Patients are using AI to choose providers. Will they want to come to your practice? 

A new report released this month revealed how AI influences the way patients select care providers and set their standards for reputable options. Healthcare reputation management company, rater8, reported that online reviews are increasingly integral in selecting providers; if your digital presence is lacking, you may not get new patients.¹

So would a potential patient select your dental practice based on its online profile? 

According to rater8 data: 

• 75% of patients now refuse to book with a provider rated below 4.0 stars.

• 55% have already walked away from a provider, either avoiding or canceling an appointment because of online reviews, up from 40% since their 2025 survey  

• 66% now say that seeing a provider’s response to online reviews directly influences whether they trust the provider, the largest year-over-year movement across all three editions of this survey. 

• 47% have used AI to research healthcare providers, up 16 percentage points in nine months 

Even if your practice offers quality care, a weak digital presence can significantly inhibit your ability to attract new patients. Rita Zamora, social media marketing and online dental reputation specialist, shares tips for boosting your social media.

What should dental practices do differently now that AI tools may summarize provider information?

According to Zamora, practices need to be aware of their online ecosystem, which includes reviews, your website, your Google Business Profile, online listings, and social media . AI tools utilize signals that come from all these areas to understand a dental practice and analyze it for both trust and fit when recommending dentists to inquiring patients.  
 
Dentists also need to delegate or be prepared to manage their ecosystem by having a consistent reviews collection system in place. According to Zamora, most practices delegate to an SEO expert for their website and online listings management. Either a marketing-savvy team member or an outside agency can plan strategic social media content that AI finds helpful.  

Zamora also noted that it’s important for practices be aware that, as of July 2025, Google is indexing public social media content from Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. Content shared from these channels will become a part of practices’ evergreen assets—which is why it’s more important than ever to focus on strategic social media content.  

What online information should practices audit regularly? 

A practice’s Google Business Profile is critical because this is where online reviews live—and the primary place AI tools are looking. Here are a few things to regularly audit:  
 
Responses to online reviews. Ensure all reviews have responses, and that at least some have personalized, human responses rather than all automated responses. According to rater8, 66% of patients say seeing a provider respond to online reviews influences their trust.¹
 
Updated photos. Photos that are shown near the map of your practice should be updated at least once a quarter. They should include current photos of your team, the interior, and exterior of your practice.  
 
Content posted to updates. You can save time by repurposing strategic social media content. Be sure to use a content calendar and scheduling tool to preschedule your content. 

Other areas to audit include your social media profiles by checking your current mix of content. Having 80% social content and 20% dental content likely won’t work in today’s landscape; instead, strive for 80% strategic, dental-focused content (what do you want to be known for) and 20% social or human content. Zamora says this updated content mix helps both AI and patients find and choose your practice, and rater8 data shows that 30% of patients are influenced to either ditch or move forward with a practice based on their social media profiles. 
 
Lastly, ensure your website SEO manager is keeping up to date with all the new AI visibility opportunities. 

How should practices respond to reviews without creating HIPAA/privacy issues? 

A safe way to respond to reviews without creating HIPAA/privacy issues is to keep it short. A simple thank you or smiley emoji can work for positive reviews. If the review is negative or warrants a longer response, the American Dental Association has a comprehensive guide for detailed advice on how to handle these situations. 

How can dentists ask for reviews ethically and practically?

When it comes to reviews, rater8 data broke down the top reasons patients would be hesitant to book with a dental practice: 

• Rude or unhelpful staff (52%) 

• Doctor didn't listen (52%)

• Substandard care (45%)

• Long wait times (41%) 

• Billing issues (40%) 

• Scheduling difficulty (20%)¹ 

The best way to consistently collect reviews is to use technology. Sending follow-up emails or texts after patients’ visits are great options. 

“Many patients are well aware of the value of reviews today,” Zamora says. “So make a list of your favorite patients or note on the schedule when they are visiting so you can ask for a detailed review.  
 
She also suggests roleplaying with your team to plan organic conversations with patients who love your practice. For example:

 
“Some of our patients say if they heard from other patients who’ve had dental implants or smile makeovers (insert whatever your treatment of focus is) it would help them to feel more comfortable moving forward with treatment. If you’re open to sharing a bit of detail about your experience, it would really be helpful to some of your neighbors in our community.” 

Put this in your own words and be selective about these organic conversations. The technology system can ask every patient, while the goal of the special conversations is to grow more detailed reviews.  

What mistakes make a practice look less trustworthy before the patient ever calls? 

The easiest way to mar a practice’s online presence is through poor reviews—but negativity as a learning opportunity to make improvements as needed.  
 
Additonally, only using stock photos on your website (or having no personalized photos or videos) can sabotage the image of your practice. Both patients and AI want to see humans in order to establish trust.  

To conclude

Oftentimes, they are not choosing to use AI to influence their search, but rather, AI involvement is built-in. With 72% of people beginning their search for a new provider online, understanding how to make your practice stand out whilst being aware of how AI is influencing the Google Search page results is key to attracting new patients.  
 

Reference:

1. 2026 patient choice report. Rater8. May 2026. https://rater8.com/2026-patient-choice-report/