Website for a medical or dental practice: what patients look for and what is required
Patients usually open a practice website with one of four questions: does the practice treat my problem, when is it open, how do I get an appointment, and how do I get there. A good practice website answers these on a phone in seconds, while following rules that are stricter for healthcare than for most industries.
What patients look for on a practice website
Structure the site around patients' questions, not around the practice's org chart.
- Services in plain language, one page per focus area.
- Opening hours, phone hours and holiday cover, kept current.
- Online booking or a clear path to an appointment.
- Directions, parking and accessibility of the premises.
- The team with qualifications and the languages spoken.
Legal details and advertising rules
Doctors and dentists are regulated professions, and many countries require extra details on the website. In Germany, for example, the legal notice must name the responsible medical chamber, the professional title and the state that granted it, and refer to the professional regulations. A privacy policy and consent for non-essential cookies are also required.
Advertising by healthcare professionals is restricted in many markets. Keep copy factual, avoid promises of cure and sensational comparisons. When in doubt, have the texts reviewed by your chamber or lawyer; we implement approved content but do not give legal advice.
Health data: not a normal contact form
Symptoms, diagnoses and test results are health data and specially protected under the GDPR. A plain contact form that sends such details unencrypted by email is unsuitable. Ask only for what is needed for a call-back, and use an established booking provider with a data processing agreement for appointments.
Check third-party fonts, maps and videos too: if they load without consent, visitor data goes to third parties. Self-hosted fonts and a map that loads only after a click avoid this.
Getting found, and what the website costs
Patients search locally: "GP", "dentist" or "physiotherapy" plus a town or "near me". A well-kept Google Business Profile with correct opening hours and a page per focus area with the location bring the most here.
Five to ten pages are enough for most practices. At Onravetoni such a website starts at €1,800, fixed price, including booking integration, legal texts from your template and an SEO foundation. Domain, hosting and the booking provider's fee are running costs on top.
Frequently asked questions
- Can we show patient reviews on the website?
- It depends on form and content and is restricted for healthcare professions in some markets. Have planned content checked by your chamber or lawyer first. Linking to your Google profile is usually less problematic.
- Which online booking tool should we use?
- The one your practice software supports and that offers a data processing agreement. We integrate the provider of your choice.
- Can we update opening hours ourselves?
- Yes. You manage opening hours, holiday cover and news without a developer.
Sources
Tell us your specialty, focus areas and booking tool. You get a page structure and a fixed price for the practice website.
Request a practice website