As social media continues to surge in popularity, an increasing number of Americans are utilizing these platforms to find reviews of dentists.
8 Out of 10 Americans Choose Their Dentist Based on Online Reviews
Online reviews have emerged as a significant influence in guiding Americans' choices of dental service providers. Thanks to the increasing number of online forums and platforms for information sharing, Americans now have access to various sources of information that affect their decision-making regarding dental care.
Typically, 8 out of 10 Americans select their dentist based on online reviews, but that's not all. Our research delves into the evolving nature of online reviews, their impacts on American dental patients, and the interaction between consumer behavior and the pursuit of the ideal dentist in today's digital era.
Key Findings
8 out of 10 surveyed Americans
use online reviews as the first
step in choosing a new dentist.
More than half (52%) of
surveyed Americans would
only consider a dentist who
has at least 10 online reviews.
Nearly 80% of respondents want
dentist to response to negative reviews,
but only 35% dentists actually respond.
The Importance of Online Reviews
When Choosing Dentists
Online reviews have become a primary source of information
for Americans in selecting dentists.
A significant 83% of individuals rely on them as a key instrument to evaluate and choose their dental care providers.
83% of Americans use online reviews to evaluate a dentist.
8 out of 10 surveyed Americans use online reviews
as the first step in choosing a new dentist
For a majority of Americans, the search for a new dentist starts not in a dental office or through personal recommendations, but by using their smartphones and computers. Our survey indicates that 8 out of 10 Americans prioritize online reviews as the initial step in finding a new dentist.
Digital testimonials on search engines and in online forums are pivotal.
Google tops the list as the most trusted
platform for online dentist reviews, with 85%
of respondents relying on it.
Yelp is the next most popular site,
with 37% of users, followed by
Healthgrades and Whatclinic
with 25% & 6% of users, respectively.
The growing importance of a dentist's online presence, as reflected in reviews, for building credibility and trust with potential patients.
52% of those surveyed stated they would only consider a dentist who has at least 10 online reviews.
A particularly striking finding is that 3 out of 10 survey participants were willing to choose a highly reviewed dental clinic, even if it fell outside their insurance network.
Key Considerations in Choosing a Dentist
When choosing a dentist, Americans weigh multiple factors to find a reliable oral health specialist.
Our survey revealed that the most crucial consideration for 90% of respondents is the quality of treatment.
Additionally, the cost of treatment and the convenience of the dentist's clinic location are significant factors, with 59% and 46% of respondents, respectively, prioritizing these aspects.
The following table provides a summary of all the considerations and the percentage of individuals who prioritize each.
-
90%
Quality of
dental treatment -
59%
Cost
-
46%
Convenient
Location -
40%
Range of dental
services offered -
38%
Customer Support
-
27%
Waiting times
-
24%
Equipment &
Technology -
22%
How the dentist
responds to reviews
Do Patients Leave Positive Reviews Online?
Many patients often post their dental experiences online, showing the different ways they behave when leaving reviews for dental clinics.
Our findings show that over a third of respondents, or 36%, have left a review at least once for a dental clinic they visited.
A significant 72% of those surveyed cite personal satisfaction and positive experiences as their main reasons for leaving reviews.
Conversely, 46% of respondents say they leave reviews to help others in their decision-making process.
This reflects the sense of community fostered in the digital era, with patients contributing to a collective effort to steer others towards dependable and praiseworthy dental care. Negative experiences frequently motivate online reviews, with 22% of respondents citing dissatisfaction as a reason for their feedback. For these individuals, online reviews serve as an outlet to express their frustrations, offer constructive criticism, or raise concerns.
The table below details all the reasons patients cite for leaving digital reviews of their oral care providers.
Despite this, a significant 91% of online dentist reviews left by clients are positive.
Impact of Social Media on
Dental Service Choices
Our research indicates that 63% of individuals now use social media to evaluate a dentist prior to soliciting their services. The online persona and digital presence of dentists are scrutinized closely by these users.
Additionally, our study found that 42% of those surveyed have less trust in dentists who promote their services on platforms like TikTok.
The Influence of Negative Reviews
Negative reviews can make 95% of surveyed Americans
think twice about choosing a dentist.
- VERY CARING & SOFT SPOKEN
- VERY GOOD & DEDICATED DOCTOR
- GREAT, CARING, ATTENTIVE DENTIST
- PROFESSIONAL AND FRIENDLY
- NOT GOOD AS I EXPECTED
- BEST DENTAL EXPERIENCE I’VE EVER HAD
Negative reviews can significantly affect the reputation of any business, dental practices included.
Our research shows that 95% of Americans surveyed admit that negative reviews cause them to reconsider choosing a dentist. This highlights the powerful role that online feedback plays in influencing opinions and decisions in the dental industry. Furthermore, 80% of those surveyed express a preference for dentists to actively respond to negative reviews. For these individuals, a response signifies the dentist's commitment to their clients and their dedication to communication and resolving issues.
Unfortunately, only 35% of dentists actually engage in responding to such feedback.
Conclusion
Online reviews have emerged as the primary guide for Americans seeking quality oral healthcare. Dentists are increasingly evaluated based on their online reviews, their engagement with these reviews, and their presence on social media.
Clients are also more likely to share their experiences online, whether to praise excellent service or to offer warnings. Given this trend, it's more important than ever for dentists and oral healthcare providers to closely monitor their online presence, make efforts to respond to online reviews, and provide services that will garner positive feedback in the digital world.
Methodology
To obtain the data presented above, we conducted a survey among 1,099 Americans in October 2023. To maintain accuracy, any unqualified responses were excluded from the results. However, it is important to acknowledge that the survey’s reliance on self-reporting may introduce telescoping and exaggeration, potentially influencing the responses. Furthermore, it is essential to emphasize that the results of this survey are impartial and do not reflect our opinions or biases.
For the findings, “91% of online reviews about dental services are scored positive” and “35% of dentists respond to negative reviews”:
Information was gathered by extracting data from platforms such as Yelp and Whatclinic. A total of 10,000 reviews were analyzed from clinics worldwide on each platform. Subsequently, sentiment analysis was conducted using the NLTK library in Python to determine sentiment scores. Negative scores indicated bad reviews, while positive scores indicated good ones. Additionally, we gathered clinic responses to calculate the percentage of responses to each type of review.