Fake Google Review on Your Dental Practice? How to Report It, and How to Reply Safely
If a Google review looks fake or isn't from a patient, you can report it — but only if it may violate Google's policies. Do not argue the facts of care in public, and do not write that someone was or was not a patient. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Draft your reply, then run it through the PlainReply checker. More complaint-reply examples are on negative dental review response examples.
First, check whether it really breaks Google's policy
Google's help page is direct: "Do not report a review just because you disagree with it or dislike it. Google doesn't get involved in conflict between businesses and customers." (Google: Report inappropriate reviews)
Reviews that violate Google's content policies can be removed. That includes fake or misleading content, incentivized or conflict-of-interest reviews, harassment, hate speech and other prohibited categories. Ordinary negative opinions usually stay up. (Google Maps content policy; Google: Manage customer reviews)
How to report it
From Google's instructions for reporting a review on your Business Profile:
- Go to your Business Profile.
- Select Read reviews.
- Next to the review you'd like to flag, select Report.
- Select the reason to flag the review (examples Google gives include "Spam" or "Profanity").
- Select Send report.
Google says review evaluation typically takes several days, and you can check the status in the Reviews Management Tool. Possible statuses include "Decision pending," "Report reviewed - no policy violation," and "Escalated - check your email for updates." You can also report a review from that tool. (Google)
If Google declines: the appeal route
If you report a customer review and the decision is that it does not violate Google's policies, you can submit a one-time appeal. (Google: Appeal Business Profile content)
Google's review-reporting page says you can do that in the Reviews Management Tool: confirm the account, select your business, choose to check the status of a review you reported previously, select "Appeal eligible reviews," choose up to 10 reviews, submit the form, and wait for an email with the result. If the review violates the policies, Google says it will be removed; if it complies, it stays live. (Google)
Should you reply? Yes, briefly and generically
A public reply can show future patients that you take feedback seriously. Keep it short and general. Do not write "you were never our patient" or "our records show." Those phrases comment on whether someone is in your records, which can itself disclose information about a patient relationship.
HHS has penalized and settled with practices after public replies disclosed protected health information — including a North Carolina dental practice that "impermissibly disclosed a patient's PHI on a webpage in response to a negative online review," and a Dallas dental practice that settled over social media disclosures of patients' PHI. (HHS; HHS)
The ADA's guidance is to use broad "all patient" language and take the conversation offline. (ADA)
A safe reply template for suspected fake reviews
One short public line, then an invitation to call. Do not add names, visits, or a statement about whether the reviewer is in your records.
We take every review seriously. Privacy rules mean we don't discuss whether any individual has been seen here. If you have a concern about our office, please call us.
For more complaint-reply wording, see negative dental review response examples.
Don't fight fake reviews with fake reviews: the FTC rule
The FTC's rule on consumer reviews and testimonials, effective October 21, 2024, prohibits a business from writing, creating, selling or purchasing fake or false reviews, and from providing incentives conditioned on a review's sentiment. It also addresses undisclosed insider reviews and certain review-suppression practices. Do not post or buy fake reviews to "balance" one you believe is unfair. (16 CFR Part 465; Federal Register)