How to Collect and Display Patient Testimonials

When prospective patients evaluate dental practices, they trust other patients more than they trust your marketing.

That's the power of testimonials. Authentic reviews from real patients provide social proof that builds confidence and drives appointments.

But testimonials don't collect themselves. Creating a systematic approach to gathering and displaying patient feedback is essential for practices that want to grow.

Why Testimonials Matter for Dental Practices

Understanding the psychology helps prioritize this effort.

Social Proof Influences Decisions

Humans are social creatures. When we're uncertain, we look to others for guidance. Seeing that patients like them chose your practice and had good experiences reduces fear and uncertainty.

For dental care—where many patients feel anxious—this reassurance is especially valuable.

Trust Transfer

New patients don't know you yet. But when existing patients vouch for you, some of that trust transfers. A testimonial from someone who was once nervous but had a great experience speaks directly to nervous prospective patients.

Google Reviews Drive Discovery

Beyond your website, Google reviews affect whether patients find you at all:

• Reviews influence local search rankings
• Star ratings appear in search results
• Review quantity and quality affect click-through rates

More (and better) reviews means more visibility.

Creating a Testimonial Collection System

Random, occasional requests don't build a strong testimonial library. You need a system.

Identify the Right Moments

Timing matters. Ask for testimonials when patients are happiest:

Best moments:

• After successful completion of treatment
• When patient expresses gratitude or satisfaction
• Following compliment to staff
• At reveal moments (new smile, pain relief, etc.)
• During recall appointments for long-term patients

Poor moments:

• During treatment
• When patient is rushing
• After complications or concerns
• Before treatment is complete

Train Your Team

Everyone should understand their role:

Dentists: Express appreciation and mention review opportunity

"I'm so glad you're happy with your new smile. If you have a moment, we'd really appreciate if you'd share your experience online. It helps other people find us."

Hygienists: Reinforce during appointments

Front desk: Provide review links and follow up

Make asking for reviews a natural part of the patient experience.

Make It Easy

Remove friction from the review process:

• Direct links: Provide links that go straight to your Google review page
• QR codes: Print QR codes on cards patients can scan
• Text follow-up: Send a text with review link shortly after appointment
• Email sequence: Include review request in post-visit emails
• In-office tablets: Provide tablets where patients can review before leaving

The easier you make it, the more reviews you'll receive.

Follow-Up Strategy

Many patients intend to leave reviews but forget. A gentle follow-up helps:

Immediately after visit: Thank you message with review link

1-2 days later: Reminder for those who haven't reviewed

Don't overdo it: Stop after two reminders to avoid annoyance

Types of Testimonials to Collect

Different formats serve different purposes.

Written Testimonials

Text reviews on Google, your website, and other platforms. The most common and easiest to collect.

Best practices:

• Encourage specific details over generic praise
• Ask patients to mention what concerned them and how you helped
• Request mention of specific staff members or treatments

Video Testimonials

More persuasive than text, but harder to collect. Video shows real patients expressing genuine emotion.

Approaches:

• Professional video production (highest quality, highest cost)
• Smartphone recordings (authentic feel, lower barrier)
• Patient-submitted videos (easiest but variable quality)

Even simple smartphone videos can be powerful. The authenticity often matters more than production value.

Photo Testimonials

Patient photos alongside quotes add credibility:

• Photos show real people, not stock images
• Faces build connection
• Especially effective for cosmetic work (with consent)

Combine with before/after photos when relevant.

Audio Testimonials

Less common but effective for podcasts, phone hold messages, or website audio.

Platform Strategy

Where should testimonials live?

Google Business Profile

Your most important platform for several reasons:

• Affects local search rankings
• Visible in search results before people reach your website
• High trust factor with consumers

Prioritize Google review collection above other platforms.

Your Website

Control how testimonials appear:

• Dedicated testimonials page
• Testimonials on homepage
• Treatment-specific testimonials on service pages
• Pop-out quotes throughout content

Your website gives you complete control over presentation.

Facebook and Social Media

Facebook reviews and recommendations:

• Visible to patients' friends
• Can be shared organically
• Build practice community

Encourage reviews on platforms where you're active.

Healthcare-Specific Platforms

Platforms like Healthgrades, Zocdoc, or Vitals:

• Patients actively use these for provider research
• Good for new patient acquisition
• May have unique features for healthcare

Yelp (With Caution)

Yelp has unique challenges:

• Aggressive filtering hides many reviews
• Filtered reviews can frustrate patients
• Platform prioritizes reviewers who are active on Yelp

Many practices deprioritize Yelp in favor of Google and healthcare-specific platforms.

Displaying Testimonials Effectively

How you present testimonials affects their impact.

Homepage Placement

Your homepage should feature testimonials:

• Rotating testimonial carousel
• Featured patient quotes
• Star rating with review count

This provides immediate social proof to new visitors.

Treatment-Specific Testimonials

Match testimonials to relevant pages:

• Veneers testimonial on veneers page
• Invisalign testimonial on orthodontics page
• Nervous patient testimonial on comfort/sedation page

Specific testimonials speak directly to page visitors' concerns.

Credibility Elements

Enhance testimonial believability:

• Include patient first names and last initials
• Include patient photos when permitted
• Show review dates to demonstrate recency
• Display star ratings alongside quotes
• Link to review sources when possible

Anonymous testimonials are less persuasive than attributed ones.

Variety and Volume

Display enough testimonials to establish pattern:

• Single testimonial seems like cherry-picking
• Multiple testimonials establish consistent experience
• Variety in patient types (age, gender, treatment) widens appeal

Aim for at least 10-15 testimonials displayed on your website.

Handling Negative Reviews

Not all feedback is positive. Your response matters.

Respond Promptly and Professionally

Always respond to negative reviews:

• Acknowledge the concern
• Apologize for the experience (not admitting fault)
• Offer to discuss offline
• Avoid defensive or argumentative tone
• Never reveal patient information

Example response: "We're sorry your experience didn't meet our high standards. We take all feedback seriously. Please contact our office at [number] so we can discuss this personally and work toward a resolution."

Learn and Improve

Negative reviews often contain actionable feedback:

• Recurring themes indicate systemic issues
• Even unfair criticism may have a kernel of truth
• Use criticism to improve patient experience

Don't Ignore or Delete

Ignoring negative reviews looks worse than responding appropriately. Attempting to delete or hide legitimate criticism can backfire badly.

Bury with Positivity

The best response to occasional negative reviews is volume of positive ones. One 2-star review among fifty 5-star reviews is manageable. Focus on collecting more positive feedback.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Stay compliant while collecting testimonials.

HIPAA Awareness

Patient reviews and testimonials involve health information:

• Never confirm someone is a patient without their consent
• Don't reference treatment details in responses to public reviews
• Obtain written consent for using testimonials in marketing

Incentive Restrictions

Be careful with review incentives:

• Don't offer payment or gifts for positive reviews
• Don't require positive reviews for discounts
• Modest thank-you gifts may be acceptable, but check platform rules

Many platforms prohibit incentivized reviews and may penalize violations.

FTC Guidelines

If you feature testimonials in advertising:

• Testimonials must represent typical results
• Unusual results should have appropriate disclaimers
• Don't edit testimonials to change their meaning

State Dental Board Rules

Some state boards have advertising rules affecting testimonials:

• Required disclaimers
• Restrictions on certain claims
• Limitations on use of patient images

Check your state board's guidelines before extensive testimonial marketing.

Measuring Testimonial Impact

Track how testimonials affect your practice.

Metrics to Monitor

• Review quantity: Total reviews on key platforms
• Review quality: Average star rating
• Website engagement: Time on testimonial pages
• Conversion rate: Do testimonial page visitors book appointments?
• New patient attribution: How did new patients find you?

Regular Review Audits

Monthly or quarterly, assess your testimonial presence:

• Are you adding reviews at a healthy rate?
• Are ratings stable or improving?
• Do you have coverage across treatment types?
• Are testimonials current (within last year)?

The Bottom Line

Patient testimonials are among the most effective marketing tools for dental practices. They build trust, influence decisions, and improve search visibility.

Success requires:

• Systematic collection process
• Team training and consistency
• Easy submission for patients
• Thoughtful display on website
• Professional handling of negative feedback

The practices that prioritize testimonial collection consistently outperform those that don't.

Testimonials are most powerful when paired with visual proof. Build a before/after gallery and make it easy for patients to book with online scheduling.

Explore our dental website design services - we help practices in Chicago, Houston, and across the country turn happy patients into practice growth.

For a comprehensive guide to building a dental website that leverages testimonials effectively, read our Dental Website Design Guide.