How we score dentists in Kuala Lumpur: our methodology

Who publishes these rankings

Kuala Lumpur Dentist Guide is published by Waypoint Local Guides (waypoint.my), which runs independent city directories for everyday services across Malaysia. Right now our focus is dentists in Kuala Lumpur. The rankings are maintained by Sarah, Editor, who oversees the method and the lists you see on the home page.

What the score is

Every one of the 303 businesses we currently score gets a composite number from 0 to 100. It is built from five measured signals, each with a fixed weight. The inputs are public customer reviews and the contact details a business lists. Nothing else goes in.

The five signals, heaviest first

Signal	Weight	What it measures
Sentiment	28%	Synthesis of recent review themes: praise versus complaints
Rating	26%	Google aggregate star rating
Volume	20%	How many reviews, log-scaled
Recency	14%	How recently customers reviewed
Completeness	12%	Whether phone, website, hours and address are listed

Sentiment (28%)

This carries the most weight because a star average hides patterns. Two clinics can both sit at 4.6 stars, yet one keeps collecting the same complaint: long waits past the appointment time, surprise charges at the counter, or pain during treatment. The only way to catch that is to read what recent reviews actually say. We synthesise those themes and weigh the praise against the complaints.

Rating (26%)

The Google star average is a useful, widely understood summary of overall satisfaction. We use it, but we do not let it decide alone.

Volume (20%)

Ten reviews and several hundred reviews do not tell you the same thing. We scale volume logarithmically, so going from 5 to 50 reviews counts for far more than going from 500 to 545. A handful of reviews cannot match a long record.

Recency (14%)

Dentists change. Staff leave, clinics move, prices shift. Reviews from the last few months say more about what you will meet than reviews from years ago.

Completeness (12%)

A listed phone number, website, opening hours and address make a clinic easier to check and book. Missing details are a small practical cost to you, so they carry a small weight.

Honest limits

• Low-confidence scores. A business with few recent reviews gets a score we label as low confidence. Treat it as a rough guide.
• We synthesise, not republish. We summarise review themes in our own words and link out to Google so you can read the source reviews yourself.
• Reviews are not clinical audits. The score reflects patient experience. It cannot judge the technical quality of treatment, so check credentials and ask questions before you commit.
• Specialties differ. For a focused list, such as orthodontics, compare the score alongside what the clinic actually offers.

Scores are earned, never edited

Scores come from this rubric and this data only. No one edits them by hand. Paid placement, when it exists, is always labelled as sponsored and never changes the score. If a list's picks or order were reviewed by an editor, that list says so on the page itself.

How we keep it current

We refresh the data monthly. Each listing carries a "last verified" stamp so you can see when we last checked it. If a stamp looks old, treat the details with extra care and confirm by phone.

Contact

Spotted a wrong phone number, a closed clinic, or a score you think is off? Email Sarah and the team at hello@waypoint.my. We will check it against the data and correct factual errors. We do not change scores on request.