The short answer
Ask every patient, the same way, soon after the visit, with a direct link or QR code from your Google Business Profile. Do not offer anything in return and do not ask only the patients you expect to be happy: Google's policy rules out both and removes reviews that break it. Reply to reviews without confirming anyone is a patient, and track your count and rating monthly. Reviews are part of how Google judges prominence in local results, so a steady flow helps patients and your map ranking.
Why reviews matter
Google ranks local results on three factors: relevance, distance and prominence. Its help page on local ranking says prominence draws on information such as how many reviews a business has, and that more reviews and positive ratings can help. Our guide to showing up in the local 3-pack covers the other two factors.
Reviews also do work no ranking factor can. A new patient comparing two offices reads what others said about the front desk, wait times and how anxious patients were treated. Recent reviews in your patients' own words answer those questions better than anything on your website.
When and how to ask
- •Ask everyone. Send the same request to every patient after every completed visit, not only to those who seemed pleased. Selective asking breaks Google's policy and also hides the feedback you most need to hear.
- •Ask the same day. A message sent a few hours after the appointment reaches people while the visit is fresh. Test the timing that fits your schedule and stick with it.
- •Keep the words simple. For example: "Thank you for visiting us today. If you have a minute, we would value your feedback on Google," followed by the link. Do not suggest a star rating or what to write.
- •Mention it in person too. A short line at checkout ("You will get a text with a link if you would like to leave us a review") makes the message expected rather than surprising.
If you send requests by text or email, use your normal patient communication system and the same consent you already have for appointment messages. The review generation entry in our glossary explains how this fits into reputation work.
Make it easy
Google's help page on getting more reviews shows how to copy a review link or create a QR code from your Business Profile. Every extra tap loses people, so use that direct link everywhere:
- •Text and email after the visit, with the link as the only call to action.
- •A QR code on a checkout card or a small sign at the front desk, so patients can scan it on their own phone later.
- •Your website, on the contact page and in the footer of patient emails.
Let patients post from their own phone and their own Google account, in their own time. Track which method brings the most reviews and keep the ones that work. If you are still setting up your listing, start with our guide to setting up a dental Google Business Profile.
What Google does not allow
Google's Maps user contributed content policy sets the rules for reviews. In plain terms:
- •No incentives. Nothing of value in exchange for a review: no payment, discounts, free services, gift cards or prize entries.
- •No selective asking. You cannot ask only the patients you expect to leave positive reviews, and you should not filter patients through a satisfaction survey first.
- •No fake or staff reviews. Reviews should reflect a real experience. Staff, family and agencies should not post reviews of the practice.
Google removes reviews that break these rules. We also suggest not paying staff a bonus per review, because it pushes people toward exactly the selective asks the policy forbids. Reward a consistent process instead, such as every patient receiving the request.
Reply to reviews
Google's local ranking page notes that replying shows customers you value their feedback and that positive reviews and helpful replies can help a business stand out. A good reply routine:
- •Check new reviews a few times a week and reply within a few days.
- •Thank positive reviewers in a sentence or two, in your own words rather than one template for everyone.
- •Never confirm that a reviewer is a patient or mention treatment, dates or anything from the chart, even if the reviewer did.
- •For a negative review, acknowledge the concern in general terms and invite the person to call the office manager. Never make a remedy depend on changing or removing the review.
Our guide to responding to negative Google reviews has wording examples, and our reputation management team can run the routine for you.
Track your progress
Once a month, write down four numbers: total reviews, new reviews this month, average rating, and how many requests you sent. New reviews divided by requests sent is your response rate, the number that tells you whether a change in timing or wording helped.
Also read the reviews themselves. Repeated praise tells you what to feature on your website and in ads. Repeated complaints, about billing or wait times for example, are worth fixing at the source. Combine reviews with your local SEO work so the profile, the website and the reviews tell the same story.
Sources
Google updates its policies, so check them for current wording.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest way to get more Google reviews?
Ask every patient, every time, with a direct link. Copy the review link or QR code from your Business Profile, put it in a short text or email sent the same day as the visit, and have the front desk mention it at checkout. A consistent habit does more than any one campaign.
Can I offer a gift card or discount for a Google review?
No. Google's policy does not allow incentives such as payment, discounts or free services in exchange for reviews, and it removes reviews that break the policy. Repeated violations can also lead to restrictions on the profile.
Can we ask only our happiest patients for reviews?
No. Google's policy does not allow selectively asking for positive reviews. That also rules out survey tools that send only high scorers to Google and route everyone else to a private form. Ask every patient the same way and handle concerns through your normal channels.
How many reviews does a practice need?
There is no fixed number. Google says the number of reviews and positive ratings are part of prominence, one of three local ranking factors alongside relevance and distance. Look at the practices that show up for your main searches, note their counts and how recent their reviews are, and aim for a steady flow rather than a target.
Should I reply to every Google review?
Replying is worth it. Google says replies show patients you value their feedback and help a business stand out. Keep each reply short, thank the person, and never confirm that someone is a patient or mention visit details. For negative reviews, invite the person to call the office and take the conversation offline.
Why did some of our reviews disappear?
Google removes reviews it finds to violate its policies, for example reviews tied to incentives or reviews that do not reflect a real experience. Check your Business Profile for notices, stop anything that looks like an incentive or selective ask, and keep asking every patient the same way. Your account manager or agency should never post reviews on patients' behalf.