What gets a practice into the map results
Someone with toothache, or new to the area, searches for a dentist nearby and rings one of the few practices on the map. Getting onto that shortlist is what people mean by local SEO: showing up for nearby searches on Google Maps and in the map results on Google. Google says those results depend mainly on relevance, distance and prominence, that prominence draws partly on links and reviews, and that there's no way to pay for a better local ranking. Distance isn't yours to change, which leaves your profile and your reputation.
Our local SEO guide for dentists covers the general ground, including treatment pages and Google's rules for individual practitioner profiles, but its review advice is built on US law. This one is for UK practices, where the rule that matters comes from the General Dental Council (GDC). It's one part of the wider SEO plan for a dental practice.
Setting up the profile for a UK practice
Verify it first. Google says verified businesses are more likely to show up, and you can't reply to reviews until you have. Then go through these:
- Name. Use your real-world name, as it appears on your shopfront, website and stationery. Don't add "Best Dentist Leeds".
- Category. Google says categories affect your local ranking and can set the label on your profile. One local SEO guide names Orthodontist among the dental categories, though we couldn't check every option shown in the UK. We also couldn't find GDC guidance on Google categories. But the GDC says a dentist who isn't on a specialist list must not use titles implying that status, and orthodontist is its own example. If nobody at the practice is on the list, use Dentist and ask your indemnity provider before adding more.
- NHS or private. The GDC wants NHS, mixed or wholly private made clear in publicity, so say so in your description. Google's rules for descriptions bar a focus on promotions and prices, as well as links.
- Services. List what you offer, and keep prices and phone numbers out of custom service names.
- Photos. Google wants images that represent reality, without significant alteration or heavy filters. Standard 4.2.9 covers images of patients, so don't post one without their permission.
- Dr. Google allows the title in a practitioner's name, but the ASA's advice is to qualify it, and a profile name has no room for that. We couldn't find an ASA ruling on a profile name. "Jane Smith BDS" avoids the question.
Be careful with posts about offers. Google's content policy restricts calls to action, pricing and promotions for services under local regulation, including health and medical devices. We couldn't find Google guidance on how that applies to a dental practice's posts, so keep prices and offers on your own site and use posts for news and practical updates. Google also says it may remove posts with unverified contact details.
In England, your NHS website profile runs alongside all this. You must confirm your contact details, hours, services and new NHS patient status every quarter, by 30 June, 30 September, 31 December and 31 March, in the NHS Profile Manager. Keep it consistent with Google, because a patient may check both.
Getting reviews inside the rules
Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking, and it's happy for you to ask. Its review policy draws these lines, and some are stricter than practices expect:
- No incentives. No payment, discount or free treatment in return for posting a review, or for changing or removing one.
- No selective asking. You can't discourage negative reviews or ask only the patients who seemed happy.
- No pressure at the practice. You shouldn't require or pressure anyone to review while they're on the premises.
- No staff targets. Asking staff to collect a certain number of reviews is against the policy.
- No scripting. You can't ask patients to include specific content, and that includes naming a member of staff. So don't ask them to mention the hygienist, or implants.
- No staff or family. Reviews from current or former staff and relatives count as a conflict of interest.
A QR code displayed at reception is the neatest way to ask, since it doesn't touch your patient list and Google suggests it. If you text or email a link, look at the ICO's rule on marketing messages: specific consent, or the existing-customer exception with an opt-out in every message. We couldn't confirm how the ICO treats a plain review request, so treat it as marketing and ask whoever handles data protection at your practice.
The ASA's rules also ban fake reviews. Our guide to the GDC and ASA advertising rules covers how you can show reviews on your own site.
Replying without breaching confidentiality
The GDC's wording is plain. Standard 4.2.3 says you "must not post any information or comments about patients" on social networking or blogging sites. Standard 4.2.1 says confidentiality covers everything you've learnt in your professional role, including personal details, medical history, what treatment someone's having and what it costs. Standard 4.2.2 makes you responsible for non-registered team members knowing this too. The social media guidance adds that small details can identify someone when put together.
That guidance doesn't name Google reviews, but its list is "not limited to" the sites it gives, a reply is public, and standard 4.2.1 isn't limited to social media. Treat replies the same way. MDDUS, an indemnity organisation, names Google reviews directly and advises saying nothing specific about the person, even confirming that they attend. The Dental Defence Union suggests explaining that your duty of confidentiality limits what you can say, and inviting them to contact the practice.
So the friendly reply is the one to avoid. "Great to see you, Sarah, glad the crown has settled" (made up) names a patient, confirms she attends and describes her treatment. Google's reply tips were written for every kind of business, so some need adjusting:
| Google's general tip | For a UK dental practice |
|---|---|
| Check your records about the reviewer and their visit | Fine for your own investigation. Nothing you find goes in the reply. |
| Admit mistakes and explain what you can and can't do | Not in public about someone who can be identified. Do it through your complaints procedure. |
| Personalise your reply and sign it | Sign with a role, such as practice manager. Leave out the reviewer's name and visit. |
| Never share private information, don't attack the reviewer, ask them to get in touch | Follow it exactly. |
| You don't need to thank every reviewer publicly | Take that at face value. MDDUS says leaving a comment alone can be the wise choice. |
These are made-up starting points, not approved wording, so run your versions past your indemnity provider:
- Positive review: "Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. It means a lot to the team."
- Critical review: "We take all feedback seriously, but we can't discuss anyone's care or confirm who attends the practice here. Please contact our practice manager on [number] or see our complaints procedure at [link], and we'll look into this."
- Someone you don't recognise: the same reply. Saying you have no record of them tells the world who isn't a patient.
- A review naming a clinician: the same reply again, however unfair it feels. Defending the treatment means discussing it.
A reply appears publicly under the business name and notifies the reviewer. Google checks it first, usually within 10 minutes but sometimes up to 30 days, and you can edit or delete it later. Its rules allow your practice's contact details in a reply. MDDUS suggests a written policy that online feedback goes to management rather than being answered by individuals. Your NHS website profile can take replies to reviews too, and the same care applies there.
A complaint in a review is still a complaint. Principle 5 says you must respect a patient's right to complain and shouldn't react defensively, so make your procedure easy to find. For private care, patients can also go to the Dental Complaints Service.
When a review is fake, abusive or blackmail
You can report any review, but only those breaking Google's policies can be removed, and Google says not to report one because you disagree with it. Evaluation typically takes several days, and there's a one-time appeal through the Reviews Management Tool. The Dental Defence Union warns that asking for removal can inflame things, so report with care.
If someone demands money to take down a run of one-star reviews, Google says don't pay or engage, gather evidence and use its extortion form. For threats or serious abuse, MDDUS suggests asking the platform to remove the post and considering the police. And never offer a patient anything to change or remove a review: that's an incentive under Google's policy as well.
The few minutes a week this takes
Read new reviews, reply where a reply helps, update holiday hours and confirm your NHS profile each quarter. Your performance report shows searches, views, calls and directions. Then ask new patients how they found you, because that's what tells you whether any of it is worth doing. Nobody can promise you a ranking: Google says there's no way to pay for one.
Sojig, our product, can carry part of this. It tracks where you appear in Google Maps from each city you serve, and drafts review replies and profile fixes for you to approve. For now, approved replies and fixes are copied into Google by hand. Nothing goes out without you, which matters here because you're the one answerable for a reply. It's priced in US dollars.
It's the wrong tool for recalls or reminders, since it doesn't connect to your practice software, and it doesn't run ads. A single practice getting a few reviews a month may not need a tool at all: Google's own profile and a written policy will do. For the bigger picture, see what dental SEO services should include and marketing for dentists.