How Smart Acquisition Strategy Begins with One Overlooked Skill: Reviews

How Smart Acquisition Strategy Begins with One Overlooked Skill: Reviews

If you're preparing to open your own dental practice through acquisition, you've probably already started tackling the big questions—like how to finance a dental practice acquisition, how to structure a deal, or how to negotiate without overpaying.

But there’s one crucial skill that often gets overlooked in the rush to ownership: your ability to manage and leverage patient reviews.

And no, we’re not talking about some recycled “paste” advice.

What’s paste?
Paste is that generic, overused content you find in online forums, outdated CE handouts, or templated scripts that get passed around but rarely deliver results. It’s disconnected from your actual goals, your practice’s brand, and your patients’ expectations. And when it comes to building your reputation through reviews—especially in an acquisition—paste just won’t cut it.

Why Reviews Matter in Dental Practice Acquisitions

Reviews aren’t just about patient attraction. In the acquisition world, they have ripple effects across multiple areas of your practice:

• They influence the perceived value of the practice you’re buying

• They reveal culture patterns—things you’ll either inherit or need to correct

• They accelerate post-transition growth by building trust early

• They support your marketing strategy as you reintroduce the practice to the community

We’ve seen dentists acquire practices with outdated websites and zero social media—but strong reviews. And guess what? They hit their growth goals faster than those who started with prettier branding but weaker reputations.

Want to see how reputation influences trust on the ground level? Explore our post on how to build patient trust through clear communication.

Lessons from One of the Best: Dr. Len Tau’s Review Strategy

To help sharpen your review game, I invited Dr. Len Tau—a widely respected leader in digital reputation management—onto the Ideal Practices Podcast. He has over 1,600 reviews tied to his name. Not because he got lucky—but because he uses a repeatable, six-step system.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here:

Here are a few standout insights from our conversation:

1. Bad Reviews Aren’t Always Bad

Dr. Tau actually welcomes the occasional negative review. Why? Because a “perfect” 5.0 rating can look suspicious. A few imperfect scores add authenticity—and help patients trust the rest.

2. Not All Platforms Are Equal

Google almost always wins when it comes to SEO and visibility. Yelp and Facebook have their place, but Dr. Tau explains exactly where to focus depending on your goals.

3. Stop Bad Reviews Before They Happen

Dr. Tau shares a four-part scripting system his team uses to prevent negative reviews before they’re ever posted. It’s especially critical in the early weeks after acquiring a practice, when patients are still adjusting to the change.

4. Asking Doesn’t Have to Feel Awkward

When done right, requesting a review becomes a natural part of the patient experience—not a sales pitch. Dr. Tau’s team uses subtle, human moments to make the ask feel effortless.

Looking to fine-tune your communication across the board? Our post on ethical communication for dentists will show you how to connect without sounding like a script.

Six Steps to Build Review Momentum

Here’s a simplified version of Dr. Tau’s framework:

• Identify the right patients to ask

• Time your request for the moment of peak satisfaction

• Use a personalized, direct approach—not a mass text

• Provide simple, clear instructions

• Follow up (gently)

• Celebrate new reviews with your team

This isn’t about going viral—it’s about consistency. The best acquisition strategies are built on systems, not wishful thinking.

Don’t Let This Become an Afterthought

If you’re deep into due diligence or evaluating a practice’s financials, reviews might seem like a “later” priority. But don’t wait.

Reviews will shape how quickly you retain existing patients and how fast new ones trust your leadership.

Start building this muscle before you ever sign the LOI. It’ll save you time, money, and stress on the other side of the deal.

Want the Full Review System?

Dr. Tau walks through his 15 Rules of Reviews in detail during our podcast episode. You can get the full workbook—and hear how it fits into a broader acquisition strategy—when you subscribe to the Ideal Practices Podcast.

And if you’re in the early stages of evaluating practices or planning your acquisition, this is exactly the kind of tactical support we offer in the Startup Practice Blueprint—our comprehensive program for dentists building a startup (or acquiring one) with strategy and purpose.

Final Thought

Whether you’re buying a practice or building from the ground up, your reviews are part of your transition.

The good news? You don’t need a perfect 5.0 score to win.

You just need a plan.

So skip the paste. Learn from real experts. And make every review count—starting today.

— Stephen Trutter
President, Ideal Practices