You've probably noticed it. That practice down the road always seems busy. Their car park is full. Their reception is buzzing. Meanwhile, you're looking at empty chairs and wondering what they're doing differently.
You've got a website. You've got a Google listing. You're a good dentist. So why does it feel like patients are going somewhere else?
Here's the uncomfortable truth: 70% of clicks from patients searching for a dentist go to just three practices. The top three on Google. Everyone else splits the remaining 30%. And if you're in position 4 or below? You're essentially invisible.
The 70% Reality Most Dentists Never See
When someone in your suburb searches for a dentist, they're not scrolling through pages of results. They're not comparing twenty different practices. They're looking at the first few options Google shows them, and they're making a decision in seconds.
The data is clear: 46% of all Google searches are looking for something local. That's nearly half of all searches. For a dental practice, this is everything. These are people actively looking for a dentist right now, in their area, ready to book.
But here's what most dentists don't realise: 60-70% of those clicks go to just the top 3 listings. If you're not one of those three, you're fighting over scraps with everyone else.
If you want to see where you actually rank in your suburb, run a quick Visibility Check. In about 2 minutes it will show how easily patients find you on Google and how many new-patient enquiries are likely going to other dentists instead.
Why Google Maps Matters More Than Your Website
You spent money on your website. Maybe you even paid an agency to make it look professional. And it probably does look good. But here's what nobody told you: most patients never see it.
When someone searches "dentist near me" or "dentist [your suburb]", Google shows them a map with three businesses listed underneath it. This is called the Local Pack, and it appears above all the regular website results. Your beautiful website is buried below the fold, after the map, after the ads, after everything else.
Most patients don't scroll that far. They see the map, they see three dentists with their reviews and ratings right there, and they make a decision. If you're not in that map pack, they don't even know you exist.
The Three Places You Can Appear on Google
When a potential patient searches for a dentist, there are actually three different places your practice could show up. Understanding this is the first step to seeing why you might be invisible.
The Local Pack (Map Results): This is the map with three businesses shown directly in the search results. It's the prime real estate. Only three practices fit here, and they get 60-70% of all clicks. This is powered by your Google Business Profile.
Google Maps (Full Map View): When someone clicks to see more map results, they see a larger list. But even here, position matters. Most people don't scroll past the first few options.
Organic Search Results: These are the traditional website listings that appear below the map. This is where your website shows up. But for local searches like "dentist near me," most patients never get this far. They've already found what they need in the map.
Your Visibility Check shows exactly where you rank in all three of these places, and which nearby dentists are appearing above you.
What Actually Determines Who Shows Up First
Here's where it gets frustrating. The practice showing up first isn't necessarily the best dentist. They're not necessarily cheaper or more experienced. They've just done a better job of telling Google they exist and they're trustworthy.
You might look at the top-ranking practice and think, "Their work isn't better than mine." You'd probably be right. But Google doesn't know that. Google only knows what it can see: their reviews, their Google Business Profile, how often they get mentioned online, whether their information is consistent across the internet.
The uncomfortable reality is that your clinical skills don't translate to Google visibility. Being a great dentist doesn't make Google show your practice to searching patients. Those are two completely different games.
And this is where most dentists get stuck. You didn't go to dental school to learn about Google algorithms. You went to help patients with their teeth. Marketing feels like a black box. You spend money, you get invoices, but you have no idea if it's actually working.
The Compound Effect of Being Invisible
Every month you're not in the top 3, you're losing patients. Not just one or two. Every single patient who searches for a dentist in your area and doesn't see you is a patient who went to someone else.
And it compounds. Those patients get comfortable with their new dentist. They bring their families. They leave reviews. Those reviews help that other practice rank even higher. Meanwhile, you're still invisible, still wondering why the phone isn't ringing more often.
The practice down the road isn't doing anything magical. They've just figured out how to show up when patients are looking. And every day they're visible while you're not, the gap widens.
Stop Guessing, Start Seeing
The first step isn't to panic. It's not to sign up for another expensive marketing package that promises everything and delivers invoices. The first step is simply to see where you actually stand.
Right now, you probably have no idea whether you're in the top 3 or position 15. You don't know if patients in the next suburb over can even find you. You don't know which of your competitors is actually getting the clicks.
You can't fix what you can't see. And until you see the problem clearly, any solution is just guesswork.
If you're not sure how many new-patient enquiries you're losing on Google, don't guess. Run a free Visibility Check and see exactly where you rank, how many potential patients are going to other dentists instead, and which nearby practices are getting them. It takes 2 minutes and shows you what's really happening when patients search for a dentist in your area.