Local SEO has evolved a ton over the years. First, it was about being listed online (does your practice exist?). Then Google Maps and reviews became factors (are you visible and findable?). And then it was about clear location information on your website (does your practice convert?). Now, with AI entering the picture, we’re into what Benu Aggarwal calls “Local 5.0.”
In her article “Local 5.0: The next evolution of local SEO is here” for Search Engine Land, Benu talks about how AI has made local SEO evolve yet again, based on its ability to interpret search intent and connect contextual information. Much of the article is for enterprises with hundreds of locations, but there’s plenty of good insight for dental practices, too.
Benu’s core idea is simple: AIs don’t just check that your business exists. They look for evidence that your practice is the right answer to someone’s local search query — and those queries are getting very specific.
Take her example: before, a customer might simply type “bank near me” into Google. With an AI tool, that customer might ask, “I just moved to Denver and I’m self-employed. Which bank near me has free small-business checking and is open on Saturdays?” The AI tool will then verify every part of that query against real information it can find about each bank in that area.
The same applies to dental practices. On AI, a patient won’t just type in “dentist near me.” Instead, they’ll ask, “What dentist in Parramatta takes emergency walk-ins on Saturday mornings?” If your practice does all that but doesn’t state that information anywhere an AI can verify, it won’t recommend your practice.
That “verification” step used to fall on the customer, who’d click on different results and read website pages. Now AI does the verifying, but it can only verify what it actually finds.
So what can you do to make sure AI actually finds your practice’s information?
Be consistent everywhere. All your practice information (name, address, phone number, hours, and services) must match across all platforms. That’s everywhere: websites, Google Business Profiles, dental directories, and social media. If an AI finds conflicting information, it loses confidence in recommending you.
Be specific about your dental services. Generic descriptions like “We offer general and cosmetic dentistry” aren’t enough anymore. If your practice offers early morning hours or flexible payment options, state that clearly — on your website, GBP, even social accounts. That way, when a patient asks an AI, “Which dentist near me is open before work and has payment plans?”, you’ll actually show up.
Think about specific questions patients would ask AI. Instead of only targeting “dentist Brisbane,” think about queries like, “Which dentist in Brisbane does Invisalign for adults with payment in instalments?” Every detail — from Invisalign for adults to instalments — is a piece of evidence for the AI to pull. And ensure that information is in plain text on your website, not hidden in a PDF or baked into an image that AI can’t read.
Reviews matter more, not less. AI will use your website and GBP for factual information (e.g. hours or locations), but it also leans on third-party sources like reviews for subjective questions like “best” or “most gentle.” If a patient asks AI for a dentist that’s good with anxious kids, the AI will pull from reviews mentioning “great with my 7-year-old” or “made my daughter feel comfortable” — not your services page.
Keep your information fresh. AI tools weigh recency a lot. If your holiday hours are still listed from last Christmas, or your services page hasn’t been updated in 2 years, that fails as a trust signal. Review your GBP and key website pages (like service or landing pages) at least once a quarter to make sure everything’s current.
Make sure your practice is showing up when patients ask AI for a dentist! Our free Dental AI & SEO Blueprint walks you through the foundations of getting found on Google and AI search. Download the ebook for free here
