How Authentic Feedback Now Shapes Your Practice’s AI Reputation
In this episode of The Dental Domination Podcast, host Dan Brian dives into how Google reviews have become one of the most powerful signals in today’s AIO — Artificial Intelligence Optimization — era. What used to be a simple measure of reputation now directly shapes how Google’s own AI, along with platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini, describes dental practices to potential patients.
Dan explains that “those reviews are now shaping the way Google’s own AI describes your practice to potential patients—and what that means for visibility, trust, and conversions in the age of AIO.” In other words, reviews no longer just influence how people see your practice—they influence how AI itself perceives and presents your brand online.
From SEO to AIO: Why E-E-A-T Matters More Than Ever
The episode explores how Google’s “E-E-A-T” framework—Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness—has moved from a background concept to a front-and-center ranking factor in AI-driven search.
Dan explains that “a few years ago, E-E-A-T was something that SEO folks whispered about. It was an internal guideline for Google’s evaluators. But now it’s one of the main factors shaping AI results.”
Instead of relying only on a website’s content, Google’s AI now looks for real-world proof of credibility—and patient reviews are the strongest evidence it can find. Because reviews are public, verifiable, and reflect lived experiences, they provide the kind of authentic data that AI can trust.
Reviews as AI Training Data
The episode reveals how reviews now do more than influence rankings—they train AI models themselves. Dan explains, “Your reviews are part of what helps Google’s AI decide how to describe you. Have you ever searched for your practice and seen that auto-generated summary in the knowledge panel? That’s AIO’s early form of E-E-A-T in action.”
Those short summaries—phrases like “Patients praise the friendly staff and painless cleanings”—come directly from the natural language patients use in reviews. As Dan points out, AI-generated overviews rely on this data to form narratives about your practice long before a patient ever clicks your website. In a world where AI often answers questions for the user, this first impression can determine who wins the patient’s trust.
The Algorithmic Trust Equation
Dan stresses that “it’s not just a popularity contest—it’s an algorithmic trust equation.”
AI systems now weigh three key review factors:
- Recency and volume. Fresh, frequent reviews show ongoing reliability and activity.
- Descriptive language. Reviews that mention specific procedures, team members, and outcomes reinforce credibility.
- Cross-platform consistency. When Google sees similar sentiment across Healthgrades, Facebook, and Yelp, it strengthens overall trust.
Dan emphasizes that if a competitor has hundreds of recent, detailed reviews while another practice has only a few older ones, Google’s AI is far more likely to trust—and rank—the first practice.
Building an AIO-Ready Review System
The episode outlines a clear framework for dentists looking to strengthen their review strategy in the age of AIO.
1. Integrate review generation into the patient journey
Dan encourages practices to make review requests a seamless part of the patient experience. “Don’t just hand out cards and hope for the best—use automated review requests through your communications platform,” he says. Systems like Weave, Practice by Numbers, NexHealth, or DentalScapes’ own DentOwl make it easy for patients to share their feedback while it’s still top of mind.
2. Respond to every review
Dan reminds listeners that responding to reviews isn’t optional—it’s an active trust signal. “Google explicitly says that businesses that respond to reviews are seen as more engaged and more credible,” he explains. Whether it’s a thank-you or a calm, professional response to a negative review, engagement shows authenticity and transparency—two pillars of E-E-A-T.
3. Diversify your review footprint
While Google reviews are the most important for visibility, Dan notes that platforms like Healthgrades, Facebook, and Yelp also matter. These sites are regularly crawled by Google and other AI systems, meaning that maintaining a consistent reputation across platforms reinforces legitimacy.
4. Embed reviews into your website
Dan describes how embedding reviews with structured data (schema markup) helps connect your on-site claims with external proof. “You’re giving those crawlers structured data confirming what they’re already seeing elsewhere,” he says. “It strengthens the E-E-A-T bridge between your site and the wider web.”
5. Maintain steady review velocity
Success isn’t about hitting a certain number of reviews—it’s about maintaining momentum (what online marketers call velocity). Practices that consistently generate authentic, descriptive feedback perform better in AI-driven search than those with sporadic bursts of activity.
What the Data Shows
Dan shares that DentalScapes’ analytics consistently show measurable gains for practices that prioritize reviews. “It’s not enough to have good reviews,” he says. “You need a steady stream of fresh ones. Google’s AI and other platforms interpret recency as ongoing proof of reliability.”
By maintaining continuous review activity and responding authentically, practices build compounding trust signals that strengthen both human and AI perceptions of credibility.
The Takeaway: AI Now Writes Your Story
The episode closes with a powerful reminder: “In the age of AIO, your digital reputation isn’t just what patients see—it’s what Google believes about you.”
That belief—built on consistent, authentic, and recent reviews—now determines how visible, credible, and ultimately how bookable a dental practice becomes online.
TL;DR
- AI uses your reviews to describe you. Google’s AI relies on review content to summarize your practice in search results.
- E-E-A-T is now operational. Reviews are the most important trust signal in AI-driven visibility.
- Recency and language matter. Frequent, detailed reviews outperform old or vague ones.
- Respond to every review. Engagement signals authenticity and professionalism.
- Use structured data. Embedding reviews with schema markup strengthens credibility.
Ready to Turn Your Reviews into Practice Growth?
Schedule a free strategy call with DentalScapes to see how your reviews, website, and E-E-A-T signals stack up—and discover where AIO can move the needle fastest. DentalScapes helps dental practices scale patient growth through innovative, data-driven online marketing. We’re ready to help however we can!