Like any business, a dentist’s office needs to have a website in order to keep their patients healthy and happy. Yes, we mean that—there’s more to a good website for dentists than just supplying people with your phone number!

If you need a website in the first place, or you’re looking for solutions as to how best to improve your current one, and you work in or run a dental practice, then check out what exactly your website will need.

Why you need a website

Not any old website, either—your dental practice needs a great website. Why? Because nowadays that’s what people, including your patients, expect from their dentist. What’s even more important is that a great website is what new and potential patients at your office expect, especially if they’re in search of a new dentist. If you don’t provide the information your patients are looking for, it’s guaranteed that they will go and seek someone else—most likely your competition.

So, your dentist website should do all of the following:

  • Stand out from your competitors.
  • Show your expertise.
  • Show that you care about your patients.
  • Show you have more to offer patients than just dental care.

What should be on the website?

There are a lot of things that really need to go on a website. The list below covers the most important aspects that should really go on it.

  • An about page. This is one of the most heavily visited pages because choosing a dentist is not an easy task for some people. It is a very personal, very difficult, and even very confusing and nerve-wracking process, because how can you tell one dentist is different from the other? An about page can help people decide if your practice is worth contacting. Show your credentials and your best aspects to really shine out.
  • Images that attract, not deter. We’re all aware that up close and personal shots of teeth can be unsettling to even the bravest of dental patients. Don’t freak people out as soon as they enter your website with such imagery! Usually people smiling is a good way to go. If patients really want to see x-rays of their teeth, they will ask—just not as soon as they enter your site.
  • New patients are going to be looking for different details as opposed to regular and returning ones at your dental office. You could consider adding a separate page for new patients specifically, outlining any specials that may accompany their first visit. Cleanings are one thing, but free x-rays in their first exam may be able to make them returning patients.
  • Social media accounts. If there’s anything most businesses don’t do, it’s publish their content through multiple channels as opposed to the one. Take advantage of these accounts and if you’ve got content to share, share it across all the channels you use the most.
  • Any coverage details. Some patients are on a low income plan, others may have insurance for dental, and so on. Let your patients know if you accept insurance plans, etc.
  • Payment options. Regardless of the form of payment you accept at your physical office, you have to let them know before they come in.
  • Contact information. This includes your location(s) and hours of operation, not just your phone number.
  • Clear calls to action. For example, you have to let your patients know outright whether or not you accept appointments through e-mail or strictly over the phone (some offices are very particular about this). If you accept them online, make that process very straightforward.
  • If you’ve provided great service to your patients over the years, then these can be proof of the hard work you do. You can suggest that they write reviews at the front desk, or on the website itself, after their appointment.
  • Spotlighted services. Do you specialize in certain branches of dentistry? Examples can be pediatric (children’s) dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and so on. Make multiple pages that highlight these specialties; when written and optimized correctly they make for excellent content.

What else does my website need?

  • A content marketing strategy. If you want any chance of really standing out compared to your competitors, having a blog, social media, an e-mail newsletter, and even an ebook can all help you gain some new and returning patients to your dental office. Offer dental healthcare tips from your blog, release podcasts on what you recommend is best for patients, and if even necessary consider making an ebook if you have a particular specialty that you have to offer.
  • Optional: games for kids. If your office is a pediatric or family dental practice, you can always offer games for kids related to dental care that can get them more informed without scaring them away, such as printable puzzles, video games in the office, or come up with your own unique ones!
  • Also optional: forms for patients. Especially if they are new patients to your office and you need some more information beforehand (for example, if they are smokers or have diabetes, or are taking medications. These are all things every dentist needs to know about before they apply dental care). Offering them through your website can save you both time.

Now you know what your website needs! If you need to get a new one built altogether, or you’ve found that your dental website doesn’t really offer much, then give us a call at V3 Media. We usually build our websites from scratch for this very reason: to not simply provide good websites to our clients, but to provide great websites. If you’re still not sure what your dentist office’s website is missing, or want to hash out the details more, let us know if you’re up for a one-on-one consultation. You make the call and we’ll come to you wherever you want to meet!