When you’re researching a dentist online, it’s natural to look at Google reviews for guidance. Five stars, glowing testimonials—surely that’s a mark of excellence, right? Not always. The reality is, dental reviews can be surprisingly unreliable.
Many dentists who receive negative reviews take steps to have them removed. Sometimes it’s as simple as contacting Google directly. Other times, practices reach out to patients with incentives—or subtle pressure—to edit or delete a review. You might be surprised, but in larger practices, this happens more often than you think.
There’s another layer you rarely see: many patients sign non-disclosure agreements before treatment begins, meaning they legally cannot post complaints or public reviews. Others are simply asked to leave a review only if they had a positive experience, or practices even go as far as purchasing fake five-star reviews to bolster their online reputation.
All of this means that excessive five-star ratings with almost no negatives should be taken with a grain of salt. A perfectly uniform set of reviews rarely reflects reality, because real experiences—like anywhere in life—come with a mix of ups and downs. The truth about a dentist’s skill and care is rarely captured in a Google star rating. It’s better discovered through experience, personal consultation, and asking thoughtful, specific questions about their work.