How Dental and Orthodontic Practices Can Get More Patient Reviews

Why Patient Reviews Matter

Prospective patients use reviews to understand factors that a service list cannot show: communication, comfort, friendliness, scheduling and the overall experience. Recent, detailed reviews can build confidence before a person calls the office. Negative feedback can also reveal operational issues that deserve attention.

The objective should be an accurate and trustworthy reputation—not a manufactured perfect score. A practice earns long-term credibility by delivering good care, requesting feedback consistently and responding appropriately.

The Best Moments to Request a Review

• After a patient expresses appreciation or completes a comfortable visit.
• After an orthodontic milestone, such as braces removal.
• Following a positive interaction with the front desk or clinical team.
• After a community event where the person has clearly opted into follow-up.
• Through a post-visit message sent within a reasonable time after the experience.

Avoid pressuring patients while they are receiving care or making the request feel connected to treatment decisions. The invitation should be optional and should ask for honest feedback.

From Patient Milestone to Trusted Review in Three Steps

1. Celebrate the Experience

Give patients a comfortable way to mark a milestone with a photo, GIF or short reaction video. Participation should be voluntary and appropriate for the setting.

2. Capture Permission Carefully

Use a consent workflow designed for the practice's use case. Permission to deliver a photo, permission to send marketing and permission to publish patient content are distinct choices that should be handled clearly.

3. Invite Honest Feedback

Send a simple follow-up with a direct review link. Monitor new feedback and route sensitive issues through the practice's approved privacy and service-recovery process.

How BuzzyBooth Supports Dental and Orthodontic Practices

BuzzyBooth provides an interactive patient-engagement experience that can be used for milestones, testimonials and community events. Patients can receive the content they create, while the practice uses configured consent capture and automated follow-up. The portal centralizes review monitoring, and Buzzy AI can prepare draft responses for staff review.

Technology does not replace compliance judgment. Practices should configure workflows with their privacy, legal and operational advisors and approve all public responses.

Patient Review Results

Buttram Orthodontics used BuzzyBooth to create 4,002 pieces of patient media and collect approximately 3,600 consent records. Its five-star review count increased from 633 to 862—an increase of 229—while the practice captured authentic braces-off reactions and team moments.

Hometown Dental used BuzzyBooth for four months, generated more than 30 reviews and increased its rating from 4.7 to 4.9. It also used community events as a patient-engagement and lead-capture opportunity.

Results vary by practice, participation and follow-up. The common factor is a repeatable process that does not depend on a team member remembering to ask every time.

How to Respond Without Creating a Privacy Problem

A patient may disclose details publicly, but the practice should not assume that it can confirm those details. Avoid confirming that the reviewer is a patient, discussing treatment or referencing appointments. Use a general response, invite the person to contact the office through an approved private channel and follow the practice's compliance policy.

Source: American Dental Association guidance on managing online reviews

Practices Should Avoid

• Review gating or requesting feedback only from patients expected to leave five stars.
• Rewards conditioned on a positive review.
• Public replies that confirm patient status or treatment details.
• Publishing patient photos or videos without the required authorization.
• Allowing AI-generated responses to publish without human and compliance review.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a dentist ask patients for Google reviews?

Yes, practices can invite patients to leave honest reviews, subject to platform policies and applicable professional, privacy and consumer-protection requirements.

When should an orthodontist ask for a review?

A positive milestone such as braces removal can be a natural moment, followed by a low-pressure message after the visit. The request should remain optional and separate from care decisions.

Can a dental practice respond to a patient review?

Yes, but the response should not confirm patient status or reveal protected information. Keep it general and direct sensitive matters to an approved private channel.

Can dental review requests be automated?

Automation can send consistent requests after eligible interactions. The practice should approve the trigger, wording, consent process and recipient rules.

Does BuzzyBooth guarantee positive patient reviews?

No. BuzzyBooth helps practices invite honest reviews consistently and manage the workflow; the patient's opinion and rating remain their own.

Build a Consistent Patient Review Process

BuzzyBooth helps dental and orthodontic practices connect meaningful patient moments with consent-aware content capture, follow-up and centralized review management. Book a demo to discuss a workflow for your practice.