The dental industry is among the few medical fields that have considerably increased within Canada during the last decade. This enormous growth of dentists, orthodontists, denture specialists, hygienists, and oral surgeons has aided many people to be able to benefit from the dental care we all need.
In today’s digital era, it is not enough to have a plain dental practice’s website when seeking to win over patients to your clinic. Your website’s goal must always be converting website visitors to possible new patient calls.
Although dental websites should be attention-grabbing and look professional, the best dental websites should describe all dental practices and services and contain various elements that work together to generate an ideal user experience.
Here are some necessary features that must be included in a dental website.
In today’s digital era, it is not enough to have a plain dental practice’s website when seeking to win over patients to your clinic. Your website’s goal must always be converting website visitors to possible new patient calls.
Although dental websites should be attention-grabbing and look professional, the best dental websites should describe all dental practices and services and contain various elements that work together to generate an ideal user experience.
Here are some necessary features that must be included in a dental website.
Things You Should Include In Your Dental Website to Impress Prospective Patients
A Homepage
Your homepage is a digital-first impression of your office. It’s where new patients proceed to search for and acquire information about your dental practice.
Your website visitors will assess your practice within seconds of being on your home page. Utilize this as a chance to be innovative, clever, and viewable. The homepage should be eye-catching without being too flashy or jumbled.
What top pages do you need existing and potential patients to see? Feature them at the top of your home page as a detail of your website’s navigation menu.
Pick one remarkable image that shows off your practice and epitomizes your brand’s core. Think radiant, healthy, and beautiful smiles in a broad aspect. Great dental websites must spur your audience’s comfort and relief.
If you can connect with them through your homepage, your website visitors may schedule a consultation, become loyal patients, refer others to you, or at the very least bookmark your page for another time. This is why you should design a quality home page.
Your website visitors will assess your practice within seconds of being on your home page. Utilize this as a chance to be innovative, clever, and viewable. The homepage should be eye-catching without being too flashy or jumbled.
What top pages do you need existing and potential patients to see? Feature them at the top of your home page as a detail of your website’s navigation menu.
Pick one remarkable image that shows off your practice and epitomizes your brand’s core. Think radiant, healthy, and beautiful smiles in a broad aspect. Great dental websites must spur your audience’s comfort and relief.
If you can connect with them through your homepage, your website visitors may schedule a consultation, become loyal patients, refer others to you, or at the very least bookmark your page for another time. This is why you should design a quality home page.
About Us Page
The “About” page is one of the most visited pages on a dental website. Why? Because deciding on a dentist is a very biased, complicated, overwhelming, and sometimes worrying process.
People prefer a dental office they trust; one vital way to foster trust is by first giving priority to your team. A business is only as powerful as the employees who work there. This is the page they’ll seek when a website visitor needs to learn more about you as a dentist, your team, and the company and its operation.
Can potential patients differentiate one dentist from the other? What is the determining factor influencing prospective patients to schedule their first session? Usually, it’s the “About” page that distinguishes them.
When patients grasp who will check their teeth or treat them, they’ll feel more comfortable relying on you with something as essential as their oral health.
People prefer a dental office they trust; one vital way to foster trust is by first giving priority to your team. A business is only as powerful as the employees who work there. This is the page they’ll seek when a website visitor needs to learn more about you as a dentist, your team, and the company and its operation.
Can potential patients differentiate one dentist from the other? What is the determining factor influencing prospective patients to schedule their first session? Usually, it’s the “About” page that distinguishes them.
When patients grasp who will check their teeth or treat them, they’ll feel more comfortable relying on you with something as essential as their oral health.
About Us Page Should Look Like:
Begin with a superb image. If the culture of your office is friendly and lively, then be sure to emphasize the personalities of your team.
There are the following elements that should be incorporated on the About Us page:
There are the following elements that should be incorporated on the About Us page:
- History of the business
- Approach and philosophy to dentistry
- Photos of all the staff and dentists
- Short bio of each team member
- What makes the practice extraordinary?
Written Testimonials & Reviews
Online reviews are undoubtedly among the best-known and practical pieces of social proof. Research shows that online reviews influence 93% of consumers’ buying habits.
Hence, most website designers recommend you include them in your dental website. They help potential dental patients recognize that you’re the best dentist around the city. But you must ensure your reviews are being seen by your website visitors.
To do this, use the website’s logo where you copied the review – like Google, Facebook, or Yelp. Adding the review site’s logo removes the suspicion that the reviews are mock-ups. A potential new patient can visit Google and read the actual review there if they wish.
Hence, most website designers recommend you include them in your dental website. They help potential dental patients recognize that you’re the best dentist around the city. But you must ensure your reviews are being seen by your website visitors.
To do this, use the website’s logo where you copied the review – like Google, Facebook, or Yelp. Adding the review site’s logo removes the suspicion that the reviews are mock-ups. A potential new patient can visit Google and read the actual review there if they wish.
Services Page
You know your services; however, a prospective patient doesn’t.
Use your services page to describe your treatments or services to your new and existing patients. Explain what services you provide in plain terms. Remember that your visitors are not fellow local dentists, they are regular people. Your educational services page can help them figure out what you offer.
Use your services page to describe your treatments or services to your new and existing patients. Explain what services you provide in plain terms. Remember that your visitors are not fellow local dentists, they are regular people. Your educational services page can help them figure out what you offer.
Pages for Each Treatment/Services
Consider separating them into several pages for each specific service if you provide a vast list of services. It makes it more manageable for a patient who wishes to understand more about a particular treatment. Rather than reading through unrelated facts, they can click through to the information they need.
Use search engine optimization to help this page rank highly in Google searches. If someone types “teeth whitening in (your area),” that page has a possibility of emerging in search results. The more people discover you through search results, the more patients you’ll probably reach without spending money on advertisements.
Use search engine optimization to help this page rank highly in Google searches. If someone types “teeth whitening in (your area),” that page has a possibility of emerging in search results. The more people discover you through search results, the more patients you’ll probably reach without spending money on advertisements.
Online Scheduling
A growing number of people don’t want to call and talk to someone to book a consultation. Your new and current patients want to make appointments promptly and efficiently by scheduling online. Your website works for you around the clock, and embedding an online appointment feature enables you to arrange appointments for cleanings and exams 24/7. Patients will be grateful for the convenience, and your staff will welcome fewer calls!
If online scheduling isn’t doable, emphasize who to call and when to book or cancel an appointment. See to it that you incorporate your cancellation policy.
If online scheduling isn’t doable, emphasize who to call and when to book or cancel an appointment. See to it that you incorporate your cancellation policy.
Dental Patient In-Take Forms
The modern patient experience relies on convenience. Provide downloadable and printable forms a patient might need. And instead of uncomfortably writing personal information on a clipboard, your patient can sign them anytime, anywhere. This way, the accuracy is not restricted due to handwriting or miscommunication.
Be sure that these forms are connected to your dental practice management tool. Having a file for a new patient instantly when they email their forms will save your team time and simplify procedures.
If you brag about being eco-friendly, save a tree and let patients fill out documents digitally and submit them to you online.
Be sure that these forms are connected to your dental practice management tool. Having a file for a new patient instantly when they email their forms will save your team time and simplify procedures.
If you brag about being eco-friendly, save a tree and let patients fill out documents digitally and submit them to you online.
Smile Galleries
Besides testimonials, share a gallery of your work. Do before and after each treatment that you offer, if possible. Photo galleries on your dental website help people who consider smile makeovers and other cosmetic dentistry procedures to look at before-and-after photos and visualize the same outcomes. (Always ask for your patient’s approval before using their pictures.)
Consistent New Content Or Blog Post
Although blogging may not be appropriate for every dental practice, it seems sensible for many, especially if you intend to attract new patients. Though, the content should be fresh and consistent.
Yahoo, Google, and Bing put immense importance on the steady output of blog posts. Dental practices that blog more frequently than others will be rewarded with higher rankings in search engines, more appointments, and practice growth.
Yahoo, Google, and Bing put immense importance on the steady output of blog posts. Dental practices that blog more frequently than others will be rewarded with higher rankings in search engines, more appointments, and practice growth.
Credentials
If you acquired any specialty certifications for your industry, better showcase them so that people know you meet specific industry standards and have taken the time to verify them. Professional credentials can help progress your career, expand your patient base and grow your practice.
Contact Us Page
While you must include your phone number and address on every site page, a “Contact Us” page is still needed. It must be prominently displayed on the home page.
The “Contact Us” page should be more than just a number and a generic email address. It must contain both a simple contact form and an email address so that your visitor can reach out to ask a question. Also, provide emergency contact details for individuals with a dental emergency.
The “Contact Us” page should be more than just a number and a generic email address. It must contain both a simple contact form and an email address so that your visitor can reach out to ask a question. Also, provide emergency contact details for individuals with a dental emergency.
Hours and Location
Likewise, include your hours of operation and office address on the “Contact Us” page. Both current and prospective patients will thank you for making it easy to find your practice.
It is essential to add the hours and location to this page. Some dental practices also include a map and a set of directions. When citing the hours of services, there should be a direct comment on the number of working days and hours.
It is essential to add the hours and location to this page. Some dental practices also include a map and a set of directions. When citing the hours of services, there should be a direct comment on the number of working days and hours.
Call To Action On Every Page
Anywhere a visitor clicks on your website, you should tell them what to do next. Your calls-to-action or CTA’s should be definite in their goal. More is inadequate when it comes to CTAs. The key to attracting a website visitor and converting them to a scheduled patient is to touch their emotions and offer a solution.
Having a variety of CTAs is vital because not everyone likes to connect through the same means. Some people choose phone calls, while others would communicate via email or online form. Equip most of the commands so that you can satisfy everyone.
Having a variety of CTAs is vital because not everyone likes to connect through the same means. Some people choose phone calls, while others would communicate via email or online form. Equip most of the commands so that you can satisfy everyone.
Live Chat
Patients anticipate having the capability to chat whenever needed. They usually have many inquiries about the fee, treatment programs, appointment availability, etc., for which they prefer a quick response.
Real-time chat can considerably improve customer service and give you the edge over competitors. Hence, this feature is exploited by the best dental websites.
Real-time chat can considerably improve customer service and give you the edge over competitors. Hence, this feature is exploited by the best dental websites.
Social Media Buttons
If you want to make your website visitors aware of your social networking platforms, add clickable social media icons on your home and contact pages. Also, embed them in the header or footer of every page on your website.
Placing social media icons promotes more engagement – for visitors to follow and learn more about you. This way, they can remain connected to you and be informed if you run any promotions later.
Be sure to portray all social media platforms you use with the corresponding icons on your dental website.
Placing social media icons promotes more engagement – for visitors to follow and learn more about you. This way, they can remain connected to you and be informed if you run any promotions later.
Be sure to portray all social media platforms you use with the corresponding icons on your dental website.
Promotions & Discounts
Studies have discovered that promotions and discounts are the top grounds for consumers to engage with brands online. Consider running an online campaign advertising your special offers and discounts to patients, like a free consultation, and free cleaning for new patients
These can be weekly or monthly promotions or seasonal, i.e., discounts on a treatment that is quite popular in a particular season.
These can be weekly or monthly promotions or seasonal, i.e., discounts on a treatment that is quite popular in a particular season.
Things To Consider While Designing A Website For Your Dental Practice
The following components are observed as paramount when designing an effective dental practice website.
Modern Design
Patients who visit a website with an old layout leave immediately. Subsequently, creating contemporary and impressive designs is crucial to drawing people’s eyes and increasing phone calls. It shows your patrons that you strive to remain on top and consider their experiences. For the prospective patients, the initial impression will be the most profitable.
Usually, people will visit your website for the trendy designs, as well as for the treatments and services. While the design should be eye-catching, you should have every valuable information on the website.
Usually, people will visit your website for the trendy designs, as well as for the treatments and services. While the design should be eye-catching, you should have every valuable information on the website.
Responsive Design
The top priority of your dental website is to improve your online visibility and raise patient intake. Your website has to be protected and accessible no matter what device is used to click your website. It’s ingenious to appeal to both desktop and mobile viewers.
Mobile devices are currently the top source of internet traffic. Yet, most dentists don’t recognize just how crucial having a mobile-optimized website is. Or they think their site is automatically adjusted for mobile usage.
Great dental website design contains various features that make it engaging and functional. Responsive design can help with SEO since Google presents importance to mobile-friendly websites. And a potential new patient accessing your website on a desktop computer should have the same positive experience they would if they visited it on a mobile device. Otherwise, they’ll close your website and move to a competitor’s website instead.
Mobile devices are currently the top source of internet traffic. Yet, most dentists don’t recognize just how crucial having a mobile-optimized website is. Or they think their site is automatically adjusted for mobile usage.
Great dental website design contains various features that make it engaging and functional. Responsive design can help with SEO since Google presents importance to mobile-friendly websites. And a potential new patient accessing your website on a desktop computer should have the same positive experience they would if they visited it on a mobile device. Otherwise, they’ll close your website and move to a competitor’s website instead.
Easy And Organized Navigation
The administration of the navigation must be understandable. Keep your menu clear, precise, and easily recognizable: avoid funny or riddle-like titles. Your visitors should be at ease looking for information and matters of concern. This generates valuable user experience on your website, ensuring the audience stays engaged and returns.
The pages must be neat and transparent about what you provide and what makes you extraordinary. Visitors should also catch a direct call to action to schedule a consultation. If they don’t like scheduling, you need something that grabs their details so you can follow up with them afterward.
The pages must be neat and transparent about what you provide and what makes you extraordinary. Visitors should also catch a direct call to action to schedule a consultation. If they don’t like scheduling, you need something that grabs their details so you can follow up with them afterward.
Quality Images
More than half of marketers mention visual images as a basic form of marketing for their business. A website with high-quality images draws more patients than a website with appalling, pixelated photos. Not only will these give you an edge visually, but they can also serve to separate text on the page, improving readability and user experience.
Short Videos
Video is quickly becoming an essential component for high-performing websites. Dental marketing videos will enable dentists to speak directly to patients and reach more people efficiently.
Refined production of practice videos will make your dental office stand out in a competitive market, showcasing your character and the treatments your clinic offers. And these videos strengthen trust in the dentist-patient relationship.
Refined production of practice videos will make your dental office stand out in a competitive market, showcasing your character and the treatments your clinic offers. And these videos strengthen trust in the dentist-patient relationship.
A Google-friendly Site
If you want your website to rank high on search engines, you will need to side with Google. Therefore, make an effort to your content. It must be original, creative, and relevant.
You’ll need to thread appropriate keywords throughout your website, including the headlines, titles, descriptions, and meta tags. Google even supports long-tail and local keywords, helping you appear in local searches.
Don’t forget to make your website responsive, fast loading, and powered by a sound content management system.
You’ll need to thread appropriate keywords throughout your website, including the headlines, titles, descriptions, and meta tags. Google even supports long-tail and local keywords, helping you appear in local searches.
Don’t forget to make your website responsive, fast loading, and powered by a sound content management system.
HIPAA Compliance
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliance is a primary concern for healthcare providers, including dentists. Any information shared through your website should be encrypted and protected to be HIPAA compliant. One way to achieve this is with an SSL certificate. Security measures such as an SSL certificate secure sensitive communications and protect users’ privacy online.
Merged Dental and Your Dental Office Will Work Together
A dental website must be flexible, search-engine-friendly, and a place where a prospective patient can book a consultation effortlessly. It also should be able to assess from point one on the website. Hence, the space where they learn everything regarding your practice.
Hiring a digital dental marketing agency like Merged Dental Marketing to help you with your new or existing dental practice website – design, development, and online marketing – is highly suggested.
Contact us, schedule an appointment and let us demonstrate how we can assist you in bringing your website up to date and fully optimized to promote your practice online and attract patients.
Hiring a digital dental marketing agency like Merged Dental Marketing to help you with your new or existing dental practice website – design, development, and online marketing – is highly suggested.
Contact us, schedule an appointment and let us demonstrate how we can assist you in bringing your website up to date and fully optimized to promote your practice online and attract patients.
