Google Review Examples for Dentists: Good Reviews, Requests and Replies (UK)

A good dental review, by Google's own guidance, is specific, authentic, respectful and about a paragraph long, and a practice can use examples to understand what that looks like, to word a compliant request and to write a safe reply, but it must never give patients a script or a draft to copy. Google's tips for writing great reviews ask reviewers to describe what other visitors are likely to experience, to review their own experience, and to include both the positive and negative aspects of their visit. Google's content policy says merchants must not direct people to include specific content in reviews. This guide gives illustrative examples of helpful reviews, reviews that break Google's policy, compliant request wording, wording to avoid, and safe replies. For the processes behind them, see our guides to asking patients for Google reviews, Google review policies for dentists and responding to negative reviews.

How should a practice use the examples in this guide?

Every example below is fictional and was written by us to illustrate a point, so none of them should be copied, handed to patients or posted as a real review. A practice that gives patients a draft review, or posts invented reviews, is creating fake reviews, which Google's policy and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 both prohibit. Our guide to the CMA's fake review rules for dental practices explains the law. The examples are for three uses: understanding what patients find helpful when they choose a practice, wording a neutral request, and writing a reply that protects patient confidentiality.

What does a helpful dental review contain?

A helpful review describes a real experience in specific terms, so that another patient can picture what to expect. Google's tips say to be informative and insightful, be authentic, be respectful, and write with care, and that a paragraph is a good length. In a dental practice, the details patients find useful are often practical ones: how easy it was to book, whether the cost was explained, whether the visit started on time, and how the team made the patient feel. Our inference is that these details help most because the patient cannot judge the clinical work directly. Here are three illustrative examples of the kind of review that helps, each written by us:

Example 1, a nervous patient: "I had not been to a dentist for years and was very anxious. The receptionist explained the cost before I sat down, and the dentist showed me my X-ray on screen and explained my options without any pressure. I was seen within a few minutes of my appointment time."

Example 2, a hygiene visit: "Easy to book online and the practice is simple to get to. My hygienist took her time, explained how to clean between my teeth, and told me honestly when I was doing something well. It was a longer appointment than I expected, which I appreciated."

Example 3, a mixed review: "The dentist was gentle and explained everything clearly. I had to wait about twenty minutes past my appointment time, and it was hard to get through on the phone beforehand. I would go back, but I would book online."

Example 3 shows why a mixed review can help a practice. Google's tips ask reviewers to include both the positive and negative aspects of a visit, and a review that does so reads as credible. Our guide to how reviews bring more patients explains why a profile with only perfect reviews can look less believable.

What do reviews that Google may remove look like?

Reviews that Google may remove share a pattern: they are not based on a genuine experience, they come from someone with a conflict of interest, or they make claims nobody can substantiate. These fictional examples show the kinds Google's content policy addresses:

Example A, a competitor: "Avoid this practice. Go to the clinic across the road instead, they are better and cheaper. Call 0161 000 0000."

Example B, an unsubstantiated allegation: "The dentist is a criminal and should be in prison."

Example C, an employee: "I work here and the management is awful."

Example D, an incentive: "Five stars! They gave me a free whitening session for writing this."

Example A is an attempt to undermine a competitor and promotes another business. Example B is an allegation of criminal wrongdoing with no substantiation. Example C is a review by someone with a conflict of interest. Example D involves an incentive, which Google prohibits for the reviewer and the practice alike. A practice can report such reviews using Google's tool, and our guides to Google review policies and fake or defamatory reviews explain what to do next.

What does compliant review request wording look like?

A compliant request is neutral: it invites every patient on the same terms, offers nothing in return and asks for no particular content. These examples are our illustrations of wording that fits Google's policy:

At reception: "We ask all our patients to share their feedback online, if they would like to. There is a QR code on the desk."

On a poster: "How was your visit? Scan to share your feedback. We read every response."

By email after an appointment: "Thank you for visiting us. If you would like to share your experience, you can do so here: [link]. Feedback helps us improve and helps other patients choose a practice."

Each one invites feedback without saying what it should be, uses the same wording for every patient and offers no reward. Our guide to asking patients for Google reviews explains timing and the four ways to ask, and our guide to QR code review collection explains the QR approach. Here is wording to avoid, and why:

• "If you were happy with your visit, please leave us five stars." It selects happy patients and asks for a rating, which is review gating and a breach of Google's policy.
• "Please mention Dr Patel in your review." Google's policy prohibits directing people to include specific content, such as a staff name.
• "Leave a review and get ten percent off your next hygiene visit." It offers an incentive, which Google prohibits and the DMCC Act 2024 can treat as a banned practice if concealed.
• "Could you write that the whitening was painless?" It scripts the content and makes a claim the practice cannot substantiate.
• Handing a patient a tablet at reception and waiting. Google prohibits pressuring people to review while on the premises, and a tablet can look like pressure.

What do safe replies to reviews look like?

A safe reply thanks the reviewer without confirming that they are a patient or mentioning their treatment. Denplan, citing General Dental Council standards, advises never to disclose patient information online, even indirectly, and MDDUS advises practices to have a policy on online feedback. Here are illustrative replies, each written by us:

To a positive review: "Thank you for your kind words. We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback, and the whole team will be pleased to read it."

To a mixed review: "Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to hear about the wait and about difficulty reaching us by phone, and we are looking at both. We would welcome the chance to talk to you if you would like to contact our practice manager at [email or phone]."

To a negative review: "We take all feedback seriously. We are not able to discuss any individual's details in a public forum, but if you would like to talk to us about your experience, please contact our practice manager at [email or phone]."

The mixed reply names the issues the reviewer raised without confirming that the reviewer was a patient. Our inference is that this works only because the issues are general, so a reply should never refer to what happened in a particular appointment. Our guide to responding to negative reviews has more templates, and our Google Business Profile guide explains how to write a reply policy.

What should a practice never do with example reviews?

Five uses of examples turn a helpful illustration into a compliance problem.

• Giving patients a draft or an example to copy. Google prohibits directing people to include specific content, and a copied review is not the patient's own account.
• Using an AI tool to write a review for a patient. A review that is not the patient's own account is not authentic, and Google's tips ask reviewers to review their own experience.
• Posting invented reviews as if they were patients' reviews. That is a fake review under Google's policy and the DMCC Act.
• Rewording a real patient's review. A review should be shown as written, and a patient's testimonial needs their consent, which dental defence and trade guidance both stress. See Dentistry's summary of the ethical marketing rules.
• Showing only the positive reviews as if they were the full picture. Hiding or excluding genuine negative reviews from ratings a business displays is a risk under the DMCC Act, as our guide to the CMA's fake review rules explains.

What is the dental review examples checklist?

This checklist applies the examples to a practice's own wording.

• Our request wording is the same for every patient and neutral about how the visit went.
• No request mentions a clinician, a treatment, a star rating or a particular point.
• Nothing is offered in return for a review, and nothing is offered to change or remove one.
• Staff never hand patients a draft, an example or an AI-written review.
• Patients are not asked to review on the premises under pressure.
• Replies thank the reviewer without confirming they are a patient or mentioning treatment.
• Reviews that break Google's policy are reported, and honest negative reviews are answered or left.
• Any reviews shown on our website are real, shown as written, and include genuine negative ones.

Summary

Google's guidance describes a helpful review as specific, authentic, respectful and about a paragraph long, with both positive and negative points. A practice can use illustrative examples to understand that, to word a neutral request, to recognise reviews Google may remove and to write replies that protect patient confidentiality. It must never give patients a script, offer an incentive or write reviews on their behalf. For how this fits into the rest of a practice's online reputation, see our complete UK guide to dental reputation management.

Sources

• Google, Tips for writing great reviews, Google Maps Help, accessed October 2026
• Google, Maps user contributed content policy, accessed October 2026
• Competition and Markets Authority, Fake reviews guidance, GOV.UK, published 4 April 2025, accessed October 2026
• Denplan, Navigating social media comments and complaints, accessed October 2026
• MDDUS, Responding to online practice criticism, Insight Dental, Q2 2022, accessed October 2026
• Dentistry, Ethical marketing: what are your legal obligations?, 5 August 2025, accessed October 2026