Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

H itting the spot with your website requires thought and careful planning. The web is an interactive, dynamic and rapidly changing communications medium and a great website is one that gives the visitor exactly what they want. So what are your patients look- ing for? It may come as a shock to learn that it’s not so much your treatments they’re most interested in, it’s the solution to their particu- lar problem. You need to ask your- self what their biggest problems might be and then solve them. In order to have a popular site, you’ve got to get inside the mind of the user. “How can I help my pa- tients?” is the best place to start. At the outset, be sure to em- ploy an experienced web designer, preferably one with knowledge of dentistry, and discuss your main objectives in depth. It is also worth doing some research of your own and making a shortlist of sites you like, noting what appeals to you and why. What grabs your atten- tion, what keeps you there, what looks good, what works well, what are you most impressed by? Also, look out for any really bad sites and make a list of potential pitfalls such as what makes it hard to nav- igate, what looks unprofessional or confusing, what takes too long to load and so on. What brings you back to any of the websites you visit? Generally, you will come back for a few rea- sons: visual appeal, ease of use, clarity and usefulness of content and optimum functionality. You will beable to discuss your obser- vations with your chosen designer andplanthenavigationbasedonall theelements you decide to include. Visually your site must look clean, inviting, and be interest- ing and easy to navigate. A clear layout, legible text and logical navigation will always have the edge over flashy gimmicks and information overload. Avoid flash animation as people are likely to go elsewhere rather than wait for anything that takes time to load – the ‘skip intro’ button has to be the most clicked on option on the internet. A survey by Akamai Technolo- gies of 1,000 web users showed that if a shopping site took longer than four seconds to load, 75 per cent of the participants would not return. Around 30 per cent of re- sponders formed a ‘negative per- ception’ of a company with a bad- ly performing website and a third would abandon a site if it was dif- ficult to navigate. So it is wise to ei- ther eliminate animation altogeth- er or opt for alternative compatible animation such as JavaScript. Always keep Google in mind. Achieving high rankings on Goog- le is an ever-changing minefield, so take expert advice on search engine optimisation and let func- tion take priority over form where it is beneficial to do so. Unlike printed literature, there are limi- tations with regard to fonts when it comes to website design and functionality. Make sure you use a Google-friendly font so your site can be read on any system, includ- ing the iPad and iPhone. It goes without saying that your practice logo must be prominent and the colour scheme consistent with your brand. This is a per- fect opportunity to reinforce your brand image and continuity is key. Professional photographs of the dental team and the practice on the home page will add a personal touch and differentiate you from those that open with the same old stock images of smiling models. Keep the look fresh, simple and uncluttered and make sure your menu is concise. Don’t fall into the trap of bombarding patients with Keeping Google in mind Cathy Johnson looks at how to make your practice website really work Ems-swissqualitY.com For more information> www.ems-swissquality.com savE cEllsNEw Ems swiss iNstrumENts surgErY – saviNg tissuE with NEw iNNovatioNs iN implaNt dENtistrY The inventor of the Original Piezon Method has won another battle against the destruction of tissue when dental implants are performed. The magic word is dual cooling – instrument cooling from the inside and outside together with simultane- ous debris evacuation and efficient surgical preparations in the maxilla. cooliNg hEals A unique spiral design and internal irrigation prevent the instrument’s temperature from rising during the surgical procedure. These features combine effectively to promote excel- lent regeneration of the bone tissue. EMS Swiss Instruments Surgery MB4, MB5 and MB6 are diamond- coated cylindrical instruments for secondary surgical preparation (MB4, MB5) and final osteotomy (MB6). A spiral design combined with innovative dual cooling makes these instruments unique in implant dentistry. coNtrol savEs Effective instrument control fosters atraumatic implant preparation and minimizes any potential damage to the bone tissue. prEcisioN rEassurEs Selective cutting represents virtually no risk of damage to soft tissue (membranes, nerves, blood vessels, etc.). An optimum view of the operative site and minimal bleeding thanks to cavitation (hemostatic effect!) further enhance efficacy. The new EMS Swiss Instruments Surgery stand for unequaled Swiss precision and innovation for the benefit of dental practitioners and patients alike – the very philosophy embraced by EMS. > EMS Swiss Instrument Surgery MB6 with unique spiral design and internal instrument irrigation for ultralow temperature at the operative site April 25-May 1, 201116 Practice Management United Kingdom Edition