Google Reviews For Dentists: How Dental Practices Get More 5-Star Reviews

Why reviews drive new patient acquisition for dentists

Dentistry is a high-trust purchase. Patients selecting a new practice read reviews before booking a consultation. A strong, consistent Google review profile builds the credibility that drives that first call.

HIPAA and PIPEDA: the rules for asking dental patients

Privacy compliance: what to include and what to exclude

HIPAA in the US and PIPEDA in Canada both protect patient health information. A review request becomes a privacy issue the moment the message references any diagnosis, procedure, or clinical detail. Review request messages must contain no patient health information, in line with applicable privacy regulations. Reference only the fact that the patient visited - never what was done.

• No treatment, diagnosis, or clinical detail in the SMS or email body.
• Reference only the visit, not what was done.

We do not use review gating

Every patient receives the same request and the same public Google review link. We never filter or screen who gets asked based on how they might respond. Our approach is fully compliant with Google's review policies.

When to ask for the review

Sending a review request promptly after the appointment is the most effective approach. The experience is recent, the patient is available, and the interaction is still fresh. Flamingo Flow automates the timing so every patient receives a request at the right moment - without any manual effort from the practice.

Compliant sample messages for dental review requests

SMSSent 2-4 hours after the appointment

Hi {first_name}, thanks for visiting {practice_name} today. If we earned it, a quick Google review goes a long way: {review_link}. Anything you would like us to know directly, just reply. Reply STOP to opt out.

EmailSent next morning if no SMS reply

Hi {first_name}, thank you for visiting {practice_name}. Google reviews are how new patients find us, and yours would mean a lot. This link drops you on the review form: {review_link}. If you have private feedback, this email goes straight to our office manager.

9:41●●●

S

Maybe: Sarah

iMessage

Hi Kevin, thanks for visiting Urban Dental Care today! If we earned it, a quick Google review goes a long way. Anything you'd like us to know directly, just reply. - Sarah

Here's the link: review.urbandental

Delivered

All done! Just left one 🙌

iMessage

Responding to dental reviews without breaking HIPAA

Public review responses are the second HIPAA trap. If a patient mentions their treatment in a review, you cannot confirm or discuss it publicly - that confirms the treatment relationship and details. Use a generic, empathetic response that thanks the reviewer and moves the conversation offline.

• Never confirm a treatment, diagnosis, or even that a specific person is a patient.
• Thank the reviewer for their feedback in general terms.
• Provide an office phone number or email to continue the conversation privately.
• Never argue, never explain clinical decisions in public.

Dentist FAQ