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How To Maximize Your Dental Practice's Website Potential

May 19, 2011
What does your website say about you? Hannah Daniel gives you some ideas on how to make a good first impression with your website design.
by Hannah Daniel

"Dentist in CA”

“Emergency dentist Chicago”

“Dallas, Texas dentist”

These are just a few examples of terms people might use when searching the web for a dentist. If your practice fits their search description, your website may come up in their search results. In these cases, your website might be your best chance for drawing tthese potential patients to your practice. That first impression could make all the difference, so what does your website say about you?What does it look like?It doesn’t have to be an award-winning design that costs as much as your rent. The goal is simply an attractive layout that looks professional and yet relatable. If people don’t like what they find on your website, you may lose a potential patient.A good dental website has a clean, modern, uncluttered design with simple buttons to guide patients toward the information they need. Information overload on the home page looks unattractive, so keep it simple. You can provide options for patients to click through for more information. Your patients are probably looking for information like:• Who are you? Are you qualified? (Include a simple, interesting dentist biography page.)
• Whom will I encounter in the office? (It might even be a good idea to include simple biographies on your hygienists and office assistants to provide familiarity. If you have a high staff turnover rate, however, you may want to avoid this approach.)
• Do you take my insurance? (Provide a page with the insurance plans you accept.)
• Where is the office located? (Definitely include your address, but you may also consider embedding an interactive map onto the page.)
• Do you really know what you’re talking about? (Some dentists include a blog page or a list of dental articles they have authored or coauthored. This gives the patient additional information about dental health as well as solidifying your expertise.)
• Do you perform cosmetic work or root canals? (You may want to include a list of the basic services you offer.)
• What is a root canal anyway? (You can be an extra help to your patients by adding a glossary page of dental terms or a section that explains various dental procedures.)
• How can I make an appointment? (Your phone number is
essential. If you want some extra pizzazz, you might even include an online tool where patients can make an appointment through the computer.)
Many dentists also include a photo of their reception areas so patients feel more comfortable about what to expect.Your website represents your practice, so make sure it’s accurate. Don’t give prospects the false impression that your practice is shady simply because your website looks bad! A polished website indicates a polished office.Does it provide something of value?Of course, the purpose of your website is to promote your practice, but it’s also important to provide something of value to prospective patients before they even come to your office. You will probably not stand out if your website is simply one big self-serving advertisement. As a dentist, you want to help people, and that can start right there on your website. You may want to include one or more of these ideas:• Simple glossary of dental terms
• Blog page with dental news or office updates (a new staff member, for example)
• List of dental statistics
• Fun games and ideas for kids
• Pictures of your work
• Helpful charts on tooth development, mouth structure, and/or oral disease symptoms
You don’t need to flood them with information or it might distract from your actual dental practice, but it’s nice to make visitors feel that clicking on your website was worthwhile.Start connecting with potential patients before they even step foot into your office. Word-of-mouth referrals are still the most solid way to bring in new patients, but these days people are also turning to the Internet if they don’t know where to find a good dentist. If you use it properly, your website can be a valuable marketing tool.

Hannah Daniel writes for a dental care blog backed by 1Dental.com, which offers discount dental plans nationwide. She enjoys keeping people up to date on dental news and helping them save money on dental care.