New Zealand dental practices earn glowing reviews but stay largely invisible in search, and most are sliding backwards
Across 115 New Zealand dental practices assessed this quarter, reputations are strong yet reach is thin. The cohort holds a median rating of 4.8 and 96 reviews, but a median digital score of 46.1 and just 2.6 per cent reaching the Accomplished tier point to widespread underperformance online.
Strong ratings mask fragile digital foundations
The cohort posts a median rating of 4.8 and a median 96 reviews, with the top quartile clearing 190. Yet only 4.4 per cent of practices convert that reputation into broader digital strength, showing that goodwill on review platforms is not translating into visibility or performance elsewhere.
Nearly half the cohort barely registers in search
Around 46 per cent of practices are effectively invisible in search, and 63.7 per cent sit in the low-traffic band based on third-party estimates. A median domain authority of just 10 helps explain why so many reputable practices are hard to find when patients look online.
Decliners outnumber growers by nearly two to one
Only 35.1 per cent of practices are growing while 63.5 per cent are in decline, and 12 have collapsed outright. The divergence suggests momentum is concentrated in a minority, with the majority losing ground quarter on quarter.
Weak sites undercut otherwise trusted practices
With 43.5 per cent of the cohort in the digital bottom tier and a median score of 46.1, website and conversion performance is a clear drag. The prevalence of WordPress, Wix and undetected platforms among top setups points to inconsistent build quality across the field.
| Region | Businesses | Median RADAR | Accomplished | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WKO | 7 | 60.2 | — | |
| NSW | 1 | 50.6 | — | |
| CAN | 12 | 48 | 2 | |
| WGN | 16 | 48 | — | |
| BOP | 5 | 46.6 | — | |
| AUK | 43 | 43.9 | 1 | |
| OTA | 3 | 37.8 | — |
Smaller cohorts shown for indication only.