Many Web designers are tempted to place too many elements on the dentist’s website. They forget that potential patients who come to the site are seeking very basic, fundamental information. Aside from quickly giving them address and contact information, your website should always guide the visitor towards the primary call to action, which is to schedule an appointment.

Same as with office staff answering phone calls, the dental website cannot be used to diagnose the patient’s condition and suggest treatment. This is something that only an appointment with the dentist will provide. Any dental practice knows all too well that the majority of calls they receive concern insurance and costs for treatment.

Similar to phone inquiries, your website is not a diagnostic tool, nor can a person buy crowns, implants, bridges, etc. from an online shopping cart. Veneers, caps and partial dentures are not products or “mouth accessories” to purchase, with installation fees extra. Listing these treatments on the site should be explained as the various, optional procedures used to address specific, unique conditions of a patient.

Consider the needs of the patient, yet keep the message simple. The architecture and navigation for your site should be natural and intuitive.

The website should:

• introduce the dentist and his/her assistants
• outline the benefits to the patient
• provide information about payments accepted
• facilitate setting an appointment.

If you add too many elements, too much information and too many links on the page, people will get confused and just leave your site. You’ll always want to keep things very simple and focused on the main call to action, which is to solicit an appointment from the visitor. After all, only a thorough examination by the dentist can determine what a person really needs.

This entry posted Friday, December 11th, 2009 at 12:28 pm - Filed under Dental Website Critique, Website Design. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.