Google Reviews for Dentists and Orthodontists Are Disappearing—Here’s What Orthodontists & Dentists Need to Know
Google reviews for dentists & orthodontists are disappearing
If you’re an orthodontist or dentist who relies on Google reviews to attract new patients, you may have noticed a concerning trend—Google Reviews for Dentists and Orthodontists’ Google Business Profile (GBP) reviews are mysteriously disappearing. This issue has sent shockwaves through the industry, with many dental and orthodontic practices losing anywhere from 10 to 50 reviews seemingly overnight.
At Ortho Marketing, we’ve been closely monitoring this situation of reviews for dentists and orthodontists
, and we’re here to break down what’s happening, how it affects your practice, and what you can do about it. Plus, we’ll keep you updated with the latest news as Google works to resolve this problem. This is very important when it comes to orthodontic and dental marketing.
What’s Happening to Google Reviews?
Since early 2025, orthodontic and dental practices across the U.S. and beyond have reported sudden drops in their Google review counts. The most affected reviews tend to be legitimate, high-quality 5-star ratings from real patients—making this especially frustrating for dental professionals who have worked hard to build a positive online reputation.
While Google initially remained silent on the issue, they have since confirmed that the missing reviews are due to a technical glitch, not an intentional removal of content. According to Google’s statement:
“We’re aware of an issue affecting some Google Business Profiles, causing some profiles to show lower-than-actual review counts due to a display issue. The reviews themselves have not actually been removed. We’re working hard to resolve this and restore accurate review counts as quickly as possible.”
This means your reviews aren’t necessarily gone for good—they may simply not be displaying correctly. However, without a clear timeline from Google on when the issue will be fixed, the impact on dental and orthodontic practices could be significant.
How This Impacts Orthodontic & Dental Marketing Practices
For dental and orthodontic professionals, Google reviews are a major driver of new patient inquiries. When potential patients search for services like “Invisalign near me” or “best orthodontist in [your city],” they often look at review ratings before making a decision.
Here’s why this issue is a big deal for orthodontists and dentists:
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Loss of Trust & Credibility – A practice with 100+ reviews at a 4.9-star rating suddenly dropping to 60 reviews can make it seem like the practice is less reputable. New patients may assume your practice is newer or less experienced than it actually is.
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Lower Search Rankings – Google considers both the quantity and quality of reviews in its local ranking algorithm. If your review count drops, your visibility in local search results could be affected, making it harder for patients to find you.
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Reduced Patient Conversions – Reviews serve as social proof. If a potential patient sees that your competitors have more positive reviews than you, they may choose another provider—even if your practice offers better services.
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Frustration from Patients Who Left Reviews – If a patient took the time to leave a glowing review and then notices it’s missing, they may feel frustrated. Some may even hesitate to leave reviews in the future if they think they might disappear.
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Difficulty Measuring Marketing Success – Many orthodontic and dental practices track review growth as part of their marketing strategy. A sudden drop makes it harder to measure the effectiveness of patient outreach efforts.
What You Should Do Right Now
Until Google fully resolves this issue, here’s what we recommend for orthodontic and dental practices:
1. Check Your Google Business Profile Regularly
Log into your GBP dashboard frequently and monitor your review count. If you notice fluctuations, document them and report the issue to Google via Google Business Profile Support.
2. Keep Encouraging Reviews
Even if reviews are disappearing, don’t stop asking patients to leave feedback. Google has stated that the issue is a display problem, not a deletion, so new reviews should still help once the issue is fixed. Encourage patients to leave honest reviews and let them know their feedback is important.
3. Diversify Your Orthodontic and Dental Review Strategy
Instead of relying solely on Google, encourage patients to leave reviews on other platforms like:
This ensures that your practice has a strong reputation across multiple platforms, reducing the risk of being overly dependent on Google.
4. Communicate with Patients About the Issue
If patients mention that their review is missing, explain that Google is experiencing technical difficulties and that reviews should be restored soon. This keeps them informed and prevents frustration.
5. Follow Ortho Marketing for Updates
We are actively tracking this issue and will provide updates as soon as Google announces a fix. Follow us on social media and sign up for our newsletter to stay informed.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Linkedin.
Ortho Marketing Is Keeping a Close Eye on This
At Ortho Marketing, we know how critical online reviews are to your practice’s success. That’s why we’re closely monitoring this issue and will continue providing updates as we learn more.
What We’re Doing to Help:
✅ Monitoring Google’s official statements and industry reports daily.
✅ Communicating directly with dental and orthodontic professionals about the impact of disappearing reviews.
✅ Providing strategies to maintain credibility and marketing momentum while the issue is being resolved.
✅ Offering Google Business Profile support for our clients to ensure they’re maximizing their online presence despite this setback.
If you need help optimizing your Google Business Profile, getting more patient reviews, or improving your digital marketing strategy, reach out to Ortho Marketing today. We specialize in helping orthodontists and dentists dominate local search results and attract more high-value patients.
📩 Contact us for a free consultation to discuss how we can help your practice overcome this challenge and grow your patient base.
Final Thoughts
While Google has acknowledged the issue and is working on a fix, the timeline for full resolution remains unclear. In the meantime, orthodontists and dentists need to stay proactive in protecting their online reputation.
✅ Keep collecting reviews
✅ Diversify your review platforms
✅ Communicate with patients
✅ Stay updated with Ortho Marketing
Your online presence is too important to leave to chance. Stay ahead of the competition and let Ortho Marketing be your trusted partner in navigating these digital challenges.
📞 Call us today or visit OrthoMarketing.com for expert orthodontist and dental marketing support!