Local SEO for Dentists — get found by patients near you
When someone nearby searches "dentist near me," do you show up? Abby scans your practice site for the local-SEO signals Google uses to rank dental practices in the Map Pack — then hands you the exact fixes.
Dental practices compete in one of the most local markets in search. Someone with a toothache does not scroll — they search "dentist near me", look at the three practices in the Map Pack, glance at the star ratings, and call one. Everything below those three results is competing for what is left over.
What Abby checks for dentists
- Dentist / LocalBusiness schema with your address, phone, and hours
- NAP (name, address, phone) consistent across your site and Google Business Profile
- Review / rating schema — patients pick the practice with visible stars
- A tap-to-call number and a clear new-patient contact path
Why it matters: Most new patients choose from the Map Pack's top three results. Ranking there starts with the on-site signals this scan checks.
What we most often find on dentists sites
Opening hours that only exist on your Google Business Profile
Your hours are probably right on your Business Profile. If they are not also in your site's LocalBusiness schema, Google is reconciling two sources and fully trusting neither. Emergency-appointment searches are time-sensitive, and "open now" filtering depends on Google being confident about your hours.
A phone number that is not a link
On a phone, a number rendered as plain text costs you the tap. Wrap it in a tel: link. It is also one of the signals Google reads when deciding whether a page genuinely serves local intent.
Two offices sharing one contact page
If both practices sit on a single Contact page, Google cannot cleanly attribute either address. Each location needs its own page with its own schema block, its own phone number, and its own hours.
Questions we get asked
How quickly can we appear in the Map Pack?
On-site fixes are picked up on Google's next crawl of your site — days to a few weeks. Map Pack position also depends on reviews and proximity, which move more slowly. Treat the on-site signals as the part you control and can fix this week.
Do we need a separate page for every treatment?
Not in order to rank locally. One strong practice page with correct schema beats a dozen thin service pages. Add a treatment page when you have something specific to say about it — not to reach a page count.
Does our Google Business Profile matter more than our website?
For Map Pack ranking, it carries more weight — but the two are read together. Google cross-checks your profile against your site, and disagreements between them (an old address, different hours) reduce its confidence in both.
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