How results are ranked
When you search, we first find the practices that are a relevant match for what you asked for: the place, the kind of care, opening days and languages. Then we put them in order. This page explains what decides that order.
1. How well a practice fits your search. This is the main factor. Our software compares what you asked for with the details we hold about each practice. Where a practice is counts as part of its fit: a practice in the suburb you searched for fits better than one in a nearby suburb, and that fits better than one further away. Our software uses an AI service, or keyword matching, to understand what you typed. The AI service doesn't decide which practices exist and doesn't add anything to them.
2. The details we hold. Fit can only use the details we hold. Some listings are built from public sources, such as business directories and a practice's own website. If the only information we have about a practice's services comes from general business categories, we can't be sure it offers what you asked for. That listing won't be shown as a "Strong match" and can appear lower. A practice can confirm its details with us at any time.
3. Distance. When practices fit your search equally well, the nearer one comes first. Distances are in kilometres (km).
4. Premium listings. Premium listings are paid. A Premium listing that is a relevant match for your search is shown above the other matching results, with the label "Premium". If more than one Premium listing matches, they are ordered by how well each one fits your search. Premium is available by application; we approve each Premium listing before it goes live. Some Premium practices are clients of JR Marketing Group.
Labels you may see. "Reviewed listing" means the practice has agreed to be listed and has confirmed its details with us, and we have reviewed them. "Basic listing" means the details come from public sources and haven't yet been reviewed by Find a Dentist. Neither label says anything about the quality of care.
What doesn't change. "Why we recommend" is written from a practice's stored details and says nothing about payment or ranking. A Premium listing isn't an endorsement and says nothing about the quality of care. We never show a practice that isn't a relevant match just because it pays.
Emergencies. If your search sounds like an emergency, we show emergency advice first: call 000. In an emergency or urgent search, a Premium listing is only placed above others if its stored details show that the practice offers emergency or urgent dental care.
Who runs Find a Dentist. Find a Dentist is a trading name of JR Marketing Group Pty Ltd (ABN 90 606 960 721). Some listed practices are clients of JR Marketing Group.
See also How Premium listings work and our Privacy Policy.