Content analysis of online reviews for dental clinics in Saudi Arabia

Online reviews have become a popular platform for patients to share their valuable comments and experiences. Analyzing these reviews provides insights into patient perspectives regarding the services received, insights that may not be captured through traditional patient surveys. This study aimed to examine the content, prevalence, and distribution of Google reviews for dental clinics in three major cities in Saudi Arabia (SA). An observational study was performed by collecting Google reviews published between January 2022 and January 2024 about dental clinics in SA. Negative reviews were extracted and categorized into six domains and 17 sub-domains based on their content. A total of 34,931 Google reviews were collected, with a predominant majority being positive (61%). Statistically significant higher mean ratings were observed for dental clinics in Jeddah compared to those in other cities. Dammam had a relatively higher number of negative reviews and 1-star ratings. The most commonly cited complaints against dental clinics in SA included bad experiences, poor outcomes, dishonesty or distrust towards dentists, long waiting times, and expensive treatments. Monitoring these reviews is a crucial aspect of quality control, providing valuable insights into review trends and the most prevalent patient concerns faced by dental clinics in SA.