The dentist patients trust is the one with reviews
People don't choose a dentist the way they choose a cafe. They research. They read reviews. TrustMint makes sure your happy patients show up in that research.
Sound familiar?
Patients trust you but don't say so publicly
A patient has been coming to your practice for years. They've referred friends. But they've never left a Google review, because nobody asked – and a dental visit doesn't exactly inspire someone to pull out their phone.
You can't ask at the chair
Your patient just had a filling. Their mouth is numb. They're holding a cotton roll. This is not the moment to hand them a tablet and say 'mind leaving us a review?'
One bad review about pain sits at the top
A patient had a difficult extraction, felt the experience was too painful, and posted a 2-star review. That review is now 8 months old and still the first thing new patients see – because you don't have enough recent reviews to push it down.
New patient enquiries depend on your Google profile
When someone searches 'dentist near me', Google shows a map pack with ratings, review counts, and snippets. Practices below 4.5 stars or under 30 reviews get skipped – regardless of clinical quality.
How TrustMint works for dental clinics
Add patients after their appointment
Export a list from your practice management software or add patients manually. TrustMint needs a first name and email. No clinical data, no treatment codes – just contact information.
Wait, then send
Review requests go out 24 hours after the appointment – not immediately. This gives patients time to recover, let the anaesthesia wear off, and assess how they actually feel about the visit. For routine cleanings, you can shorten the delay.
Give every patient the right channel
Patients rate their visit with a simple star selector. Happy patients get pointed to Google. Anyone with concerns – billing, wait times, discomfort – gets a private feedback form that goes straight to you.
Build a steady stream of recent reviews
Dental practices typically see 5–15 patients per day. Even a 10% review rate means 2–6 new Google reviews per week. After a few months, your profile looks very different to someone searching for a new dentist.
Ways to collect reviews at your dental practice
Email 24 hours after the appointment
The best option for dental practices. Patients get a short email the day after their visit, once they're recovered and can reflect on the experience. The delay is important – asking someone right after a root canal gets silence, not reviews.
QR code in the waiting room
A framed QR code in the waiting area works well for follow-up visits. Patients arriving for a check-up after a successful treatment are in a positive frame of mind – and they have 5–10 minutes to spare while they wait.
Tablet at reception for check-ups
For routine cleanings and check-ups (where there's no recovery period), a tablet at the front desk lets patients leave a quick rating before they leave. Best offered by the receptionist as part of the checkout.
Why reviews matter for dental clinics
83%
of Americans rely on online reviews to evaluate dentists
Dentaly.org, 2023
95%
of Americans reconsider choosing a dentist after reading negative reviews
Dentaly.org, 2023
83%
of patients say reviews play a decisive role in their choice of provider
RepuGen, 2020
Questions dental practice owners ask
Is it GDPR-compliant to email patients for reviews?
You can email patients under 'legitimate interest' for a post-treatment follow-up, which a review request reasonably falls under. TrustMint includes an unsubscribe link in every email and logs consent records. That said, you should document your legal basis and include review requests in your privacy notice. If in doubt, add a consent checkbox to your registration form.
What if a patient complains about pain after a procedure?
They get a private feedback form instead of Google. You see the complaint and can follow up – explain what to expect during recovery, offer a call with the treating dentist, or schedule a check-in. Most patients who complain about pain just need reassurance that what they're feeling is normal.
Should I send requests after every type of appointment?
Yes, but adjust the timing. For routine cleanings, send 2–4 hours after. For surgical procedures, extractions, or implants, wait 24–48 hours. Patients who just had an intensive procedure need time before they can fairly assess the experience.
What about complaints about billing or insurance?
Billing complaints are common in dental reviews and they hurt – they have nothing to do with your clinical care. The review page catches these. A patient frustrated about an unexpected charge gets the private feedback form, and you can sort out the billing issue directly instead of debating it in public.
How do I handle a negative review that's already on Google?
Respond professionally and briefly – acknowledge the concern, invite them to contact you directly. Don't get defensive or disclose any clinical details (that's a GDPR issue). The best long-term strategy is simply to build enough positive reviews that the negative one no longer dominates your profile.
Can I import patients from my practice management software?
If your PMS (Dentally, Software of Excellence, Carestream, etc.) can export a CSV with patient names and emails, you can import that into TrustMint. We don't need any clinical data – just contact details. Most PMS tools have a patient list export somewhere in their reporting section.
Your best patients are already willing to review you. They just haven't been asked.
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