How to get more dental practice reviews in 2021 (and what to do with them)

If generating google reviews is not currently part of your marketing strategy make it your priority.

When searching for a new dentist, many patients will look for reviews and recommendations before they even step foot through the door of your practice. This means that glowing reviews from your existing patients are gold dust for attracting new patients. But how do you go about getting more reviews?

Leaving a review doesn’t come naturally to everyone, and many will only do so when prompted. Getting into the habit of prompting your patients to leave a review is one of the best habits you can adopt in your practice in 2021.

In this guide, we will run through some of the tried-and-tested ways dental practices can gather more reviews in 2021 and beyond. We’ll also share our tips on best practice for managing reviews. And finally, we’ll give you some ideas for what to do with those hard-earned reviews.

Print reminders

Placing visual cues around the practice can help to remind patients to leave a review of your service. Posters in the waiting areas and in the treatment rooms can give patients something to do while they wait.

You could also add a link to your preferred review platform or a QR code that will take patients directly to your review page on an appointment card. Make sure you leave a space for the dentist to include their name. Encouraging patients to mention dentists by name can help them to develop their reputation for high-quality service.

Email and SMS marketing

If you are using email and SMS campaigns to remind patients about appointments, why not use them for follow-ups? Sending a patient a quick thank-you text or email is a great way to encourage more reviews. Include a direct link to your preferred review website to generate the best response.

Marketing automation can help you to follow up with patients without lifting a finger. The system will identify the best time after an appointment to contact the patient. Make sure you segment your lists so that patients can opt out of marketing communications without being removed from your list entirely. They may still want to receive email reminders about their appointments.

Review best practice tips

  • How you respond to your reviews is perhaps just as important as gathering as many as possible. It can be tempting to bury the poor reviews, but responding to them can be just as powerful. Reviews can also offer a learning experience. If a patient has complained about something that went wrong, look for ways you can prevent this from happening again. And let the patient know that their complaint didn’t fall on deaf ears by responding publicly.

  • If you don’t ask, you won’t get. All staff in your practice should remind patients to leave a review. Dentists can use the feedback to develop their patient care skills, identify areas of weakness, and carve out their niche.

  • Never leave fake reviews for yourself, and look out for poor reviews that may have been left by rival practices. If you receive a flurry of bad reviews, reviews left late at night, or there is repetition between reviews, this could indicate the reviews are fake. You can appeal to Google My Business to have these removed if you suspect foul play.

  • Some dentists avoid linking to their preferred review site in a public forum. By adding a link to your website or social media, you could be opening up your review system to abuse. If you do decide to ask for reviews on your website or social media, make sure you monitor the content so you can act on any fake reviews.

What to do with your reviews

Reviews can easily be repurposed on your marketing collateral. Use them in social media adverts, add them to services pages or include them in direct mail marketing. Keep a folder of your best reviews, or consider asking patients to participate in a more extensive testimonial

A popular dental marketing tactic is to offer a mini photo-shoot in return for a testimonial for the website. Your patient gets incredible photos of their new smile, and you get a glowing testimonial to use to attract new patients.

Adding your reviews to your website is a great way to build confidence in website visitors. They might be visiting you for the first time, but they will feel more confident getting in touch if they know they aren’t the first patient you have helped.

If you need help gathering more reviews or turning them into effective marketing messages, get in touch with us today.