Google Business Profile for Practices With More Than One Doctor
A practice with more than one public-facing doctor can have one Google Business Profile for the practice and one for each doctor. Google's rules say each doctor's profile carries only the doctor's name. A doctor who is the only practitioner at a branded practice shares one profile with it, named "Practice: Doctor."
I see a lot of offices put the doctor's name and the practice name together on a profile. That can be the right call, but only in one of these setups, and Google spells out which one.
Below is who qualifies for a doctor's own profile, the setup that fits your practice, how to name and categorize each profile, what to do when a doctor moves on, and a checklist you can hand to your office manager.
- Google treats dentists and doctors as individual practitioners who can have their own Business Profile.
- A doctor qualifies if they are public-facing and can be contacted directly at the location during stated hours.
- With several public-facing doctors, the practice gets its own profile and each doctor's profile uses only the doctor's name.
- A solo doctor at a branded practice shares one profile, named in the format [brand]: [practitioner name].
- Adding unnecessary information to a profile name isn't permitted and could lead to a suspension.
Who qualifies for a doctor's own Google Business Profile?
A doctor who sees patients and can be reached at the office. Google's guidelines for representing your business describe an individual practitioner as "a public-facing professional, typically with their own customer base," and they name doctors and dentists in the list.
Google says a practitioner should have their own profile if two things are true:
- They work in a public-facing role. Google says support staff should not create their own Business Profiles.
- They can be contacted directly at the verified location during stated hours.
A few more rules from the same section:
- One profile per doctor. Google says a practitioner shouldn't have multiple Business Profiles to cover all of their specializations.
- Titles are fine. A practitioner profile may include a title or degree, and Google's examples include Dr. and MD. In Florida, Fla. Stat. 466.019(5) treats D.D.S. and D.M.D. as interchangeable for licensed dentists.
Which setup fits your practice?
It comes down to how many public-facing doctors work at the location and whether the practice has its own brand name.
| Your practice | Setup | How the name reads |
|---|---|---|
| One doctor, practice has its own brand name | One shared profile for the practice and the doctor | [Practice Name]: Dr. [Name] |
| Several public-facing doctors at one location | One practice profile, plus one profile for each public-facing doctor | Practice profile: [Practice Name]. Doctor profiles: Dr. [Name], DMD |
| Practice named after its only doctor | One profile under the name on your sign and website | The real-world name, as patients see it |
| Team members who support the doctors | No profile of their own | Not applicable |
Source: Google's guidelines for representing your business, Individual practitioners section
The combined name only shows up in the first row. Google's example is an insurance office, "Allstate: Joe Miller," where Joe is the only public-facing practitioner at that location. For a dental practice that reads "[Practice Name]: Dr. [Name]."
Once a second doctor joins and sees patients, Google's guidance changes. The organization should have its own profile for the location, separate from the doctors' profiles, and each doctor's profile title "should include only the name of the practitioner, and shouldn't include the name of the organization."
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How should each profile be named?
Use the real name. Google says your name "should reflect your business's real-world name, as used consistently on your storefront, website, stationery," and as known to customers. It also says including unnecessary information in the name isn't permitted and could result in a suspension.
Here's the difference in one line each:
Out: "Dr. Jane Smith, DMD | Top Implant Dentist Jupiter FL"
In: "Dr. Jane Smith, DMD"
The first version breaks Google's name rule. In Florida it also runs into Fla. Stat. 466.019, which defines an advertisement to include websites and social media and bars laudatory statements about the dentist. I treat every Business Profile as advertising and write it to the same standard.
The services and the area go where Google wants them: the categories, the description, the services list and your website.
Which categories should each profile use?
As few as possible, and as specific as possible. Google's guidelines say to "use as few categories as possible to describe your overall core business" and not to use categories "solely as keywords."
For a multi-doctor practice, I set it up like this:
- The practice profile gets the category that describes the practice as a whole.
- Each doctor's profile gets the category that matches that doctor's actual work. An oral surgeon in a multi-specialty office and a general dentist down the hall don't need the same primary category.
- Specialty categories stay with specialists. Fla. Stat. 466.0282 limits who can hold themselves out as a specialist in Florida, so I wouldn't put a specialty category on the profile of a doctor who doesn't qualify. Ask your attorney if a doctor's status is unclear.
Accuracy matters more than volume here. Google's local ranking help says businesses with complete and accurate info are more likely to show up in local search results.
What about departments?
Most private practices won't need them. Google allows separate profiles for departments that are public-facing and operate as distinct entities, and says they typically have a separate customer entrance. Each department's name must be different from the main business, and its main category must be different too. A hospital-based oral surgery clinic might fit. An extra treatment room in your office doesn't.
What happens when a doctor leaves?
Plan for it on the doctor's first day, and it's an easy week when the time comes. Google's guidelines page doesn't spell out a process for a practitioner who leaves, so I put the plan in writing up front: who manages the doctor's profile, and what happens to it after they go.
The tools Google documents are these:
- Update the details. If the doctor is now at another office, the address, phone and hours should match where they are.
- Mark it permanently closed. Google notes the profile may still appear on Search and Maps for people who search for it.
- Remove the profile from your Google Account. Read Google's steps closely first, since one option removes the profile's content and managers.
The same week, update the practice profile, the doctor list on your website and any ads that name the doctor. If a profile won't change the way you need, contact Google Business Profile support rather than creating a second profile.
- One practice profile under the name on your sign and website
- A profile for each public-facing doctor who can be contacted at the location
- Doctor profiles carry only the doctor's name, with a title or degree if you like
- A solo doctor at a branded practice shares one profile: [Practice]: Dr. [Name]
- No city, service or slogan added to any name
- Categories as few and as specific as possible, matching each doctor's actual work
- No specialty category for a doctor who is not a specialist under Fla. Stat. 466.0282
- A written plan for each doctor profile if that doctor leaves
Source: Google's guidelines for representing your business, Fla. Stat. 466.0282
What to do next
In the Double Jaw Method™, the top jaw is thinking: name the patient you want more of. The bottom jaw is action: attract them and wow them. A doctor's profile is where both meet: it tells a patient exactly who they'll see, and it gives that patient a person to choose. A Method Review applies both jaws to your practice.
- Search Google Maps for each doctor's name and write down every profile that comes up.
- Use the table above to pick your setup, and rename any profile that carries the wrong name.
- Trim each profile's categories to the few that match that doctor's work.
- Ask each doctor to confirm, in writing, who manages their profile and what happens to it if they leave.
- Put one person in charge of replies on every profile, the practice's and the doctors'.
Profiles are step one of five in how to get more dental patients, and each doctor's profile collects its own reviews, so the steps in Google reviews for dentists apply to every one. See how we set this up for dentists, orthodontists, oral surgeons and speech-language pathologists.
FAQ
Can a doctor's Google Business Profile include the practice name?
Only in one setup. If the doctor is the only public-facing practitioner at a branded practice, Google says to share one profile named in the format [brand]: [practitioner name]. If several public-facing doctors work at the location, each doctor's profile should carry only the doctor's name.
Can a doctor have more than one Business Profile?
Not for different specialties. Google's guidelines say a practitioner shouldn't have multiple Business Profiles to cover all of their specializations.
Should hygienists or assistants have their own profiles?
No. Google says support staff should not create their own Business Profiles. A practitioner profile is for a public-facing professional who can be contacted directly at the verified location during stated hours.
Can I add keywords like the city or a service to a profile name?
No. Google says the name should reflect your real-world name and that including unnecessary information in the name isn't permitted and could result in a suspension. Put services and areas in the categories, the description and your website.
Can I pay Google to rank a doctor's profile higher?
No. Google's local ranking help says there's no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. Complete, accurate profiles and reviews are what Google points to.
Book a Method Review
Book a Method Review: a free 15-minute call with Blake by phone or Zoom. We'll look at your practice and doctor profiles together, and you get a written Method Plan with the first fixes in order, yours to keep whether we work together or not.
