Google’s new AI Overview feature is starting to change how people search for information online—and it could have a real impact on how potential patients find your dental practice. This new tool uses Google’s Gemini model to create quick summaries at the top of search results, often answering a user’s question before they ever click on a website.
For dental practices that rely on Google search traffic, this is something to watch closely.
How AI Overview Works
When someone types in a question like “How often should I get a dental cleaning?” Google may now display an AI-generated answer before any website links appear. These summaries pull from multiple sources on the web, highlighting key points and sometimes including links to more information.
Search Engine Land explains that “Google AI Overviews work by synthesizing content from multiple high-quality sources… There is no special markup or structured data needed.” That means your dental website might be included if your content is accurate, informative, and well-structured.
ChatGPT as a Referral Source
Interestingly, some businesses are now seeing traffic from ChatGPT. As Search Engine Land reports, “Small publishers are now seeing a surprising amount of referral traffic from ChatGPT.” If your content is reliable and relevant, AI platforms like ChatGPT may start pointing users your way too.
What This Means for Dental Practices
This feature has raised concerns across many industries, especially healthcare. With quick answers shown right at the top, fewer users may click through to actual websites. According to The Wall Street Journal, “some publishers have seen traffic drops of up to 60% after the rollout of Google’s AI tools.”
That could impact pages on your site that cover general topics like dental hygiene tips, types of procedures, or even insurance information. If fewer people are clicking on those resources, you might see a decline in new patient inquiries through organic search.
What You Can Do
To stay visible in this evolving search landscape, focus on creating strong, location-specific content. AI-generated summaries are less likely to pull from pages that include local references, so make sure your service pages clearly mention your city or neighborhood and answer the kinds of questions real patients might ask. In addition, keep your website content detailed, accurate, and trustworthy. Google continues to prioritize well-written, informative content when deciding what sources to feature. Finally, keep a close eye on your website traffic. Monitoring any shifts in organic performance can help you understand if AI-generated answers are impacting your visibility and give you time to adjust your strategy.
