How Google’s Shifting Local Algorithms Are Changing Dental Search

This article originally appeared in December/2025 on DentistryToday.com.

A well-maintained Google Business Profile (GBP) has become a critical factor in how patients find dental practices online, and it should not be a surprise to anyone. Google has been open about prioritizing user experience and relevance to generate more relevant search results for its users. In competitive local markets, we often see that dental practices with active and complete GBPs are more visible in local search results, which aligns with Google’s stated priorities around relevance and accuracy.

How It Works

When patients search for a dentist, Google evaluates a variety of factors, one of which is the GBP. If a practice’s profile includes a list of services, its business hours, and address, that signals legitimacy to Google. Additional online content, such as articles, blogs, videos, and social media, can help reinforce the practice’s online presence and support Google’s understanding of the business entity. And of course, online reviews are critical. When a practice has all of these elements, it is better positioned to be competitive in local search results.

More Than Points on a Map

Over the decades, search results have become increasingly personalized and hyper-localized. That’s because Google’s goal is to show the most relevant options, and an enormous amount of information is available online for every type of business imaginable. With all this additional information to feed the algorithm, location alone is no longer the primary factor that determines where a practice ranks in search results.

Enter the Google Business Profile

Every business, including dental practices, can create a Google Business Profile to increase its online visibility. For the best results, the business profile needs to be:

• Accurate, with the correct phone number, email, website, and hours of operation, as well as a list of current services 
• Authentic, with reviews from patients and information explaining what the practice does 
• Active, with links to social media and other content platforms, responses to reviews, and updates as needed 

All of these factors allow Google to evaluate signals associated with trust, relevance, and prominence within the local community, which directly influences how often and where a practice appears in local search results.

Dental practices that want to improve their online visibility can start by taking control of their Google Business Profile. A well-managed, active GBP helps practices appear more consistently and competitively in local search results, establishing rapport with patients even before they make contact.

Here’s where to start:

Update the basics:
The best place to begin is with the correct practice name, address, phone number, and business hours. It is also important that the GBP has the proper business type so Google can accurately categorize the practice.

Revise the description:
Humans and computers will read the business profile descriptions, so they need to be clear, friendly, and written with relevant language that accurately reflects the services offered. A business description doesn’t have to be long if it’s written well.

Leave no field blank:
It may be tempting to skip a field if the information appears elsewhere in the profile or it’s something that requires time to create. However, the more complete and consistent the information is for internet users and Google, the better.

Add photos and videos:
People love visuals on business profiles because they provide evidence of what to expect. Pictures also help reinforce credibility and legitimacy.

Link the socials:
Content is king, and allowing searchers to access social media content directly from the business profile adds transparency and humanizes the practice, which can support engagement.

Encourage reviews:
This takes time, but it’s worth the effort. The more reviews, particularly recent and authentic ones, a practice has, the more likely it is to stand out to both search engines and potential patients.

Respond to reviews and questions:
This requires dedication, but again, it’s worth it. Adding responses signals that the business is actively managing its profile, which contributes to stronger engagement and perceived trustworthiness. Responses also tell potential patients that the people at the practice care.

Of course, there is more that goes into consistently ranking well in local search results, but the Google Business Profile remains a foundational starting point.

For dental practices, the Google Business Profile is far more than a simple listing in a directory. It is the foundation upon which a practice can build a complete online presence and become better positioned to appear prominently in local search results. In other words, an accurate, authentic, and active profile attracts patients while supporting the signals search engines rely on to evaluate local businesses.