Google Reviews for Dentists: Get 50+ New Reviews Without Asking Awkwardly
How dental practices automate Google review requests to get 50+ reviews, attract more patients, and dominate local search — without the cringe of asking in person.
Before
- 2.8 stars and 14 reviews
- New patients choose competitor down the street
- Asking patients in-person feels uncomfortable
- Slow Mondays with open chair time
- Front desk manually follows up (when they remember)
After
- 4.7 stars and 95 reviews
- Phone rings with new patient inquiries from Google
- Automated text does the asking — zero awkwardness
- Fully booked 3 weeks out
- Review requests go out automatically 2 hours after every appointment
What You'll Build in This Tutorial
- Your unique Google review link (the exact URL to send patients)
- An automated SMS review request that sends 2 hours after appointments
- 3 professional SMS templates with 35%+ response rates
- A process for responding to every review (positive and negative)
- A HIPAA-note about what's safe to include in review requests
Tools You'll Need
1 Get Your Google Review Link
- Go to Google.com and search for your practice name
- On the right side, find your Google Business Profile box
- Click "Get more reviews" OR click the star rating to open the reviews section
- Click "Share review form" — this gives you a short link like g.page/r/[yourpractice]/review
- Save this link. You'll use it in every review request.
2 Choose Your Review Request Method
METHOD A — Manual SMS (Free): After each appointment, send a personal text from your phone: "Hi [Name], thanks for coming in today! If you have 60 seconds, a Google review helps our practice enormously: [your link]"
METHOD B — Front Desk Text (Free): Front desk sends the text while scheduling the next appointment.
METHOD C — Podium (Automated, $249/mo): Connects to your practice management software (Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Curve Dental). After the appointment is marked complete, it auto-sends a branded SMS with your review link. This is the most effective — 35–40% response rate.
3 Use These Proven SMS Templates
"Hi [FirstName]! Thanks for coming in today. If we did a great job, a quick Google review means the world to us 🦷 Takes 60 seconds: [link] — Dr. [Name] & Team"
"Hi [FirstName], we hope your [cleaning/filling/etc.] went smoothly! When you have a moment, we'd love your feedback on Google — it helps other families find great dental care: [link]"
"Just following up on our earlier message! Your Google review truly helps us — even just a star rating helps: [link]. Thank you!"
4 Set Up Your Automated System (Podium)
If using Podium:
- Connect Podium to your practice management software (Dentrix, Eaglesoft, or Curve Dental)
- Go to Podium > Reviews > Automation
- Set trigger: "Appointment status changes to Completed"
- Set delay: 2 hours (gives patient time to get home and settle)
- Select your template
- Enable for: all appointment types, or specific ones (e.g., cleanings and checkups only)
- Turn on "Reply to all reviews" with AI-assisted responses
5 Respond to Every Review
Responding shows Google you're active and shows patients you care. Aim to respond within 24 hours.
"Thank you so much, [FirstName]! We're so glad your visit went well. The whole team works hard to make sure every patient feels comfortable and cared for. We look forward to seeing you at your next appointment!"
"Thanks for the kind words, [FirstName]! We always aim for 5-star care — if there's anything we could do better next time, please let us know directly. We appreciate your trust in our practice."
"Thank you for sharing your experience. We take every piece of feedback seriously and want every patient to feel comfortable and well-cared for. Please contact us directly at [phone] so we can make this right."