Competitor Analysis Example: Orthodontic Practice Brief (fictional names, realistic scenarios)
The brief on this page is a sample brief: the business, its competitors and the events in it are fictional. The format is real — it is rendered by the same template, with the same kinds of signals and action items, that an orthodontic practice in Sacramento would receive on the days they pick after subscribing. Because the businesses are made up, each item names the kind of source instead of linking it; in a real brief, the Sources line links the actual page it was read from.
Your Google listing now shows different holiday hours than before: Thanksgiving Day and the day after are listed as closed. If that is right, no action is needed. If not, fix it in your Business Profile so customers are not turned away.
- Capitol Ridge Orthodontics: Clear aligners "$0 down, from $149 a month," with a free 3D scan
- American River Orthodontic Group: New insurance page lists six PPO plans it is in-network with
- Land Park Family Orthodontics: Five new reviews mention a surprise bill after insurance paid
One high-priority item for Delta Oak Orthodontics warrants action this week.
A general dental practice nearby now advertises clear aligners
Bridgeway Family Dental, a general dentistry practice about 2 miles from you, added a clear-aligner page and a Google post: "straighter teeth without braces." It does not list an orthodontist on staff.
Sources: Competitor's website + Google post
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🔴 HIGH PRIORITY
Clear aligners "$0 down, from $149 a month," with a free 3D scan
Capitol Ridge Orthodontics put a new offer on its homepage and Instagram this week: clear aligners for "$0 down, from $149/month" and a free 3D scan at the first visit. The small print says "with approved credit, 24-month term, total fee varies by case." A parent or adult comparing practices sees a monthly number before any total.
Sources: Competitor's website (aligner offer page) + Instagram post
🟡 MEDIUM PRIORITY
New insurance page lists six PPO plans it is in-network with
American River Orthodontic Group added an "Insurance & Payment" page listing six dental PPO plans it is in-network with, a lifetime-maximum explainer and a "we file your claim" promise. Before, its site said only "we accept most insurance."
Sources: Competitor's website (new insurance page)
Five new reviews mention a surprise bill after insurance paid
Land Park Family Orthodontics picked up five 1- and 2-star Google reviews this month. Four describe a bill that came after insurance paid, larger than expected; two say it was hard to reach the billing office. The reviews don't say why.
Sources: Google Business Profile listing (reviews)
🟢 LOW PRIORITY / FYI
Hiring a bilingual (Spanish) treatment coordinator
American River Orthodontic Group posted an opening for a treatment coordinator who speaks Spanish, to "walk families through treatment and payment options."
Sources: Job posting (Indeed)
📊 Your Service Mention Scorecard™
Your monthly scorecard — gaps (services competitors mention that your site doesn't) and edges (services you mention that they don't).
- Virtual consultation — 2 of 3 competitors advertise this on their website — we couldn't find it on yours.
- In-network insurance plans listed — 1 competitor advertises this on their website — we couldn't find it on yours.
- Free 3D scan — 1 competitor advertises this on their website — we couldn't find it on yours.
📊 Service Mention Scorecard — top rows
| Service | You | Land Park Family Orthodontics | Capitol Ridge Orthodontics | American River Orthodontic Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🟠 Virtual consultation | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| 🟡 In-network insurance plans listed | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| 🟡 Free 3D scan | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Retainer replacement plan | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Before-school appointments | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
✓ mentioned on site ✗ not found ? not confirmed
Based on what each business advertises on its public website — not a guarantee of what they do or don't offer.
⭐ Google reviews landscape
Where you stand on Google reputation vs. the competitors we monitor — star rating and total review count. More reviews = more inbound trust; a rising competitor is pulling ahead on social proof.
| Business | Rating | Reviews |
| American River Orthodontic Group | 4.8★ | 158 |
| Delta Oak Orthodontics (YOU) | 4.7★ | 96 |
| Capitol Ridge Orthodontics | 4.6★ | 377 |
| Land Park Family Orthodontics | 4.3★ | 214 |
💡 You rank #4 of 4 on review volume.
🗣️ What customers are saying
We read 96 of Delta Oak Orthodontics’s Google reviews and 287 reviews of 4 competitors — a sample, not their totals. We read each business’s newest reviews plus its 10 lowest- and 10 highest-rated, so strong opinions are over-represented on purpose. This is what reviewers volunteered, not a survey.
What your customers praise
- clear about costs up front · 15 of the 96 we read
“They told us exactly what insurance would cover and what we would owe” - kind with kids · 11 of the 96 we read
What your customers complain about
- few after-school appointments · 4 of the 96 we read
“Hard to get a 3:30 slot, we often have to pull our son out of school”
What your website leads with — and whether reviewers mention it
- Free consultation · mentioned in 3 of 96 reviews
- Payment plans available · mentioned in 2 of 96 reviews
Gripe Gap™ — where you may have an edge
Your reviewers praise something that competitors’ customers complain about. “Possible” means the competitor side rests mostly on their lowest-rated reviews, which we read on purpose.
Your reviewer: “They told us exactly what insurance would cover and what we would owe”
→ If that matches what you see, say it where people compare you — your Google Business Profile and your website. Don't name or knock the competitor. Ask a few customers first whether it's why they chose you.
Not an edge yet
- Scheduling: customers complain about “few after-school appointments” at 2 competitors, and 4 of your reviews raise “few after-school appointments” too.
Competitor by competitor — what their customers complain about
Land Park Family Orthodontics · 4.3★ · 214 reviews · we read 30
surprise bill after insurance (6) — “A bill showed up months later that nobody had mentioned”; few after-school appointments (3)
Capitol Ridge Orthodontics · 4.6★ · 377 reviews · we read 30
surprise bill after insurance (3); long waits in the office (3)
American River Orthodontic Group · 4.8★ · 158 reviews · we read 30
few after-school appointments (3)
What competitors' customers praise
- helpful with insurance paperwork · 7 reviews across 2 competitors
Replies to reviews
You replied to 12 of your last 30 reviews (1 of 2 rated 3★ or lower). The typical competitor replies to 35%.
Worth asking your next few customers
- When you compared practices, did the monthly payment or the total fee matter more?
- Was it clear which insurance plans we work with before your first visit?
💬 You have 2 new reviews to respond to
No owner reply was showing when we checked.
For your profession we use a short, neutral reply that never confirms someone is a client or patient — edit before posting.
- ★★★★★ · Nov 2 · open on Google
“Professional and easy to reach. Thank you.”Suggested replyThank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We truly appreciate it, and if you ever want to reach us, please call us at (555) 010-0142. - ★★★☆☆ · Oct 30 · open on Google
“It took a while to get a call back.”Suggested replyThank you for your feedback. We take every comment seriously, and privacy rules keep us from discussing details online, so please call us at (555) 010-0142 and we will be glad to talk.
Suggested replies are drafts: read and edit before you post. We never post anything for you. Copy a reply into your Google Business Profile.
| Rating | Reviews | New 30d | Replies | Services | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Oak Orthodontics | 4.7 (±0) | 96 (+5) | 5 (+1) | 40% (+5 pts) | 5 (±0) |
| Land Park Family Orthodon… | 4.3 (±0) | 214 (+7) | 7 (±0) | 29% (-2 pts) | 6 (±0) |
| Capitol Ridge Orthodontics | 4.6 (±0) | 377 (+3) | 3 (±0) | 35% (-2 pts) | 5 (±0) |
| American River Orthodonti… | 4.8 (±0) | 158 (+9) | 9 (+1) | 43% (-2 pts) | 7 (±0) |
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