Google is cracking down on dental reviews, and some practices are already seeing posts disappear. Learn what’s getting flagged, what changed, and why even honest patient feedback could get caught in the cleanup.
Print & Go GuidanceSPONSORED CONTENTBy RAMP Results
Do you rely on patient reviews for beneficial word-of-mouth marketing? Many healthcare professionals do, so the latest update in Google’s review policy has already begun to impact those in the dental industry. Following the changes in mid-April, Google has already begun actively deleting reviews determined to be breaking the rules.
The main objective of these policy updates is to prevent review fraud and rating manipulation. You’ll find that some of the new rules already existed but are now being enforced with a more thorough evaluation of reviews by Gemini – Google’s AI tool.
The "New" Google Rules
Let’s take a look at the main features of the policy, how they differ from before, and what it could mean for dental practices. Google defines rating manipulation based on key behaviors that include incentivized posts, cherry-picked customers, and unusual patterns indicating efforts to shape responses and reputations. Do your review management efforts include any of these infractions?
- Incentives to Post: It’s already against policy to offer discounted fees or free products in exchange for feedback, so this reinforces the point that reviews should be earned in good faith.
- Staff Names: Patients often rave about their dentist or favorite hygienist in reviews, and this doesn’t need to change. What Google is watching for is an unnatural spike in name-dropping that indicates review solicitation, incentivized team members, and inauthentic content.
- Picking and Choosing: Not every patient is happy with their experience. While it’s important to deal with negative reviews professionally, blocking them or “review gating” is against Google’s policy. This refers to the practice of only requesting feedback from those patients you know to be satisfied. Your office protocol for requesting reviews must include all relevant parties.
- Conflict of Interest: You aren’t allowed to post reviews by anyone with a personal investment or professional connection, including your staff members or outside vendors.
- On-Site Pressure: Practices are prohibited from pressuring patients to leave a review while still on the premises. You can request feedback, but don’t provide a tablet or computer for them to do so.
- Canned Content: Google’s machine learning tools are already flagging reviews that seem scripted or repetitive, too generic, AI-generated, or keyword-heavy.
Enforcing Review Authenticity
Even before these recent updates, Google’s 2025 Trust and Safety Report confirmed that 292 million policy-violating reviews were blocked or removed last year alone. Some of the rules covered have always been in place, and hopefully your practice already abides by them – regardless of enforcement. However, the deployment of AI tools to flag or remove questionable reviews means it’s in your best interest to be aware and cautious moving forward.
In short, Google’s Gemini-powered enforcement tools now seek out coordinated review patterns, duplicate language across multiple submissions, and sudden spikes in 5-star review volume. The key is authenticity. You can still ask your patients for reviews, but don’t pressure them or offer something in return, and don’t filter by sentiment – everyone is entitled to share their experience.
While it’s great to have a supportive team and enthusiastic patients, it’s also worth noting that many of the dental practice reviews we’re seeing flagged are being submitted from within the office.
Conclusion
The user-generated content on Google Maps is a practical and powerful way to reach prospective patients. The new updates on their review policy are designed to prevent your competitors from potentially manipulating their ratings with fraudulent reviews; however, your own genuine patient feedback could get caught in Gemini’s enforcement web.
Are you already seeing reviews disappear? Not sure what these changes mean for your practice? Why not schedule a quick call to discuss how updated guidelines could impact your current or future marketing campaigns. RAMP has your back.
