"Sometimes word-of-mouth beats online ratings, at least for me."
Totally get this. We had a similar issue—online reviews were glowing, but the place felt like a conveyor belt. Ended up asking around at my son's karate class and found a dentist who's patient and actually listens...made all the difference.
I see your point, but honestly, online reviews aren't always off-base. I've found some great dentists by carefully reading between the lines—especially the detailed reviews. Word-of-mouth can be hit-or-miss too...depends who's giving the recommendation, right?
I get what you mean about detailed reviews, but I've been burned by overly glowing online feedback before...like the dentist everyone raved about who turned out to be totally rushed with my kid. Sometimes a friend's casual tip ends up being way more reliable.
"Sometimes a friend's casual tip ends up being way more reliable."
I totally see your point about friends' recommendations being valuable, especially when you've had a disappointing experience with highly-rated dentists. But I'd gently suggest not dismissing detailed online reviews entirely. In my experience, the key is to look beyond just the star ratings or glowing praise. I usually pay attention to specific details mentioned repeatedly—like how the dentist interacts with kids, their patience level, or even how the office handles scheduling and wait times.
For instance, I once found a dentist who had mixed reviews overall, but multiple parents specifically praised her calm demeanor and gentle approach with anxious kids. Turned out she was fantastic with my daughter, who used to dread dental visits. So maybe it's less about avoiding online reviews altogether and more about knowing how to read between the lines? Just my two cents...
Haha, totally get what you're saying about reading between the lines. I once went to a dentist with rave reviews online—like, glowing stuff—but turns out he was just super charming and had a fancy waiting room with free coffee. Actual dental skills? Meh. Ended up switching to a dentist my neighbor casually mentioned at a BBQ, who turned out to be amazing with my kids and didn't even have free coffee... go figure.
