Why Does ChatGPT Recommend Other Dentists Instead of My Practice?

What the study did

A dental marketing company tracked 62 practices in 35 states. It asked ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity to recommend a dentist for a specific service in each practice's city. 224 searches were answered by all four tools (Digital Floss).

What it found:

• All four tools named the practice 13% of the time (Digital Floss).
• None of them named it 40% of the time (Digital Floss).
• In almost half the searches, the tools split: some named the practice and some didn't (Digital Floss).

It's one study from a company that sells this work, published October 21, 2026, and it covers US practices. Use it as a direction.

What "web footprint" means for a practice

It's how many trusted places describe your practice and the services you offer. For example:

1. A website page for each service you want patients to book, like implants, clear aligners or emergency visits, with your city and neighborhood on it.
2. Your Google Business Profile with every service listed and the right hours.
3. Dental directories and local "best of" lists, with the same name, address and phone everywhere.
4. Plain answers to the questions patients ask your front desk.

Reviews still matter to patients

The study didn't find more Google reviews meant more AI mentions. Patients still read them. Check your regulator's rules on reviews and testimonials before you ask for them or use them in your marketing.

Questions you should also be asking

• What websites does ChatGPT cite for dental questions?
• How do I get my business recommended by ChatGPT?
• How do I bring back overdue dental recall patients?
• How do I know if local SEO is worth it for my business?

FAQ

Why does ChatGPT recommend other dentists?

Usually because other practices show up in more places AI tools read. In one study of 62 practices, practices with a bigger web footprint were named more often.

How often do AI tools name a dental practice in its own city?

In one study of 62 US practices, all four AI tools tested named the practice only 13% of the time, and none named it 40% of the time.

Do more Google reviews get my practice recommended by AI?

Not in that study. Practices with more Google reviews weren't named more often. Reviews still matter to patients, so check your regulator's rules before you ask for them or share them.

What should a dental practice fix first for AI search?

A website page for each service with your city on it, a complete Google Business Profile, the same details on dental directories, and plain answers to common patient questions.

Want to see what AI tools say when someone asks for a dentist near your practice? Book a call and we'll check it together.