the success of your dental practice, but what about reputation management and collecting reviews? When people need to find a local dentist, the first thing they do is visit their preferred search engine and type in “the best dentist near me” or something similar. Once those search results pop up, they’re scrolling through the top-rated dentists and reading reviews from past patients.
Make no mistake — your practice’s ratings and reputation are critical. Reviews give individuals an insight into previous patients' experiences and give them a better idea of how effective treatment will be. Studies have shown that good reviews hold more weight than finding a dentist with a close location, a top ranking in search results, affordable prices, or a good-looking website. Clearly, negative reviews have a serious impact on your dental practice and its continued success.
At Dental Intelligence, our Online Reviews make it easier than ever to receive feedback from patients. You can send automated, manual, or Swell-integrated review requests via email, text, or push notification, and we support up to five review sites. Read on to learn essential information about managing your reputation.
The Top Online Review Sites for Dentists
The biggest and most well-known online review sites are Google, Facebook, and Yelp. You should use these platforms to connect with your patients, respond to their reviews, and manage your reputation.
The Growing Problem of Fake Reviews
The World Economic Forum estimates that around 4% of global online reviews are fake. For all dentists and healthcare professionals, fake customer reviews can have tangible consequences. While slanderous and negative feedback is harmful, misleading endorsements and false five-star reviews are just as bad, if not worse. Fortunately, the FTC has joined forces1 with several states and filed lawsuits on behalf of consumers to fight back against the problem of fake online reviews.
If you see fake online reviews about your dental practice, take a screenshot as evidence. You can also report or flag the comment based on the particular platform’s terms of service. The best way to protect your practice against this issue is to address it as early as possible by remaining vigilant and monitoring online review sites and platforms.
Online Review Sites for Dentists: The Final Word
The reputation of your dental practice is one of the biggest factors patients consider before they book an appointment. That’s why it’s so essential to monitor online review sites and respond promptly to patient feedback. At Dental Intelligence, we make it easy and simple to manage the reputation of your dental practice and improve patient experience without relying on gimmicks like fake customer reviews. Schedule a demo today to see our Online Reviews and other features.