How to Respond to a Patient Complaint: A Step-by-Step Guide for Dental Offices
A patient complaint can arrive by phone, email, letter or a public review. The steps are the same — acknowledge, take it private, fix what you can, and follow up — but a public reply cannot include the details you may discuss with the patient directly. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Replying publicly? Run your draft through PlainReply first. Examples for 1-star reviews are on negative dental review response examples.
The 4 steps: acknowledge, move it private, resolve, follow up
The ADA's guidance for online reviews is to stay professional, take complaints offline, and avoid wording that confirms the person is a patient. Its 2025 reminder lists the same habits: keep replies anonymous, never reference a specific person or incident, take complaints offline, remain professional, and treat legal action as a last resort. (ADA; ADA News, March 20, 2025)
- Acknowledge. Let the person know you heard them. In public, keep that acknowledgment general.
- Move it private. Invite them to call the office. Save the details for a private conversation, letter or email with the patient.
- Resolve. Look at the concern, fix what you can, and document what you did in the usual private record — not on the review site.
- Follow up. Close the loop with the patient directly. Do not post a public play-by-play.
Private complaints (phone, email, letter): you can discuss care with the patient directly
The HIPAA Privacy Rule permits a covered entity to disclose protected health information to the individual who is the subject of the information. A private phone call, letter or email to that patient is a different setting from a public review page. (HHS, Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule)
Use your office's usual confidential process, confirm you are speaking with the right person, and stick to what you need to address the complaint. This page is not a letter-writing service and is not legal advice.
Public complaints (Google, Yelp): different rules
A reply on Google or Yelp is visible to anyone. Google also notes that replies are public, that a verified profile can reply, and that you can flag a review if it may violate Google's policies. (Google: Manage customer reviews)
What not to say in public
Do not confirm that the reviewer is a patient, and do not include names, dates, treatment, billing details or "our records show." The Privacy Rule's minimum necessary standard is a reminder that public posts are not the place for care details. (HHS)
HHS has acted in cases where providers disclosed PHI in review replies or on social media, including Elite Dental Associates ($10,000 settlement), Dr. U. Phillip Igbinadolor, D.M.D. & Associates, P.A. ($50,000 civil money penalty, after a disclosure "on a webpage in response to a negative online review"), New Vision Dental ($23,000 settlement), and Manasa Health Center ($30,000 settlement). Those cases are summarized, with sources, at Dentists fined for replying to online reviews.
For public-reply templates, see HIPAA-compliant Google review responses rather than repeating them here.
State boards also look at professionalism: Iowa 2026
This was a state dental board matter, not an HHS HIPAA penalty. Reporting in August 2026 said the Iowa Dental Board fined a dentist $1,000 after alleging "unprofessional responses to negative online reviews" that "included patient information," along with a warning and an ethics program. (KCRG / Iowa Capital Dispatch)
A short template: public reply plus a private follow-up message
Public reply
We're sorry to read this. We take all feedback seriously and would like to help. Please call the office so we can talk privately.
Private follow-up (to the patient, not posted on the review)
Thank you for telling us about your concern. We would like to review it with you and make it right where we can. Please call [phone] and ask for [role], or reply to this message to find a time.
The private note is for a conversation with the patient. Do not paste chart details into a public reply or into an unsecured group thread.
When to involve your malpractice carrier or a lawyer
This is a general pointer, not legal advice. If a complaint alleges harm, threatens a claim, involves a possible board or privacy investigation, or you are considering a lawsuit over a review, talk with your malpractice carrier or a lawyer before you post or send a detailed response. The ADA notes that legal action over reviews is generally a last resort and can draw more attention than the original post.