Why Reviews Are More Than Just Stars

Table of Contents

• How Local SEO Works for Dentists
• Why Reviews Matter for Local SEO
• Quality vs. Quantity – What Kind of Reviews Help Most?
• The Real Challenge of Getting More Reviews? Your Team
• Enter TeamCare: The Review Incentive Program That Runs Itself
• How to Get More (and Better) Reviews at Your Dental Office
• Want More Reviews? Make It Easy on Yourself and Your Team
• FAQ

How Local SEO Works for Dentists

Quick crash course so we’re all on the same page. When someone nearby searches for “dentist near me” or “best cosmetic dentist in [your city],” Google doesn’t just serve up a random list. It pulls up a special map-based section known as the Local Pack, those top three listings that appear right under the map. Landing in that prime real estate is what local SEO is all about.

Google uses three main factors to determine local search rankings:

Relevance

This measures how well your business matches what someone is searching for. If a user types in “Invisalign dentist,” Google looks at your business category, services, and content to see if you’re a good fit.

Distance

This one’s out of your hands. Google calculates how far your practice is from the person doing the search. You can’t move your office to match every patient, but you can make your listing more attractive than the other options nearby.

Prominence

Here’s where you have the most control, and where reviews come into play. Prominence is Google’s way of measuring how well-known and trustworthy your business appears. It looks at things like how many reviews you have, your average rating, frequency of relevant services in reviews, and engagement with your listing.

In other words, Google doesn’t just want to show any dental practice to users, it wants to show the most trusted and talked-about one. That’s why online reviews are a key ingredient in your local search visibility.

Why Reviews Matter for Local SEO

If you think reviews are just for building trust with potential patients, think bigger. Those five banana-yellow stars are also helping Google decide whether to show your dental practice at all.

According to data, reviews are the second most important factor in whether your business shows up in Google’s coveted Local Pack (right after proximity). In fact, review-related signals like count, frequency, star ratings, and keyword relevance can account for over 25% of your local ranking power.

Let’s break down why that is:

1. Reviews Show Google You’re Legit

Google wants to recommend reputable businesses. A steady stream of authentic, positive reviews tells the algorithm that you’re not only real but reliable.

2. More Reviews = Higher Click-Through Rates

People trust star ratings. Listings with 4.5 stars or higher get significantly more clicks than those with lower ratings or no ratings at all. More clicks = higher engagement, and Google loves engagement.

3. Keywords in Reviews Help With Search Relevance

When a patient leaves a review that says, “Dr. Patel did an amazing job on my Invisalign,” or “The hygienist made my child’s cleaning stress-free,” those phrases help Google understand what services you offer and what you’re known for. That means your listing is more likely to show up in unbranded searches like:

• “Invisalign dentist near me”
• “kid-friendly dentist in [city]”

As a bonus, the conversational phrases in reviews are also excellent for showing AI search engines that your practice belongs in AI summaries and recommendations.

4. Review Freshness Signals Activity

Google favors active, frequently-reviewed businesses. A review from two days ago carries more weight than one from two years ago. Consistency matters, not just volume.

5. Ratings Influence Your Online Reputation and SEO Together

Reviews help you rank, and they help you convert. Showing up in the top 3 on Google Maps is great, but a 2-star rating won’t bring in many calls. A solid base of glowing reviews helps seal the deal with potential patients who are ready to book.

Quality vs. Quantity – What Kind of Reviews Help Most?

It’s easy to assume that the practice with the most reviews automatically wins the top spot on Google. But when it comes to local dental SEO, Google isn’t just counting reviews, it’s analyzing what’s in them. If a review were a banana, for example, Google would be determining how much potassium content is included in this specific serving, you know?

That means a dozen well-written, detailed reviews can sometimes help you more than a hundred vague one-liners like “Great experience!”

Let’s break down what really moves the needle:

1. Star Ratings Still Matter (But You Don’t Need to Be Perfect)

Yes, a 5-star average looks great, but a mix of mostly 5s with a few 4s and even a rare 3-star review can actually look more authentic to both Google and potential patients.
What really matters is keeping your overall average above 4.0, ideally in the 4.5–4.8 range. Anything lower can hurt your click-through rate even if you’re ranking high.

2. Review Length & Detail Help Google Understand What You Do

Google’s algorithm is smart, but it still needs help understanding what your practice offers. That’s where detailed reviews come in.

Encourage patients to write reviews that mention:

• Specific treatments (“I came in for a dental implant consultation…”)
• Staff interactions (“The hygienist was so gentle and thorough…”)
• Unique aspects of your office (“They have TVs on the ceiling!”)

These details act like mini SEO content snippets, boosting your relevance in both branded and unbranded searches.

3. Keywords in Reviews = Local Ranking Fuel

Google pays attention to the actual words people use in their reviews. So if patients naturally mention keywords like:

• “Invisalign”
• “Same-day crowns”
• “Emergency dentist”
• “Kid-friendly office”

…it strengthens your visibility for those exact terms in search. And now that Google is rolling out AI-generated review summaries, those keywords could be featured even more prominently.

4. Recency Matters More Than You Think

Reviews are like bananas; they’re great when they’re fresh. (I know, pretty good metaphor, eh? I’m here all week, folks.)

Google wants to show users businesses that are actively engaged and currently trusted by the community. A steady flow of recent reviews tells Google you’re still delivering quality care, which can help maintain or even improve your local rankings.

Aim to get new reviews weekly or monthly, not just in big bursts.

5. Review Velocity (Too Many at Once Can Look Suspicious)

Speaking of bursts, don’t flood your profile with 50 reviews in a day. That can raise red flags with Google and look unnatural to potential patients.

Instead, focus on a sustainable review collection system that brings in authentic feedback over time. And on the topic of review collection systems…

The Real Challenge of Getting More Reviews? Your Team

We’ve covered the fact that getting more reviews is critical for ranking higher on Google, attracting more patients, and standing out in a competitive local market. You get it. We get it. Everyone gets it. Bananas are involved somehow.

Most dentists have tried something like this:

“Hey team, let’s ask every patient for a review today!”

Maybe you promise your staff a pizza party. Maybe you offer Starbucks gift cards to the top review-askers. Maybe you cry and beg and unveil a handmade tracking poster you made with glitter glue and sharpies and your staff feels really bad for you and decides to take pity.

It works for a few days. Maybe even a week.

But then the front desk gets busy. The hygienists forget. The assistant gets shy. And the dentist? You’re too slammed to check if anyone actually followed through.

The truth is, the best way to get more dental reviews is by having your team ask for them directly, consistently and confidently. Nothing beats a real human moment:

“If you had a great visit today, would you mind leaving us a quick Google review?”

But motivating your team to ask, and then keeping them motivated, is hard. Most incentive programs fail because they require:

• Manually tracking which team member helped which patient
• Manually monitoring when that patient leaves a review
• Manually rewarding the right person… eventually… when someone has time

Which is never. Because dentists are busy. Managers are juggling 47 things. And the reviews? They stop coming. No bananas in sight. 😔

Enter TeamCare: The Review Incentive Program That Runs Itself

We solved the problem with our partners, TeamCare, bringing you a fully automated review incentive system built just for dental offices. Our review incentive program:

• Automatically tracks who helped each patient.
• Connects reviews to the right team member. No guessing, no spreadsheets.
• Instantly rewards team members with direct payments (like $5 per review).
• Includes everything you need to launch and promote your review campaign, like printable goal charts, social photo signs, and ready-to-use displays.

With our program, your team is motivated, your review process is automated, and your online reputation grows without you having to lift a finger.

In fact, we’ve seen practices generate a steady stream of 500+ Google reviews in just a few months using this exact system. Impressive, no?

How to Get More (and Better) Reviews at Your Dental Office

Now you know that when it comes to review generation, your team holds the keys. Sure, you can send follow-up emails and put a QR code on the front desk (and you should!). But nothing beats a friendly ask from a real team member, in the moment.

So, how does the TeamCare review incentive program actually lead to more bananas in the fruit basket?

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: A Patient Leaves a Google Review

Your Google Business Profile is monitored 24/7.

Step 2: Our Software Identifies Who Helped That Patient

It connects directly to your practice management system, so it knows who was involved (hygienist, assistant, front desk, etc.).

Step 3: Team Members Are Paid Automatically

Set a reward value—like $5 per review—and your team sees that money hit their bank account within days.

Step 4: Printable Campaign Assets Keep Everyone Engaged

Goal charts, review signs, and patient photo props turn your review push into a fun, competitive team activity.

The Result?

A self-sustaining review system that:

• Motivates your team to ask without constant reminders or emotional breakdowns during staff meetings
• Pays them instantly and fairly
• Turns your practice into a local SEO powerhouse with 500+ glowing reviews

Want More Reviews? Make It Easy on Yourself and Your Team

By now, it’s clear that Google reviews are one of the most powerful tools your dental practice can use to boost your local SEO, attract new patients, and build long-term trust. Plus, they’re a source of valuable fiber and antioxidants.

But knowing you need more reviews isn’t the problem. It’s getting your team to ask consistently. It’s tracking who earned each review. It’s actually paying out the incentives you promised. Oops.

That’s exactly why we partnered with TeamCare. This automated review incentive program removes every barrier between you and the reputation you deserve:

• No more chasing staff to ask patients
• No more spreadsheets to track who earned what
• No more missed rewards that kill motivation

With My Social Practice and TeamCare’s review incentive program, your team is motivated, reviews come in consistently, and your practice rises to the top of local search without adding one more thing to your to-do list.

Bananas!

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.