A negative online review can damage trust in seconds, but a rushed response may expose a surgeon to even greater risk. In this episode of Everyday Oral Surgery, Dr. Grant Stucki is joined by Dan Powell, managing partner at Minc Law and an attorney specializing in internet defamation and online reputation matters. In their conversation, Dan explains how to distinguish protected opinion from potentially actionable false claims and why the decision to act should weigh both legal options and practical consequences. They discuss patient privacy, review-platform and Federal Trade Commission rules, anonymous posters, reputation monitoring, and the risks of threatening legal action without a sound claim. They also unpack how to approach dissatisfied patients, manage refund demands and threats of public exposure, and build a rapid-response process that protects the practice without escalating the issue. Tune in for common-sense guidance on responding calmly, protecting your reputation, and knowing when professional legal help may be necessary.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Meet attorney Dan Powell and learn how Minc Law focuses on internet defamation.
- What surgeons should assess before responding to a negative online review.
- Hear how protected opinion differs from a potentially defamatory statement.
- Learn when legal representation may help and when taking action could make matters worse.
- Explore the five elements of defamation and why false facts and fault matter most.
- Consider the damage online attacks can cause to a surgeon’s reputation and practice.
- Steps to protect your digital reputation with genuine reviews and active monitoring.
- Discover how to respond to patient complaints without breaching privacy laws.
- Unfounded legal threats that could violate FTC rules or trigger anti-SLAPP consequences.
- Gain insights for navigating refund demands and threats of public exposure.
- Uncover practical steps to create a rapid-response plan for positive and negative reviews.
- Understand why one-party and two-party recording laws matter before calling a patient.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Daniel Powell — https://www.minclaw.com/bio/daniel-powell/
Minc Law — https://www.minclaw.com/
Minc Law Contact Email — jlauder@minclaw.com
Minc Law Contact Cell — (419) 343-0928
Minc Law Address — 200 Park Avenue, Suite 200, Orange Village, Ohio 44122
HIPAA for Professionals — https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/index.html
FTC Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule — https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/consumer-reviews-testimonials-rule-questions-answers
Everyday Oral Surgery Website — https://www.everydayoralsurgery.com/
Everyday Oral Surgery on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/everydayoralsurgery/
Everyday Oral Surgery on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/EverydayOralSurgery/
Dr. Grant Stucki Email — grantstucki@gmail.com
Dr. Grant Stucki Phone — 720-441-6059
