Why the Google Local Pack for Dentists Is a Big Deal

Table of Contents

• What Is the Google Local Pack for Dentists?
• A Note About Sponsored Listings in the Google Local Pack
• Anatomy of a Google Business Profile for Dentists
• Top Ranking Factors for Dentists in the Google Local Pack
• How to Optimize Your Dental Practice for the Google Local Pack
• Bonus Strategies to Dominate the Google Local Pack for Dentists
• Troubleshooting Google Local Pack Issues for Dentists
• How to Track Google Local Pack Performance
• The Bottom Line
• FAQ

What Is the Google Local Pack for Dentists?

The Google Local Pack for dentists is a set of three highlighted dental practices that appear at the top of local search results, often just below paid ads but above all the regular (organic) listings. It includes a mini-map, business names, star ratings, reviews, hours, and quick links to call or visit your website.

Think of it as the “front page” of Google for local dental searches. If your practice lands in the Local Pack, you’re more likely to get noticed by potential patients actively looking for dental care near them.

Here’s what a typical dental Local Pack includes:

• Your practice name and primary category (e.g., “Dentist”)
• Average star rating and total number of Google reviews
• Office hours and whether you’re currently open
• A “Call” button (on mobile) and a link to your website or directions
• Sometimes: Booking links, photos, and patient review highlights (aka “justifications”)

The Local Pack is pulled mostly from your Google Business Profile (GBP), which is why optimizing your GBP is crucial to ranking. It’s also dynamic. What a patient sees in one part of town may differ from another based on location, time, and search behavior.

A Note About Sponsored Listings in the Google Local Pack for Dentists

If you’ve noticed that some listings at the top of local search results have a little “Sponsored” tag or a “Google Guaranteed” badge, you’re seeing Local Services Ads (LSAs)—a paid product from Google that’s often confused with the standard Local Pack.

What Are Sponsored Listings?

Sponsored listings are part of Google’s Local Services Ads platform. They’re not technically part of the traditional Google Local Pack, but they appear just above it and look very similar. For dentists, these listings aren’t always available in every market, but when they are, they include:

• A “Google Guaranteed” badge (if qualified)
• Your practice name, phone number, and reviews
• A lead form for patients to contact you directly through the ad

• Instant Visibility: You appear at the very top of search results, even above the Local Pack.
• Pay Per Lead: You only pay when a potential patient calls or messages you through the ad.
• Build Trust: That green badge can help build confidence with new patients.

• Recurring Cost: It’s pay-to-play. If you pause the ads, the visibility disappears.
• Not Organic: You’re not building long-term visibility the way you would with a strong GBP and local SEO strategy.
• Availability Varies: LSAs aren’t always available for dental practices in every city.

Sponsored listings can be a great way to supplement your visibility—especially in competitive markets—but they shouldn’t replace your investment in ranking organically in the Google Local Pack for dentists. Ideally, LSAs and local SEO should work together as part of a well-rounded patient acquisition strategy.

Anatomy of a Google Business Profile for Dentists

If you want to rank in the Google Local Pack for dentists, your Google Business Profile (GBP) is your best friend and your digital storefront. Google pulls most of the information it displays in the Local Pack directly from your GBP, so the more optimized and complete it is, the better your chances of showing up.

Here’s what every dental practice should include in their GBP:

Core Business Info

• Business Name: Use your real-world practice name. Don’t stuff it with keywords (Google’s watching).
• Category: Choose your primary category carefully. Typically you should choose “Dentist,” with secondary options like “Cosmetic Dentist” or “Emergency Dental Service.”
• Address & Phone Number: Make sure this matches your website and all online listings (consistency matters!).

Photos & Videos

• Add high-quality photos of your office, team, and services (no stock photos!).
• Regularly upload fresh images. Google loves active profiles.

Services & Attributes

• List all the procedures you offer: cleanings, whitening, implants, Invisalign, etc.
• Include patient-friendly attributes like “wheelchair accessible,” or “accepts new patients.”

Questions & Answers

• Preemptively post and answer FAQs (e.g., “Do you offer pediatric dentistry?”).
• Monitor incoming questions and respond quickly.

Reviews & Responses

• Encourage satisfied patients to leave reviews.
• Always reply to reviews—good or bad—with professionalism and warmth.

A fully filled-out GBP not only increases your chances of ranking in the Local Pack but also makes your listing more appealing to potential patients.

Top Ranking Factors for Dentists in the Google Local Pack

So, what does it take to break into the Google Local Pack for dentists? While Google’s algorithm is a closely guarded secret, SEO experts and industry data consistently point to a handful of ranking factors that carry serious weight, especially for local businesses like dental practices.

Let’s break down the big three from Google itself, plus some extra factors dentists should know:

Relevance

How well does your profile match what someone is searching for? This means clearly listing your dental services (e.g., “teeth whitening,” “root canals,” “dental implants”) in your GBP, website, and posts.

Distance

Google weighs how close your practice is to the searcher’s location. You can’t control where someone searches from, but you can make sure your address is accurate and within your desired service area.

Prominence

This one’s all about trust and authority. Do you have a strong review profile, high star rating, and consistent mentions around the web? Are other sites (especially dental directories) linking to you?

Dentist-Specific Ranking Factors

• Primary GBP Category: “Dentist” should always be your main category and choose additional ones that match your specialties.
• Keywords in Business Name: Only include keywords if they’re part of your official practice name (no keyword stuffing!).
• Review Volume & Rating: More reviews + higher ratings = higher visibility.
• Proximity to Searcher: If your office is near where the search happens, you’re more likely to show up.
• Local Links & Citations: Appear consistently on trusted dental directories (like ADA, Healthgrades, Zocdoc).
• Content Quality: Keep your dental website optimized with clear, service-specific pages. Google takes cues from your site to reinforce relevance.

Pro Tip for Dentists

• If you have multiple providers or specialists under one roof, make sure each one has a properly structured GBP if eligible, but don’t create multiple listings for the same service. That can hurt more than help.

How to Optimize Your Dental Practice for the Google Local Pack

Climbing into the Google Local Pack for dentists is all about local SEO strategy. Here’s your step-by-step optimization checklist to boost your visibility and start attracting more patients straight from the map results.

Step 1: Fully Optimize Your Google Business Profile

• Double-check that every section is filled out: name, categories, hours, services, appointment links, and photos.
• Use dental keywords and search terms naturally in your business description and services list (e.g., “We offer Invisalign, teeth whitening, and same-day crowns in [Your City]”).
• Regularly update your profile with Google Posts. Announce promotions, team milestones, or oral health tips.

Step 2: Generate Consistent, Quality Reviews

• Ask happy patients to leave a review right after their visit via text, email, or signage in-office.
• Respond to every review promptly and kindly, even negative ones. This boosts engagement and builds trust.
• Pro tip: Use review requests that include keywords like “dental cleaning” or “emergency appointment” to help build relevance.

Step 3: Add High-Quality Photos and Videos

• Showcase your team, waiting room, operatories, and even before-and-after shots (with proper consent).
• Post images regularly. Active profiles get more attention from Google and users alike.

Step 4: Consistency Across the Web

• Make sure your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are identical everywhere—on your website, Yelp, Facebook, directories, etc.
• Use dental-specific directories like Healthgrades, Zocdoc, CareDash, and the ADA’s Find-A-Dentist.

Step 5: Add Appointment Booking Tools

• Use Google’s appointment link feature to streamline scheduling.
• If you use third-party booking platforms (like NexHealth or LocalMed), integrate them directly into your GBP.

Step 6: Publish Fresh, Localized Content

• Add location-specific service pages to your website (e.g., “Dental Veneers in Salt Lake City”).
• Write blog posts on local events, patient tips, or FAQs to build relevance and improve search visibility.

With these optimizations in place, you’re setting the stage to move up in the Local Pack and make your practice more discoverable for patients searching nearby.

Bonus Strategies to Dominate the Google Local Pack for Dentists

Once you’ve nailed the basics, it’s time to go beyond the standard checklist and start leveraging advanced tactics, like a Google ninja. These strategies can give your dental practice a serious edge when it comes to dominating the Google Local Pack for dentists in your area.

Visuals That Convert

• Add video tours of your practice, doctor introductions, or short patient education clips.
• Post seasonal content (Back-to-School dental tips, holiday whitening specials) to show activity and relevance.
• Update your GBP photos regularly to signal that your practice is current, clean, and welcoming.

Promote with Google Posts

• Treat Google Posts like mini social media updates. Highlight special offers, showcase before-and-afters (with consent), or share staff highlights. If you post it to your dental social media, post a version to your GBP.
• Include call-to-action phrases like “Schedule today” or “Call now” to drive clicks from your GBP directly to appointments.

Use Geo-Grid Heatmaps to Measure Visibility

Not all rankings are created equal. Your position in the Local Pack can vary dramatically across neighborhoods and ZIP codes. That’s where geo-grid heatmaps come in. They show exactly where your practice is ranking in your service area, point by point.

👉 Instead of guessing where you stand, My Social Practice offers a free Local Search Report to visualize your current map rankings, identify weak spots, and guide your SEO strategy. It’s like an X-ray for your local presence, no tech skills needed.

Build Local Links

• Partner with nearby schools, charities, or sports teams and ask for a link back from their websites.
• Contribute dental health articles to local blogs or publications—it builds authority and drives local relevance.

Track What’s Actually Working

Use UTM tracking links on your GBP to measure how many people are clicking from your listing to your website and what they do once they get there. Combine that data with Google Analytics to fine-tune your efforts.

Troubleshooting Google Local Pack Issues for Dentists

Even with solid local SEO in place, sometimes things go sideways—your practice drops out of the Google Local Pack for dentists, or worse, disappears altogether. Bummer, but it’s a normal part of a competitive market.

Let’s diagnose the most common issues and how to fix them fast.

Issue #1: A Competitor Is Outranking You

Frustrated that another practice always seems to show up ahead of you? Here’s what to check:

• Reviews: Do they have more, newer, or higher-rated reviews?
• Categories: Are they using a more relevant or better-optimized primary category?
• Keywords in Name: Are they (ethically or not) including keywords like “Emergency Dentist” in their business name?
• Website Authority: Is their site getting more links or mentions from other trusted sources?
• Location: Are they closer to the patient base or city center?

Fix: Run a competitive audit (or let us do it) to spot gaps and opportunities, then level-up your profile and website accordingly. If a competitor is using tactics like keyword stuffing, use Google’s option to “suggest an edit” and submit the correct name of the practice to…uh…help the competing practice comply.

Issue #2: Your Listing Is Unverified, Disabled, or Suspended

Google can strip your listing’s visibility if something’s off.

• Unverified: Still visible, but you can’t manage or update it. Verify it ASAP.
• Disabled: Suspicious activity suspected—limited functionality.
• Suspended: No visibility at all.

Fix: Follow Google’s reinstatement procedures or consult support. Ensure your listing complies with all GBP guidelines, especially around addresses, categories, and eligibility.

Issue #3: You’re Being Filtered Out

Sometimes your listing is technically “live,” but Google’s algorithm filters you out due to overlap with a stronger nearby competitor.

Fix: Boost the quality and quantity of your reviews, build more local links, and enhance your site’s authority. You have to outshine the neighbor.

Issue #4: Google’s Glitching or Just Updated

Google is constantly tweaking its algorithm. Sudden drops might not be your fault.

Fix: Check local SEO news sources or the Google Business Profile support forums. If others are seeing the same issue, it may resolve on its own. Don’t panic—pivot if needed. Keep working, and things tend to correct themselves. If not, contact a dental marketing company that can help you refine your strategy.

How to Track Google Local Pack Performance for Dentists

Once your practice is optimized for the Google Local Pack for dentists, the next step is tracking your performance. Without the right data, you’re guessing, and this ain’t a game of Hangman.

Here’s how to measure what matters and make smarter dental marketing moves.

Know Where You Rank Locally, Street by Street

Local rankings vary a lot depending on where someone is searching. Just because you rank in your zip code doesn’t mean you’re visible across town.

Instead of guessing, get clarity with our free Local Search Report from My Social Practice. This custom report maps out exactly where your dental practice ranks across your service area and helps identify neighborhoods where your visibility is weak or strong.

👉 Get Your Free Local Search Visibility Report Now

It’s the smartest (and easiest) way to see where you stand in the Local Pack and how to improve.

Use Google Business Profile Insights

Your GBP has a built-in performance dashboard that shows:

• How many people found you via Search or Maps
• Clicks to your website
• Click-to-call actions
• Requests for driving directions
• Photo views and interactions

Check this data monthly to spot trends. Did a new photo or patient review drive more calls? Is a certain day of the week busier? Use those insights to guide strategy.

Use UTM Tracking for Real Insights

Attach UTM codes to your website links in your Google Business Profile. When a patient clicks from your GBP to your website, those codes tell Google Analytics exactly where they came from and what they did next.

You’ll discover:

• Which posts or features drive the most clicks
• What pages convert best
• Where to focus your content and ad dollars

Keep Your Eyes on the Right Metrics

Fancy dashboards are fun, but don’t lose sight of what really matters:

• New patient phone calls
• Booked appointments
• Positive reviews
• Local visibility growth month over month

When you combine these insights with your Local Pack strategy, you’ll know what’s working and what to double down on.

Google Local Pack for Dentists: The Bottom Line

The Google Local Pack for dentists is one of the most powerful (free!) tools to connect with local patients at the exact moment they’re searching for care. Whether you’re a new practice or a seasoned veteran, consistently optimizing your local presence will keep you visible, competitive, and full of patients.

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Author: Megan Nielsen is an SEO strategist and the Grand Overlord of copywriting at My Social Practice. My Social Practice is a dental marketing company that offers a full suite of dental marketing services to thousands of dental practices throughout the United States and Canada.