15 Tips for Your Dental Practice’s Website Design to Convert Viewers Into Patients

In 2021, dental practices not only need a website, but also one with great speed, easy-to-read content, and a visually appealing look.

The competition is fierce!

Want to know how you can absolutely nail your dental practice website design? We kinda figured. The best way to do this is with a flawless plan!

Here are the 3 website must-haves you’ll need to execute.

1. Purposeful visual design.
2. Serious technical support.
3. Engaging content.

For all three, we’ve put 15 of our best tips together for you below!

Visual design tips

How your site looks, feels, and flows is all in the visuals. Of course, your copy is crucial, but no one will read it if they’re turned off by the design. Visual design is anything that your user can see on the site.

1. Have a consistent design strategy.

How do you make sure your website doesn’t look thrown together? Simple.

Don’t throw it together!

Sit down with a design expert to make sure you’re highlighting the services you offer, contact info, and success stories.

You’ll want to keep the branding consistent with a set color palette and fonts.

Your practice should look cohesive across all platforms as you’re more recognizable this way!

2. Make it easy for patients to contact you.

There should be no secret way of contacting you. Add in bold, easy-to-find buttons (we also call these “calls to action”) that stand out.

Make it as easy as possible for people to find your contact information on your website.

If the goal is for the user to call and make an appointment, you don’t want them struggling to find your phone number.

Pro tip – Create a “call us now” or “schedule an appointment” button to easily book more appointments!

3. Make sure you’re including a balance of text and media.

Use relevant images to help break up larger sections of content. Whether it’s photos or infographics, you’ll need a mix of both text and media.

The goal is to use images that directly relate to the content on your site. Not only does this help the reader, but it’s important for SEO as well!

Pro tip – Using personal photos is a great way to show personality on your website!

4. Shoot for a streamlined style – keep it simple.

If you have side panels, popups, and ads that follow you everywhere, it’s going to get confusing.

Google will also notice if your site is confusing, as the new algorithm update is focused on user experience.

Using a streamlined design will help the user feel comfortably guided through your content. Longer websites are acceptable due to the number of people scrolling on mobile devices.

So, don’t use an information overload in the first section of your site.

Organize content in easy-to-absorb sections.

5. Use real pictures and avoid stock photos.

When a patient walks into your office to see the smiling faces of your staff, any nerves they might’ve had can start to fade away.

Your website should give the same feeling. Unfortunately, most internet users can spot a stock photo when they see one.

The key is to include real pictures of your staff doing their thing!

Here are a few examples for post-worthy staff photos:

• An employee of the month
• Having fun at a staff meeting
• Patient success story
• Candid “life at the office” photos
• Holiday theme pictures

6. Add visual cues to guide the user.

Help the user see what you want them to see. Get creative with colors, fonts, arrows, animations, etc. The design of your website should guide future patients exactly where you need them to go.

Examples of what you need visitors to see:

• Your contact information/location
• How to book an appointment
• The services you offer
• Email list sign-up if you have one

The “most important part” might be different for everyone, but don’t lose sight of that in your design!

The technical stuff

Even though this part of your dental practice website design isn’t always visible to the user, it’s still immensely important.

7. Site speed is your best friend.

“Oh forget it, I’m not waiting any longer.”

*clicks off*

This is exactly what you can’t have! Customers are too familiar with instant gratification to wait on websites any longer. If a patient is looking for your office phone number, the goal is for them to find it right away.

Google recommends two seconds as the longest acceptable wait time for a page to load. Therefore, enlisting expert help when it comes to your site speed is a solid investment.

8. Friendly with all devices and screen sizes.

Your design should look smooth on any screen!

This isn’t just a suggestion, it’s a requirement. In the third quarter of 2020, mobile devices generated 50.81 percent… Opens in a new window to Statista.com’s website of global website traffic.

This means that if your website isn’t mobile-device-friendly, you’re losing views.

9. Always put the home link on the left.

Have you ever clicked multiple links on a website and can’t find your way back home?

It’s a frustrating feeling.

Your users should have an easy time finding everything they need – including the home button. Most users expect it in the top left corner, so there’s no need to overcomplicate!

10. Longer websites are the new norm.

No, really. Scrolling is deemed okay these days. Of course, you don’t want to put all the important information at the bottom. Space out important information in easy-to-read sections.

Try to include multiple options for users to either call or schedule something throughout the homepage. Your homepage is the perfect place to add in sneak peeks of what you do best with links to learn more.

Content structure tips

Having killer content on your website is one way to make sure you’re providing value in and out of the office. If you haven’t figured out your Unique Value Proposition yet, we suggest doing so to help you create a consistent messaging strategy.

11. Leave room for social proof.

Just like you would never buy low-quality equipment, your patients want to have faith in their investment as well. Reviews or testimonials are an easy way to share your success with future patients!

Before-and-after pictures, practice reviews, and social media testimonials are all great resources to use with permission. Including social proof helps the reader feel safe on your site.

Examples of social proof:

• Google and Yelp reviews
• Happy patients who’ve tagged you in online content
• Comments from patients on social media
• “Thank you” emails from patients

Remember to always ask for permission when using reviews and comments!

12. Avoid using long paragraphs of text.

Use a simple layout with short sentences and small paragraphs. Your user is likely looking for quick and easy information. Long paragraphs can appear intimidating and cause someone to search elsewhere.

Everything should easily flow and have a real reason for being there.

13. Write meaningful subheadings.

Headlines are the place to be clear and concise. But they’re also a perfect place to show off your personality.

“Smile Specialists” provides more meaning than just saying “team”. You don’t need to do this with every subheading, but it’s a great way to give your site a personal touch!

14. Answer visitors’ questions.

Someone ends up on your site because they have questions, right? They might have questions about making an appointment or what to expect for an upcoming procedure.

Either way, you’ll need to have an answer.

Creating a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section serves as a simple way to provide answers. Pay attention to the questions your patients are asking online or on the phone and answer them in your FAQ.

Where should you put the FAQ?

• On the top navigation bar of your website
• As a page under the “contact us” menu option
• As a page under your “services” section

Pro tip: Having an FAQ also helps boost your search engine rankings!

15. Your website should feel like you.

Overall, you want your website to feel unique to your practice.

The best way to make sure you meet all the requirements for your dental practice website design is to work with professionals. A website that is custom-built with your services and values in mind will serve you much better than a basic template!

Feel like you’re ready for a new website design?

Roadside specializes in creating custom websites for dental professionals!

Request a website audit and competitor analysis by filling out the form below to identify how we can help you reach your business goals with a fresh new website. The consultation and analysis are 100% free!