How to Get More Calls From Your Google Business Profile

Most dental practices have a Google Business Profile listing. Most of them set it up once, added their phone number and address, and haven't touched it since. That listing is probably the most important piece of digital real estate your practice owns - and it's being left to quietly underperform.

When someone in your suburb searches "dentist near me" or "dental clinic [suburb]", Google's local map pack is almost always the first thing they see. Three listings. A map. Star ratings. Phone numbers. The practices that appear there - and rank highest within it - are getting a large share of new patient calls. The ones that don't appear are invisible. Your GBP is the single biggest lever for getting into those three spots.

Here's what to do with it.

Get the basics right first

Before anything else, your NAP - name, address, phone number - must be exactly consistent between your GBP and your website. Not approximately consistent. Exactly. If your website says "Suite 2, 14 Main Street" and your GBP says "14 Main Street", that discrepancy is a signal to Google that the information may be unreliable. Inconsistent NAP data across the web suppresses local rankings.

Check your primary category. Many practices are listed under "Health" or "Medical clinic" when they should be under "Dentist" - which is a specific, high-intent category that Google knows to surface for dental search queries. Set your primary category to "Dentist", then add relevant secondary categories: Cosmetic Dentist, Emergency Dental Service, Teeth Whitening Service, Orthodontist - whichever apply to your practice. Secondary categories expand the range of searches you can appear for.

Also fill in every attribute available: wheelchair accessible, accepts new patients, online appointments, parking available. These appear directly on your listing and give patients information before they even click through to your site.

Photos drive clicks

Google's own data shows that businesses with more than 10 photos receive significantly more clicks and calls than those with fewer. For a dental practice, patients are often anxious - they want to see the clinic before they visit. Photos reduce that anxiety and build trust before a word is read.

At minimum, add: a clear exterior shot (so patients can find you), an interior photo of reception, a treatment room, and a team photo. Real photos - not stock images. Patients can tell the difference, and so can Google.

Don't upload photos once and forget them. Update your photo set at least once per quarter. Google gives a slight ranking signal to profiles with recent activity - and fresh photos are one of the easiest ways to show your listing is actively maintained.

Post weekly updates

GBP posts appear directly in Google search results when someone views your listing. They're short content updates - think of them as a mini social media post that lives inside Google. Most practices don't use them at all, which means even a basic posting routine puts you ahead.

Good post ideas for dental practices: new patient specials (first check-up offer), service highlights (same-day crowns, teeth whitening, Invisalign), seasonal reminders (back-to-school dental check-ups, EOFY health fund reminders before benefits reset), and community events if you sponsor or participate in local activities.

One important note: GBP posts expire after 7 days. They don't stay visible indefinitely. If you post once a month and expect it to carry you, it won't. Build a simple weekly habit - one post, 100 words or less, with a clear call to action like "Book now" linking to your website.

Reviews are your number one ranking signal

Review volume and recency are among the strongest signals Google uses to rank local listings. A practice with 80 reviews and a 4.8 rating will consistently outrank one with 12 reviews and a 4.9 - even if the second practice has a better website. The number matters.

Asking for reviews doesn't have to be awkward. The three most effective methods for dental practices:

Respond to every review within 24 hours - positive and negative. For positive reviews, a brief personalised thank you is enough. For negative ones, respond professionally, acknowledge the concern, and invite them to contact you directly to resolve it. Never argue. Your response is visible to every future patient reading that review.

Questions and Answers - seed them yourself

The Q&A section of your GBP listing is open to anyone - which means if you don't populate it, a stranger might answer your patients' questions incorrectly. Get ahead of this by seeding your own common questions and answering them yourself.

Good Q&As for dental practices to seed:

• "What are your opening hours?" - list your full weekly hours including any Saturday availability.
• "Is there parking available?" - patients want to know before they drive over.
• "Are you accepting new patients?" - this is one of the most common dental search intents in Australia.
• "What payment methods do you accept?" - list whether you accept HICAPS, which funds you're preferred providers for, and whether payment plans are available.
• "Do you see children?" - many families want to confirm this before booking.

You can log in to your GBP, go to the Q&A section, ask the question yourself from your personal Google account, then switch to your business account to answer it. It takes about 10 minutes to seed five good Q&As and will serve patients for years.

The website connection

Your GBP does not exist in isolation. Google looks at the relationship between your GBP and your dental practice website to verify that your business is legitimate and consistent. Mismatches hurt rankings. If you're a Sydney practice, our dental web design Sydney service includes GBP alignment as part of every build.

The website URL in your GBP should point to your homepage. Don't link to a specific page or a booking widget URL - link to the root domain. Your NAP on the website footer must exactly match your GBP - same business name, same address format, same phone number. This cross-reference is one of the ways Google confirms your location data is accurate.

Your website also needs to mention your suburb and surrounding areas naturally in the content - not stuffed in awkwardly, but as part of how you describe your practice and who you serve. A GBP without a supporting website that reinforces the same signals will rank lower than one with both working together. And the website itself needs to be fast - a slow-loading site undermines the GBP work you've done; see our guide on why PageSpeed scores matter for the full picture.

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