Season 5: Episode 123: Dentists Are Losing Google Reviews… Here’s What’s REALLY Happening

Send us Fan MailHost Sara Beth Herman explains recent Google Business Profile and Google Maps review disruptions affecting dental offices and other local businesses, including disappearing reviews, paused review activity, profile flags, and ranking fluctuations. She cites Google’s April 16, 2026 announcement of stronger AI and Gemini-powered detection of suspicious review behavior, which can trigger review removals, temporary review pauses, owner alerts, and warning banners, and notes Google’s 2025 enforcement numbers (292M policy-violating reviews removed/blocked, 79M suspicious edits blocked, 13M fake profiles removed). She also highlights the FTC’s fake review rule effective Oct. 21, 2024, making deceptive practices a legal and ethics issue. Herman urges practices to stop relying solely on reviews, avoid QR-code/third-party redirects and on-site geotagged reviews, request honest feedback ethically, and diversify growth through websites, modern SEO, educational content, advertising, referrals, and stronger internal systems.Support the showSOCIALS:No Silver Spoons®: InstagramDentistry Support: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedinThe Dental Collaborative: FacebookSarah Beth Herman: LinkedIn | Personal Bio | LinksFree Training for Dental OfficesDISCLAIMER:The content provided in this podcast, including by Sarah Beth Herman and any affiliated guests, is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice, including but not limited to medical, legal, or business consulting services. Listeners engage with the content at their own risk and are responsible for any actions taken based on the information presented. No guarantees are made regarding the accuracy or completeness of the content. For any questions, clarifications, or crediting of sources, please contact us directly, and we will make necessary adjustments.