If you’ve ever wondered how to stay visible and relevant in today’s ultra-competitive dental market, this conversation is for you. Kiera Dent recently sat down with one of our favorite collaborators and true experts in the space, Dr. Len Tau. Known as a dental marketing powerhouse, Dr. Len has made a name for himself helping practices increase case acceptance, boost visibility, and build bulletproof reputations through online reviews. He’s the author of Raving Patients and the leader behind BirdEye’s dental vision. But what really lit up the conversation was his passion project: Supercharge Your Dental Practice, a high-end, high-impact event he now runs annually in Florida.

Let’s Talk Online Reviews and AI

While Dr. Len’s events are reason enough to listen to our new podcast episode, the real conversation was about online reviews and how AI is rewriting the rules.

Here are some major takeaways from Dr. Len:

Reviews Still Matter (But So Does How You Get Them)

Average practices have about 350 reviews now.
Velocity matters more than total count: aim for 2–3 reviews per week.
Keep your rating between 4.6 and 5 stars. Avoid falling below 4.5.
Don’t incentivize reviews or collect them on-site. Google doesn’t like that.

AI & ChatGPT Are Changing the Game

People now use ChatGPT to find dentists. And guess how it picks results? Based on your Google ranking and reputation.

So if you’re not showing up online (or worse, if your practice is invisible on Google Maps), it’s time to fix it. And yes, BirdEye can help with that.

Google Ranking Factors to Watch

Dr. Len shared the exact elements that affect your visibility on Google:

Total number of reviews
Frequency (velocity) of new reviews
Star rating (aim for 4.6–5)
Correct business categories (especially your primary category)
Accurate name, address, and phone number across platforms

And yes, consistency is crucial. Even a small change like using “Ste.” instead of “Suite” across platforms can hurt your rankings.

Reviews, Reputations, and Real Talk

Kiera and Dr. Len also chatted about the nuances of responding to reviews (spoiler alert: HIPAA is a thing, even with good intentions), and what to do if your Google Business listing gets suspended, which often happens after a name change or incorrect review collection methods.

Advice from Dr. Len Tau

“If you don’t ask, you don’t get,” Dr. Len says. His advice? Build a reputation culture in your office. Create excellent experiences, ask patients for feedback (not just “reviews”), and use a tool like BirdEye to automate the process and stay consistent.

And if you’re ready to supercharge your own practice, check out SuperchargeYourDentalPractice.com and use code RAVING to save $100.

If you want guidance creating systems for your team, your operations, and yourself, we’d love to help. Schedule A Free Strategy Call today!

For more tips, check out our podcast.

Last updated: September 2025
Written by Jacintha Ham, Dental A Team