Dorostkar & Bibeisi – WOW Session II: Practice Success Part 1-Dorostkar & Bibeisi

Dorostkar & Bibeisi - Dr.-Bilbeisi-Presentation-Slides

Pdf Summary

The document is a presentation by pediatric dentist Noor Bilbeisi, DDS, on how dental practices should respond to online reviews and turn negative feedback into a marketing advantage. It contrasts the pre-social media era (early 2000s) with today’s review-driven environment, noting that most patients read and trust online reviews when choosing a provider—especially millennial parents.

The core guidance focuses on responding professionally to bad reviews:

1. <strong>Draft immediately, post later.</strong> Negative reviews trigger strong emotions. Write an uncensored first draft if needed, then wait, revisit after cooling down, and decide whether to respond at all. This helps avoid defensive or unprofessional replies and leads to clearer, more concise responses.

2. <strong>Never disclose private information; explain office policies instead.</strong> Responses should not confirm the reviewer was a patient or reveal any protected details. Instead, use the opportunity to publicly clarify policies around payments, insurance, radiographs, and parent presence—assuming those policies are documented and shared with all patients. If a complaint involves staff attitude, avoid calling out the individual and emphasize training, customer service standards, and mutual respect.

3. <strong>Address issues selectively and clearly.</strong> If responding, consider addressing each complaint point-by-point, often using bullet points for readability—especially since common complaints involve finances or perceived rudeness. However, sometimes not replying avoids amplifying the review.

4. <strong>End with an invitation and goodwill.</strong> Encourage the reviewer to call to discuss offline and close politely. This signals professionalism, emotional control, and patient-centered values.

A sample negative review about unexpected billing and insurance confusion is paired with an example response that clarifies insurance realities, radiograph guidelines (AAPD-based), avoids confirming patient identity, and ends with well-wishes.

Keywords

pediatric dentistry

online reviews management

responding to negative reviews

reputation management

HIPAA patient privacy

professional review responses

dental office policies

insurance and billing communication

AAPD radiograph guidelines

turning negative feedback into marketing