Dental practices that monitor their online reputation will:

• Improve their search engine ranking
• Boost their internet presence
• Enhance team morale
• Attract more patients.

So, it’s essential from a business perspective and is key to inspiring patient confidence too.

Embrace the positive…

Getting praise for a job well done is a wonderful thing – and pretty rare, in dentistry. There aren’t many patients who will shake their dentist’s hand after a successful root canal! Positive reviews posted online, to Google or Facebook for example, are a great way for word to spread about why you’re the best around. Encourage patients to talk about you online; put notices up in reception and make sure your social media and website look great and are user-friendly.

… and the negative

Managing your practice’s online reputation means not running away from any negativity you see. It’s normal to feel that the internet is such a vast and scary place that there’s no point trying to take control when bad reviews happen. Every practice gets them, so embrace them, deal with them and turn a negative into a positive.

Even the very act of responding is positive, because it shows you are a practice that listens. A good response, one that is considered, not emotional and is unique to the situation can placate an unhappy patient. Responding to negative online reviews shows everyone reading the exchange that you take your reputation seriously and want to make amends if a patient thinks that you’ve fallen short of their expectations. It shows that you are open to the idea that negative feedback can help you refine your service and make the patient experience even better.

You’ve got the power!

A bad online review will lose its power to damage your reputation if the rest of your feedback is glowing. Respect your patients’ ability to appreciate the bigger picture because, when it comes to online feedback, we all do the same. One terrible review for an otherwise five-star restaurant probably wouldn’t stop you booking. This is why you must encourage patients to keep talking, because the good stuff will always outweigh any bad.

Find the right tools

Managing your practice’s online reputation is stress-free, with the right tools. EasyReview, developed by Dental Design, is a new tool for monitoring online reviews, including alerting you to bad ones. You’ll then get guidance on how to respond positively, to turn a negative situation around.

Don’t be scared by the internet!

When you manage your online reputation, your dental practice will look:

• More professional
• Fully engaged with the modern digital landscape
• Totally tuned in to what people are saying about you.

So, take control and watch you practice soar!