What's New

	Dental Web Site Insights - Continued Why Visit? Understanding the Internet, designing your site, and promoting it is a good beginning. Now you must give people a reason to revisit your site. Be creative! Provide unique content. We have included articles like "Dentistry and Scuba Diving" "The Non-Chew Cookbook", and "Veterinary Dentistry" that you will not find anywhere else on the web. Update your site regularly. Visitors will quickly lose interest if the content is stagnant. Our "Family Tips for a Better Smile" and "Exclusive Articles by Distinguished Experts" are updated monthly. NewsPage Network also allows us to provide daily dental news updates. A popular section of our site is "Ask the Dentist". This area is a collaboration between my wife, Kim, and Parentsplace.com (http://www.parentsplace.com). Visitors are invited to submit dental questions via Email. The answers are posted anonymously on a subject searchable database. The archive currently contains hundreds of answers addressing such diverse dental topics as tongue piercing, x-rays during pregnancy, latex glove allergies, baby bottle tooth decay, dental insurance, and water fluoridation. I understand that most dentists will not have the time or interest to institute a similar service. However, this example illustrates how we successfully attract people to revisit us on-line. Visitors will get annoyed if the site is disorganized. Appreciate that electronic publishing (i.e. on the web) is different than traditional publishing (i.e. newspaper article). Electronic publishing allows interactivity using links, graphics and programs. For example, we have an area devoted to dental history that is organized by subject. Our dental and medical links also provide visitors with additional sources of health information. Caveat: people read printed and electronic articles differently. Section headings, as used in this article, allow readers to skim a topic by using their browser to scroll down the page. Have Fun! We have added a virtual reality tooth demonstration that allows visitors to rotate a molar in 3-D space using their computer's mouse. People enjoy this proprietary feature in addition to the information articles. Unfortunately, an increasing number of dentists simply include their office address and VISA logo on their web site. Why would someone log on to see this type of "site" when they can see the same dull ad in the yellow pages. Try to strike a balance between commercial advertisement and informative features. For example, we have designed an educational multimedia dental software for children that can be downloaded from our site free of charge. The program entitled "The Interactive Dental Office" is geared toward children ages 5-12 years old. Education modules include a virtual activity where a child operates the computer's mouse to simulate proper brushing and flossing techniques. Entertainment modules include the fast action "Plaque Attack" adventure and "Tooth Time" which is a concentration memory game. Another module, called "Our Staff" includes promotional material. All donations from this freeware 90 to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Educational Foundation. This non-profit organization promotes children's dental health world-wide. Summary I got my start learning from others. You have initiated the same process by reading this article. Don't stop. No single Source has all the answers. Subscribe to a popular Internet magazine. As your conduct dental research on the Internet, note useful features. Meet people and discuss potential collaborations. My affiliations with ParentsPlace.com (http://www.parentsplace.com), Family Internet (http://www.familyinternet.com), Virtual Vignettist (http://www. virtualvignettist.com), U.S. Dentek (http://www.usdentek.com), and Big Smile (http://www.bigsmile.com) provide support and/or exposure for our site. Adding reciprocal links is a very common practice that may mutually benefit two complementary sites. It is also helpful to know who is visiting your site. for example, single fathers, business women, and dentists all have different perspectives regarding oral health. It is advantageous to adapt our content accordingly. Feedback is invaluable. Always include contact information on your web site - even if you are not accepting new patients. A tastefully presented, informative, and entertaining dental site will complement your off-line efforts. It will also reinforce dentistry as an ethical. caring profession.

			Part II Dentist Home Page

	Dental Web Site Insights - Part I	Dental Web Site Insights - Part II

	The First Electronic Endodontic Magazine
	Back to: www.endoweb.com Home Page Email: nahmiasoffice@endoweb.com