Responding to Negative Dental Practice Reviews

Up to 85% of prospective dental patients will check online reviews of dental practices before they schedule an appointment. Because of this, your online reviews will have a huge impact on the number of new patients coming in to your practice. It’s important that you are aware of your online reputation and that you know how to handle any negative reviews your dental practice might receive.

Try to Avoid Negative Reviews

Obviously, the best way to maintain your online reputation would be to avoid any negative reviews to begin with! Most negative reviews stem directly from a patient feeling like they were ignored or undervalued at their dental appointment. Make sure you’re actively listening to your patients and their concerns, and that you’re taking these concerns seriously.

However, we know that even the most successful dental practice may still receive a negative review or two. It’s how you handle these reviews that could make or break you.

Handling Negative Patient Reviews

Before responding to or dealing with an online review of your dental practice, consider the following tips:

• Cool down – When you initially read a negative review, you may want to instinctively defend yourself and your practice. Walk away from the computer and take a breather before responding to the review.
• Be professional – Once you feel like you’re ready to write a response, make sure it’s non-emotional and professional. Your response should acknowledge the poster’s concerns and let him or her know that you’ll be following up with a phone call to further discuss the problem. Remain HIPAA complaint by not including any information about any procedure or health concern.
• Take it offline – Instead of turning the review into a back-and-forth conversation online, contact the patient over the phone and talk about his or her concerns one-on-one.
• Closure – The phone conversation with the patient can go one of two ways. If the issue is resolved, the patient may choose to delete the negative review. If the patient is still angry, your response to the negative review will show prospective clients that you are professional, caring, and will work hard to keep your patients happy.

We know that it can be distressing to read negative reviews of your dental practice online. However, handling the situation correctly can make all the difference. For help with managing your online reputation, please contact CTC Associates today!