Increasingly, online reviews on dental practice websites and social media have become a vital element in the mix of practice marketing. People often access these consumer reviews when they’re trying to find a dental provider. The question becomes, can these reviews be trusted? The answer too frequently is a resounding no!
An expert weighs in
Kathryn “Kay” Dean is the head of Fake Review Watch, a watchdog group for consumers who are deceived by big tech and dishonest businesses. Dean was formerly a special agent for the US Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General. During the past three years she has conducted in depth investigations into fake reviews on Yelp, Google, Facebook, and other review sites.
We asked Dean how pervasive the matter of bogus patient online reviews is in the dental industry. “I can't quantify this as a percentage of dentists nationwide who are receiving fake reviews,” she said. “I can say that the problem is substantial. I'm a lone citizen investigator, and I know of 60 dentists who are getting fake reviews. Some are on Facebook soliciting for fake reviews; in one of my investigations, I even had someone representing a Los Angeles dental practice send me a Facebook message with a proposed fake Yelp review to post for the practice.”
She added, “I recommend you watch my recent video, Manhattan dentist, other US medical/dental practices in network receiving fake Google reviews. You'll note six dental practices from around the country on the first spreadsheet in that video who are part of one network receiving fake Google reviews.”
Currently, there are few consequences for online sites that profit from bogus reviews aimed at the public, dental practices that purchase the service of generation of fake reviews, and brokers that facilitate this deceptive industry of sham online reviews. Dean offered a few suggestions.
Also by Michael W. Davis: Fake online reviews and public deception
“Fake reviews are more deceitful than old-fashioned false advertising because people believe they were written by unbiased third parties based on their real experiences. Furthermore, online reviews have become extremely important in the 21st century marketplace. A 2018 Pew study found that 93% of US adults use online reviews when buying something (including services) for the first time. Therefore, fake reviews can create unfair competition for honest businesses, including dentists.”
Dean emphatically states, “Dental boards and district attorneys need to crack down on this form of false advertising and punish offenders with fines and public condemnation. Unfortunately, the issue is not currently receiving the attention of regulators and enforcers.
“We also need revised legislation (Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act) to make the tech companies and review sites accountable for the massive fraud on their platforms,” she continued. “Right now, they make minimal effort to clean it up because no one is held liable.”
What can be done?
In the current online business environment, dental consumers are highly vulnerable. Enforcement and oversight by state and federal authorities is virtually nonexistent. Ethical dental practices are placed at a distinct competitive disadvantage. This is the Wild West of unregulated deceptive online marketing reviews. What should prospective dental patients do?
“The simple answer is, don't use online reviews,” Dean said. “All of the review sites are being gamed by some businesses, even medical and dental professionals. When I say all sites, I mean all sites. I've even found fake reviews on Vitals and Healthgrades, for example.
“Consumers shouldn't think they can spot the fake reviews either,” she continued. “Many fake reviews include lots of detail because they’re written by someone associated with the business. I recommend talking to real people instead of relying on virtual ones. Also, when it comes to finding medical and dental specialists, rely on referrals from your primary care doctors.”
While researching for this article, it became readily apparent to me that numbers of dental practices, from small solo general practices to certain large dental support organizations (DSOs), use falsified dental reviews as part of their marketing mix strategy. In today’s world, it is fairly easy to disguise 500 sham reviews that originate from the same IP address in India, Nigeria, or Philadelphia, Mississippi.
Further, social media platforms benefit from the additional traffic generated from a multitude of bogus reviews. Massive reader clicks elevate their total site hits, deceptive or not, and this incentivizes advertisers. More viewer clicks means more cash for those operating and supporting the online site. In many situations, brokers selling the service of positive online reviews may approach management or owners of dental practices. Some operate legitimately. Others are highly “creative” in positive online review generation.
It is theoretically possible a dental practice may be duped into purchasing a bogus online patient review service. However, when services of dental staff are retained in fabrication of reviews, it is clearly a misrepresentation. When positive reviews bare little or no resemblance to actual patients in the practice, it’s time to wave a red flag. Feigned ignorance is a poor legal or ethical defense.
Editor's note: Originally posted in 2021 and updated regularly
