(PR103) Endodontic Digital Presence: A Study of Preferred Website Design Elements

With over 1.09 billion websites worldwide and 71% of businesses online, an effective website is vital for healthcare professionals, including endodontists. Websites serve as a primary point of contact, so a professional, user-friendly design is essential.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify endodontists' perceptions of key website design elements to optimize patient engagement and practice success.

Methods: An IRB-exempt survey with 33 questions was distributed to 3,971 AAE member-practices. Data collection analyzed responses with chi-squared and ANOVA (α=0.05).

Results: Out of 150 responses, 84 U.S.-based practice owners were analyzed. Findings showed 90.4% have a website; 92.1% describe procedures, with root canal therapy being the most detailed; 89.4% value a visually pleasing, easy-to-navigate site; 77.6% are likely to include a virtual office preview; and 72.3% likely to integrate videos and animations. Moreover, 72.3% find it valuable to include the practice’s authentic story, 62.8% frequently or occasionally include patient testimonials, and 56.5% strongly value consistent use of the practice’s logo and color palette. The phone tab generated the most patient flow (75%). Top features include secure patient portals, patient testimonials, and detailed procedure descriptions. Statistical analysis revealed significant relationships between website aesthetics and content updates (p=0.01), website aesthetics and mobile responsiveness (p=0.00004), and years of practice ownership and the importance of social media links (p=0.038).

Conclusion: Visually appealing, informative websites are crucial for endodontic practices, enhancing credibility, patient engagement, and trust.