How Dentists Should Respond to Google Reviews: Templates
How a dental practice can respond to Google reviews without breaching professional secrecy: what French ethics rules say, 10 templates and fake reviews.
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A patient writes "painless scale and polish, lovely dentist" and you feel like replying "Thank you, see you at your six-month check-up". That sentence, harmless for a hair salon, publicly confirms that a person is treated by your practice. For a dental surgeon, that is already information covered by professional secrecy.
A dental practice can respond to its Google reviews, but only in general terms: never confirm the author is a patient, never mention a treatment, appointment, quote or diagnosis, even if the review mentions them. The reply talks about the practice and how it works, then invites the person to call for anything personal. The templates below follow this rule. The legal references are French, since Ma Belle Note serves practices in France.
What professional secrecy rules out in a reply
A dental surgeon's professional secrecy applies to everything they know through their practice, including who their patients are. A public reply to a review is no exception.
Article R4127-206 of the French Public Health Code, part of the code of ethics for dental surgeons, states that professional secrecy is binding on every dental surgeon and covers everything that came to their knowledge in the course of their practice: not only what was confided to them, but also what they saw, heard or understood.
The penalty is not only disciplinary. Disclosing secret information by a person who holds it through their profession is punishable by 1 year in prison and a €15,000 fine under article 226-13 of the French Criminal Code.
In practice, a reply must never contain:
- confirmation that the author is or was a patient ("during your visit", "your next check-up");
- the nature of a treatment, diagnosis or procedure, even if taken from the review;
- a date, time or length of an appointment;
- an amount, quote, out-of-pocket cost or insurance reimbursement;
- a medical detail meant to justify yourself ("pain after an extraction is normal");
- conversely, a statement that the author is not a patient.
That last point often surprises: writing "we have no record of you" under a suspicious review also reveals information about an identifiable person.
The French dental council's position on Google reviews
France's national council of dental surgeons considers that medical confidentiality prevents practitioners from defending themselves against online reviews, and it has called for their removal. This position explains the caution expected in every reply.
In September 2025, the council asked the Ministry of Health to get Google to remove reviews about practitioners, stressing that healthcare professionals, bound by medical confidentiality, cannot give their side, as reported by L'Information Dentaire. As long as reviews remain on your profile, the practical consequence is simple: you can still reply, but only about the practice, never about the case.
For a specific question (defamatory review, serious accusation), your regional council remains the body to consult before replying.
The basic formula: talk about the practice, never the person
A compliant reply follows three steps: thanks or a sign of concern, a sentence about how the practice generally works, an invitation to call. Nothing more.
A simple test before posting: would this reply still be accurate if the author had never visited the practice? If yes, it reveals nothing. If not, rephrase.
| Avoid | Write instead |
|---|---|
| "Thank you, glad your scale and polish went well." | "Thank you for your message, it means a lot to the whole team." |
| "Your crown will be redone at your next appointment." | "The practice is reachable at [phone] to talk directly." |
| "You received the quote before treatment." | "Our quotes are provided and explained before any prosthetic treatment." |
| "Pain after an extraction is normal." | "Any pain that worries you should be reported to the practice without delay." |
| "We cannot find you among our patients." | "The practice does not comment on individual situations online." |
For the sign-off, the name of the practice or the principal dentist is enough. Never attach an assistant's or receptionist's first name to a negative review.
Positive reviews: say thank you without confirming
Replying to positive reviews is still worthwhile for a practice, as long as you thank the message rather than the person as a patient. The reply is short and the same in principle, whatever treatment is mentioned.
Template 1: enthusiastic review mentioning a treatment
"Implant placed without stress, very clear explanations."
Hello, thank you very much for this message. Taking time to explain things is part of how the whole team sees its work. [Practice name]
Template 2: review about an anxious child
"My daughter was terrified, she came out smiling."
Hello, thank you for these words, they touch the whole team. Helping children feel confident is something we pay attention to every day. [Practice name]
Template 3: five star rating without text
Thank you for your rating. The whole team at [Practice name]
Negative reviews: pain, waiting, fees, reception
Faced with a negative review, the practice shows concern and describes its general practices, then points to a direct conversation. It never discusses the substance of the case in public, even to defend itself.
Template 4: pain after treatment
"I've been in pain for three days and nobody warned me."
Hello, we are sorry to read this. The practice cannot discuss a personal situation online, but pain that worries you should not wait: call us at [phone] and the dentist will get back to you as a priority. [Practice name]
Template 5: waiting room delay
"40 minutes late, no explanation."
Hello, thank you for your feedback. Emergencies seen during the day sometimes shift the schedule, and we know how frustrating waiting is. We have asked reception to always let people know when there is a delay. [Practice name]
Template 6: fees or out-of-pocket costs
"Far too expensive, insurance covers almost nothing."
Hello, thank you for your message. At the practice, quotes are provided and explained before any prosthetic treatment, and the team takes time to answer questions about fees. To discuss this directly, call us at [phone]. [Practice name]
Template 7: phone reception
"Rude receptionist on the phone."
Hello, thank you for telling us how you felt. The phone is the first contact with the practice and we want it to always be courteous. We are discussing it as a team. [Practice name]
Template 8: disappointing cosmetic result
"The tooth color doesn't match at all."
Hello, thank you for your message. The practice cannot comment on a personal situation online, but the dentist is available to discuss it directly: call us at [phone]. [Practice name]
For the general method on criticism, see our guide on replying to a negative Google review, keeping the healthcare limits described here.
Fake, abusive or non-patient reviews
A fake or abusive review is first reported to Google, then, if it stays online, gets the same neutral reply as a genuine one. It is the only way to reveal nothing, either way.
Google's content policies prohibit off-topic content, conflicts of interest, harassment and personal information posted without consent. The procedure is detailed in our guide on how to report a fake Google review.
Template 9: abusive or suspicious review
"Charlatans, avoid this practice."
Hello, out of respect for professional secrecy, the practice does not comment on individual situations online. Anyone who wishes to talk with us can call [phone]. [Practice name]
Template 10: review alleging serious misconduct
"He damaged a healthy tooth, I'm filing a complaint."
Hello, we have read this message. Professional secrecy does not allow us to reply about an individual situation online. We remain reachable at [phone] for a direct conversation. [Practice name]
For this kind of review, keep a screenshot and consult your professional body or professional liability insurer before going further.
Dental practices and AI: stricter safeguards
A dental practice can use AI to draft its replies, provided it enforces the rules of professional secrecy and keeps human approval on any review about treatment, pain or a dispute. That is stricter than for an ordinary business.
With Ma Belle Note's AI review replies, you describe your practice's tone and forbidden topics once. In copilot mode, every reply waits for your approval; in autopilot mode, simple reviews go out on their own while sensitive ones, including health-related reviews, wait for you to check them. Setting that boundary is explained in our guide to automatic Google review replies, and more wording is available in our Google review response templates.
Replying is only one part of Google review management for a practice. To test on your own reviews: 7-day free trial, no credit card required.
Frequently asked questions
Is a dentist allowed to respond to a Google review?
Yes, nothing forbids replying, but the reply must not reveal anything the practitioner knows through their practice. In France, article R4127-206 of the Public Health Code imposes professional secrecy on every dental surgeon and covers what they were told, but also what they saw, heard or understood. The reply therefore stays general, about the practice, never about the person.
Can a reply confirm that someone is a patient of the practice?
No. The mere fact that someone sees a dentist is covered by professional secrecy. Avoid "during your appointment", "your treatment" or "your quote". For the same reason, do not write "you are not one of our patients" under a suspicious review: that also reveals information. Reply in terms that remain true whatever the situation.
How should a dentist reply to a negative review about pain after treatment?
Do not comment on the treatment, the pain described or whether it is normal. Show concern in general terms, explain that the practice cannot discuss a personal situation publicly and invite the person to call the practice to speak directly with the dentist. If the pain sounds acute, add that it should not wait.
How do you respond to a fake review of a dental practice?
Report it to Google first, for example as off-topic content, a conflict of interest or abusive language. If you reply, do not say the author is not a patient: stick to a neutral sentence saying the practice does not comment on individual situations and remains reachable by phone. For defamatory content, keep a screenshot and seek advice from your professional body.
Can AI reply to reviews for a dental practice?
It can prepare drafts, provided it is set never to mention treatment, appointments, diagnosis, quotes or reimbursement. For a healthcare practice, keep human approval on reviews mentioning pain, treatment or a dispute, and regularly check replies to positive reviews to make sure none confirms that someone is a patient.
