<h3>The authoritarian leadership style</h3>

<p>If a practice is run in an authoritarian style, employees have no decision-making power. You as the head of the practice have complete control and run the practice as you see fit. This leadership style facilitates quick decision-making processes because you do not have to ask anyone for their approval. However, by doing so, you are disregarding the immense potential and knowledge of your employees. Often a second or third opinion on certain processes can be helpful. The authoritarian management style is also not very popular among employees. They will often be afraid of making mistakes and, thus, will be less satisfied and motivated.</p>

<h3>The cooperative leadership style</h3>

<p>This is the complete opposite of the authoritarian style. A cooperative leader tries to involve the entire team in all decisions. Nevertheless, superiors are aware of their role. They encourage and challenge their employees. A regular exchange, for example in fixed meetings, is considered helpful for setting goals. As a result, employees feel included, are more motivated, and learn to work independently. Longer decision-making processes can be seen as a disadvantage. However, a cooperative leadership style can unlock the full potential of your employees. Through different points of view, new ideas can help the dental practice thrive.</p>

<h3>The laissez-faire leadership style</h3>

<p>In the laissez-faire style, employees are expected to organize themselves without any guidance from a superior. There are no agreed-upon goals or objectives. Every employee does a little bit of everything. This, of course, promotes the independence of the team members. However, it also quickly leads to chaos in the practice, and&mdash;in the worst-case scenario&mdash;patients will notice. Since no superiors intervene in cases of conflict, rivalries among employees are not unusual.</p>

<h3>Conclusion: the leadership style in dental practices is always individual</h3>

<p>Even if the cooperative leadership style appears to be the most positive at first, it is usually not THE one style that is ideal for superiors and employees. It is much more about finding a healthy mix and listening to both yourself and your employees. You should also try to adapt your leadership style to each employee and situation. Not every employee wants to be supervised closely whereas others need just that to stay organized. Some situations require quick action. In other situations, it is more advisable to consult with and act in the best interest of the entire team. Try to be flexible because rigid structures can quickly block progress. So be clear about what kind of leader you want to be, listen to your team, and embrace leadership in your practice as an ongoing process.</p>


Leadership styles in dental practices: the best solution for you and your employees

dentalXrai Blog Image article 32 RGB 72dpi

Are you planning to start a dental practice or will you be taking over an existing practice? Then you will soon face the fundamental question of leadership style. How do you want to lead your employees? We will introduce you to three different styles and explain how to find the right one for you and your team.

<h3>Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI)&rdquo; in dentistry</h3>

<p>Oral and dental diseases incur costs of hundreds of billions of US dollars every year. In the future, treatment needs will continue to increase and so will the costs. This is particularly problematic because capacities are often insufficient and healthcare systems worldwide are frequently overburdened. Artificial intelligence can be part of the solution. But for the most part, there is still mistrust towards AI in dentistry. Questions like the following come up frequently:</p>

<ul class="simpleList">
	<li class="simpleListItem">How accurate are AI results?</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">Can I rely on AI as a dentist?</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">What can AI detect and how do I profit?</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">Could AI replace me at some point?</li>
</ul>

<p>It is certainly difficult for a dentist who is not familiar with artificial intelligence to trust it &ldquo;blindly&rdquo;. A first step would be to<a href="https://eudentalxr-pp-eu.herokuapp.com/en/blog/2022/how-does-ai-work" target="_blank"> learn more</a> about the basic functionality of AI. After all, trust is built on an understanding of how AI works. However, the complexity of the results and approach often undermines the acceptance and use of artificial intelligence. The solution: Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI).</p>

<p>XAI is currently a rapidly growing field of research. It allows people to understand how artificial intelligence works and how to evaluate its results in terms of accuracy. AI models in dentistry are expected to use the same methods for detection and analysis as dentists while also generating faster and more accurate results. This identical approach to problems can create trust. The above-mentioned paper refers to a study showing how AI-driven decision-making can be analyzed using XAI.</p>

<p>This study is about the detection of carious lesions and uses 834 images of 56 patients from the database of the renowned Charit&eacute; University Hospital in Berlin. These images were evaluated by three experienced dentists and a master reviewer. The result: 44% of the images contained carious lesions and 56% contained none. Subsequently, an AI was trained with these images and results. In this process, corresponding numerical values were assigned to the detections (0 = no caries, 1 = caries).<br />
In some cases, results were close to 1.0 but in others, they were 0.29 or 0.11. At first glance, the AI seemed to provide unreliable results.<br />
However, these were difficult cases that posed a real challenge even for dentists. Thus, the AI-based results only indicated the probability of an image showing carious lesions.</p>

<p>The study, therefore, showed that AI can certainly assist in dentistry. However, experienced dentists should be consulted in difficult cases. Artificial intelligence can thus be used for more efficient presorting and it can be particularly helpful for inexperienced dentists as a second opinion. All this saves an enormous amount of time.</p>

<h3>Standardization in the field of AI</h3>

<p>Why is standardization important? Standardized processes provide certain framework conditions to make sure that researchers adhere to the same qualitative and quantitative criteria. Especially in newer research areas, this is a challenge. Researchers often have different ideas about approaches and processes. That is why organizations need to set appropriate standards. In the field of artificial intelligence, these include:</p>

<ul class="simpleList">
	<li class="simpleListItem">International Organization for Standards (ISO)</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">International Telecommunication Union (ITU)</li>
</ul>

<p>ITU has several study groups working on artificial intelligence in healthcare. There is even a specialized focus group that deals with dental diagnostics and digital dentistry. ISO and IEC have a joint standardization committee that focuses exclusively on standardization in the field of AI. The German Institute for Standardization (DIN) has also already defined a software development life cycle standard (the process of software development for providing software to the customer) in the medical field.</p>

<p>But what criteria are used for such standardization processes? The European Commission has defined seven basic requirements: human agency and oversight; technical robustness and safety; privacy and data governance; transparency; diversity, non-discrimination, and fairness; societal and environmental well-being; and accountability.</p>

<h3>Conclusion</h3>

<p>The research field of AI in dentistry still offers much potential for further development. Experts and organizations must work closely together to develop standards that create uniform quality criteria. XAI is an important field of research to build trust towards artificial intelligence and to increase its acceptance by medical professionals and society. In addition, XAI provides a basis for constantly refining and improving the way AI works. Only in this way can high-quality tools, such as the <a href="https://eudentalxr-pp-eu.herokuapp.com/en/home" target="_blank">dentalXrai</a> Pro software, be developed to actively support dentists in their everyday practice by optimizing processes.</p>


Why dentists can trust AI in dentistry

dentalXrai blog image article 31 RGB 72dpi

In the 2022 article <a  target="_blank" href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361536802_Towards_Trustworthy_AI_in_Dentistry &quot;Towards Trustworthy AI in Dentistry">Towards Trustworthy AI in Dentistry</a> researchers, including Prof. Dr. Falk Schwendicke and Dr. Joachim Krois of dentalXrai, surveyed the current standards of AI in dentistry. In this context, they presented different approaches to creating even more trust in artificial intelligence in the future so that AI-based solutions will become part and parcel of the daily practice of dentists.

<h3>Why recruitment has become a challenge for dental practices</h3>

<p>The labor market has changed in recent years. For some time now, we have witnessed a shift from an employer-driven market to a candidate-driven market. What does that mean? In an employer-driven market, the supply of skilled workers exceeds the employers&rsquo; demand. There are too many job candidates for too few vacancies. For this reason, employers have greater decision-making power and &ldquo;call the shots&rdquo; in the hiring process. In the current candidate-driven market, the situation is exactly the opposite. There are more job openings than candidates. Accordingly, employers must work harder and offer incentives to attract employees.</p>

<p>This is precisely the reason why it has become more difficult for dental practices to recruit new staff. Many skilled employees have already been hired by other practices. As a result, different practices are now competing for new candidates. With that in mind, we recommend that you choose your recruiting methods wisely. Where would you like to place your ads? On online portals or in newspapers? Do you have enough time and energy to invest in employee recruitment or would it make more sense to consult an agency? What other ad placement options might work for you?</p>

<h3>From newspaper ads to online recruitment</h3>

<p>There is no one right way to recruit employees for your dental practice. However, we would like to present some novel approaches to give you food for thought. The number of candidates who have grown up in the age of digitalization continues to rise. Thus, the way candidates search for job offers is also changing. Classic newspaper ads are now being replaced by a simple online search. As a consequence, employment websites for job listings such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stepstone.com/en/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">StepStone</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://de.indeed.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Indeed</a>&nbsp;are the new go-to option. Make sure your ads are as appealing as possible &ndash; a good structure is essential. Use bullet point lists to clearly describe tasks or employee benefits, for example. Try to bring a personal touch to the ad and, most importantly, make the application process as straightforward as possible for potential employees. Do you really need a cover letter or is a resume enough for the first step? If you receive an application, process it as quickly as possible to avoid unnecessary waiting times for the candidates.</p>

<p>When potential employees find a job ad, they usually look up the employer on google first. Here, it is up to you to make a positive impression. Start with your website: A modern design with a clear structure and all the necessary information is a good basis. Tell site visitors about yourself and show pictures and videos of your practice. You will find more tips on how to design a good website in this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dentalxr.ai/en/blog/2022/attracting-more-patients/">article</a>.<br />
Prospective candidates also check assessment platforms such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kununu.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">kununu</a>. Here, employees can rate you as an employer on a scale of one to five stars. If you achieve good or even very good ratings, you can be awarded the label &lsquo;top employer&rsquo;. This is an additional asset for potential employees and shows that they can expect good working conditions at your practice.</p>

<h3>Social recruiting for your dental practice</h3>

<p>Finding new staff via employment websites often proves to be a major challenge. Only prospective employees that are actively looking for a new job or are currently unemployed will use them. They are also referred to as active candidates. Passive candidates, however, account for the much larger share of potential employees &ndash;these are dissatisfied employees who are willing to switch. They are open to offers but you must reach out to them, for example via social recruiting.</p>

<p>Social recruiting gets you into contact with this target group because it uses the same channel passive candidates use: social media. You can easily reach them by placing targeted job ads on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. But how to proceed?</p>

<h4>1. Preparation</h4>

<p>Decide how you want to present yourself and your practice. Do you want to advertise on Facebook and Instagram or only on one of the two channels? What are your values? Who is your target audience? How do they act online? Draw up a detailed plan of how you want to proceed and, most importantly, what content you want to post. Think about concepts for image and video material in advance. For example, show insights into your day-to-day business. Your goal should always be to receive job applications. Again, try to keep the process as simple as possible.</p>

<p>First of all, we recommend setting up a dedicated landing page with a job application form on your website, listing all the necessary information about the open position and you as an employer. Job candidates will be redirected to this page if they click on your ad.<br />
It should also be possible to submit a job application without too much trouble. Bear in mind that you optimize your website for mobile devices, so that it is displayed in the correct format on smartphones. Once you have done all that, we move on to step two.</p>

<h4>2. Structure</h4>

<p>Create corporate accounts for your dental practice on the chosen platform(s). Should you only want to run ads on Instagram, you will still need to create a Facebook account. Ads on both platforms are placed via the Facebook Ads Manager. First, you will have to create engaging profiles with images and information on your social media channels. As you will only have a few followers in the beginning it makes sense to place paid ads. However, you are free to determine your budget. The higher the budget, the greater your reach. Here, a good balance should be found between costs and results.</p>

<h4>3. Your first ad</h4>

<p>As mentioned above, you place your ads via the Ads Manager on Facebook where you can select all the settings you want. What should the ad look like? Where should it be placed (e.g., via Instagram stories or the Facebook homepage)? Who is the target group? You can specify demographic data such as place of residence, age, or gender, but you can also choose more specific settings such as interests or the current industry in which the target group is employed. As a result, you have less waste coverage and are more likely to reach only the most relevant target groups.</p>

<h4>4. Evaluation</h4>

<p>Once your first ad has been placed, it is important to monitor and optimize it, if necessary. Try out different strategies: Which target group settings are the most successful? Which ad format makes the most sense? Is your budget sufficient or even too much?</p>

<h3>Conclusion: there is no right or wrong</h3>

<p>As is often the case, there is no secret recipe when it comes to recruiting employees for your dental practice. Be it classic newspaper advertisement, employment websites, or social recruiting: the decision is yours. However, it is always important that you remain authentic and pick an approach that feels right for you. In terms of social recruiting, the only thing that should be added is that it can take quite a bit of time. Some expertise in online marketing and an understanding of how target audiences use social media platforms is also an advantage. It may therefore be advisable to consult a marketing or recruiting agency. Whichever of those approaches you choose, always emphasize quality. This will significantly increase your chances of attracting suitable job candidates.</p>


Successful recruitment for your dental practice

dentists team RGB 72dpi-1280x855

The current shortage of skilled workers is also affecting dental practices. Recruiting staff is often very difficult. Recruitment options, such as newspaper ads or employment websites, that used to work well in the past have long since ceased to be successful. Social recruiting is the new and promising method. But what is it all about? How do you go about it? In this article, we answer your questions.

<h3><strong>The right time to transition your practice</strong></h3>

<p>Building your practice takes many years of hard work. As a result, you have grown emotionally attached to your practice. The transition should, therefore, never be carried out in a hurry. Long-term planning involving detailed consultations with experienced advisors is essential. At least five years of lead time are recommended to prepare all steps well in advance. This way, you will have ample time to find a suitable successor and to settle all legal, economic, and tax-related issues.</p>

<h3><strong>How to plan a successful dental practice transition?</strong></h3>

<p>The first important step is to specify your expectations. What should the transition look like? Who should take over your practice? What is the approximate transition date? This initial specification will serve as an orientation and guide along the way for all subsequent planning. Another fundamental question is that of the planning area (a scheme to regulate the number of licensed dentists in a given area as determined by demand planning to ensure comprehensive dental care). Is your practice located in an open or closed planning area? In an open one, there are no restrictions at all so you can look for a successor without any limitations. In a closed planning area, the Kassen&auml;rztliche Vereinigung (Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians) runs a formal succession process. You have to submit an application at least nine months before the planned transition.</p>

<p>During the planning phase, the value and desired selling price of the dental practice must be determined. Determining factors include:</p>

<ul class="simpleList">
	<li class="simpleListItem">location and transport connections</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">image and reputation of the practice</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">size of the practice</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">age and condition of the equipment and practice furnishings</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">remaining term of the lease</li>
</ul>

<p>To obtain a proper and accurate valuation, the valuation process should always be carried out by an expert and at an early stage, as this will allow you to increase the value of the practice through possible renovations or replacement of equipment.</p>

<p>Furthermore, you need to check the conditions and remaining terms of all your contracts, including rental agreements, employment contracts, insurance policies, loan and lease agreements, maintenance and service agreements, and contracts with practice partners.</p>

<p>Once you have clarified all basic questions, it is time to create a detailed and appealing practice expos&eacute;. Quality before speed: Take your time to ensure that your expos&eacute; will attract as many potential applicants as possible. It is a perfect way of promoting your practice and finding a worthy successor. You can always get professional help if necessary.</p>

<p>Once this step has been completed, you can start looking for a suitable successor. If you do not have a family member or an employed dentist that plans to take over the practice, you need to look elsewhere. For this purpose, there are online marketplaces where you can advertise your practice. Examples are blaudental or Praxismarkt by zm-online.</p>

<p>Depending on whether your practice is situated in an open or closed planning area, you have full or only limited influence on the application process. What you can influence in any case is the selection of applicants. In closed planning areas, the review board of the Kassenzahn&auml;rztliche Vereinigung (Association of Panel Dentists) will make the final decision on dental practice transitions. However, if the board rejects the successors you recommended, you will be entitled to compensation.</p>

<p>Once it has been decided who will take over your practice and the purchase agreement has been signed, you must inform all the parties concerned. In addition to your patients and suppliers, this also includes cooperation partners, the dental association, the employers&rsquo; liability insurance association, the health authority, and the pension fund.</p>

<h3><strong>Conclusion: good planning is essential</strong></h3>

<p>Plan the transition of your practice as long ahead as possible. It is best to take at least five years to do this. This gives you enough time to go through all the transition scenarios and find the best solution for you. In this context, it is inevitable to get professional support&mdash;be it for legal, economic, or tax purposes. In summary, these are the most important steps for a smooth practice transition:&nbsp;</p>

<ul class="simpleList">
	<li class="simpleListItem">list your expectations</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">create a schedule</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">determine the value and selling price of your practice</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">check all contracts</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">create an appealing practice expos&eacute;</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">formally initiate the succession procedure (for closed planning areas)</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">start looking for a successor</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">inform relevant parties and organizations affected by the practice transition</li>
</ul>


Dental practice transitions: what to look out for?

dental practice RGB 72dpi-1280x960

As a dentist, closing your practice is a very significant step toward retiring from your professional life. What you have painstakingly built up over decades must now find a suitable successor. One key to success is to allow enough time for this process. In this article, we will tell you what you need to know.

<h3><strong>You cannot not communicate</strong></h3>

<p>In addition to dental treatments as such, part of your job as a dentist is to communicate with your patients. But where does communication start and who is involved? The very first contact between the patient and your practice starts off the communication process. Patients usually find out about your practice online, through a recommendation, or simply by walking by and noticing your practice. Regardless of how exactly the first contact was established, the important thing is to make a good first impression. We explained how to ensure your website makes a good first impression in a previous&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dentalxr.ai/en/blog/2022/attracting-more-patients/">article</a>.</p>

<p>The second contact occurs when patients make an appointment: either via your online scheduling tool or by phone. The first personal contact usually takes place on the day of the appointment. When patients enter your practice, your practice team greets them and registers their (medical) data. As a dentist, you are the last point of contact when you carry out the consultation or treatment.</p>

<p>Patients come into personal contact with you and your team and usually sense the mood in your practice, which can have a positive or negative impact on their feelings. Build positive expectations and do not phrase possible treatment consequences too negatively. In addition to the placebo effect, there is also the nocebo effect. A placebo study revealed that patients experienced negative side effects they had been told about, even though the drugs had no effect from a medical point of view (source:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ihr-laecheln.com/pdf/Publikationen%20K.%20Rinke/zm073.pdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">magazine zm073, 12/2009</a>).</p>

<p>No matter what activities you or your team are engaged in: remember that you are always communicating, even when you are not talking. Body language, gestures, or facial expressions are also part of your communication. When communicating, you are the sender who encodes a message. The patient represents the receiver who decodes this message. Of course, the message is by no means always understood exactly as you intended it to be. Each recipient decodes them in their own way. Messages always have several &ldquo;layers&rdquo; (see also the&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-sides_model" rel="noopener" target="_blank">&lsquo;four-sides model&rsquo;</a>&nbsp;by Friedemann Schulz von Thun).</p>

<p>So, try to choose your words, gestures, and facial expressions wisely. Silence is often interpreted as a negative signal by patients. Hence, you cannot not communicate.</p>

<h3><strong>Verbal and non-verbal communication</strong></h3>

<p>The &lsquo;Calgary-Cambrige concept&rsquo; breaks down the dentist-patient conversation into five steps:<br />
1. starting the conversation<br />
2. gathering information<br />
3. physical examination<br />
4. explanation and further planning<br />
5. ending the conversation</p>

<p>Throughout the conversation, it is your job as the dentist to provide a certain communicative structure and to connect with the patient. Do not only pay attention to your verbal but also to your non-verbal communication. Make friendly gestures like nodding and smiling and agree regularly with what your patients have to say. Your posture should be open, so try to keep both feet on the floor and do not cross your arms. Maintain eye contact with your patients. Throughout the entire appointment, they should feel that you are always present. So, take your time, listen carefully, and let your patients finish speaking. In return, you will get all the necessary information. You can also use strategic pauses to encourage your patients to talk.</p>

<p>In the beginning, a little small talk will help you break the ice. Find common interests or a current event and take a moment to talk about it. For many patients, going to the dentist is a rather unpleasant experience. Breaking the ice can help them to forget potential anxious feelings. During the appointment, make sure to ask about their well-being every now and then. In this way, patients will notice that you are there just for them, that you take good care of them, and that you take their worries and fears seriously.</p>

<p>Communication is also immensely important during the examination. Here it is mostly down to verbal communication. Explain which treatment step you are currently performing, what you will need which dental instrument for, and how the treatment will proceed. Be careful not to get too caught up in your technical jargon. Medical terms are often unfamiliar to patients and can cause discomfort. Instead, use words that a layperson can easily understand.</p>

<p>A summary of the treatment is also helpful. After the treatment, patients are more relaxed and can absorb information more easily. Explain the rest of the process, future dates, encourage questions, and &ndash; most importantly &ndash; take all the time you need.</p>

<h3><strong>How to communicate well</strong></h3>

<p>Good communication in the dental practice builds trust and, thus, forms the basis of the patient-dentist relationship. It also has positive side effects such as anxiety reduction, decreased pain perception, and referrals to your practice. Especially with anxiety patients (see also article&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dentalxr.ai/en/blog/2022/dealing-with-anxious-patients/">&lsquo;Dealing with anxious patients&rsquo;</a>), communication is essential for building trust. Unfortunately, good communication skills are only rarely taught in schools. Therefore, workshops and seminars can provide valuable insights to you and your team.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h3><strong>In summary, these are the essential points that ensure good communication in the dental practice:</strong></h3>

<ul class="simpleList">
	<li class="simpleListItem">paying attention to verbal and non-verbal communication</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">letting patients finish what they are saying</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">taking your time</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">listening attentively</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">active eye contact with the patient</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">open posture</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">addressing questions and concerns in detail</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">explaining next steps and instruments involved in the treatment</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">friendly and empathetic communication by the whole team</li>
</ul>


Improving communication in the dental practice

Patient communication RGB 72dpi-1280x853

Good communication in the dental practice is the basis for a patient’s trust in his or her dentist. Dentists who take their time, listen attentively, and take concerns and fears seriously will have more satisfied patients. In this article, we will show you how to improve patient satisfaction and what you should pay attention to regarding verbal and non-verbal communication.

<h3>Why is SEO important for dentists?</h3>

<p>SEO encompasses all measures that serve to improve a website&rsquo;s ranking in the organic search results of search engines such as Google. But why is your website&rsquo;s ranking important? The higher your website ranks, the more clicks and attention it generates. About a third of searchers click on the first organic search result. Only 2.5% of searchers click on the 10th website (source:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sistrix.de/news/wieso-fast-alles-was-du-bislang-ueber-die-google-ctr-wusstest-nicht-mehr-stimmt/#285-der-Google-Nutzer-klicken-auf-den-ersten-organischen-Treffer" rel="noopener" target="_blank">www.sistrix.de</a>).</p>

<p>So, if you want to receive more attention online and thereby attract more potential patients, a high ranking is a must. In addition to organic search results, there are also paid ads. In Search Engine Advertising (SEA), higher rankings in the search results are bought via a bidding process (see article&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dentalxr.ai/en/blog/2022/visibility-via-google-ads/">&ldquo;Visibility on the Internet&rdquo;</a>). Even though you get faster results compared to SEO, it is less sustainable and can be more expensive depending on your goals. You should strive to get your website ranked as high as possible in the search results when potential patients search for keywords such as &ldquo;dentist nearby&rdquo; or &ldquo;dentist Berlin&rdquo;.</p>

<h3>The most important ranking factors for Google</h3>

<p>SEO for dentists applies to all search engines. However, as Google is by far the largest and most used search engine, it will be this article&rsquo;s focus. There is no official statement on the factors Google uses to rank its search results. The number of these factors is certain, though: there are more than 200 of them, some more and some less important. Field reports from recent years show which factors are among the most relevant and what to look for in SEO for dentists. Bear in mind that Google is constantly improving its algorithm. These 200 factors are therefore continuously changing in their nature and weighting. Google always aims to list the most relevant search results first. With ever-changing user expectations, Google has to react accordingly and adjust the algorithm.</p>

<h3>High-quality content</h3>

<p>For years, high-quality content has been an undisputed must in order to achieve a good ranking in organic search results. But what exactly is good content? With regards to your practice&rsquo;s website, good content means that there is an added value for site visitors. Texts, images, and videos should be unique and grammatically correct. Google does not like duplicate content that is simply copied from other websites and rates it accordingly. You should rather show pictures and videos of your practice and tell potential patients about yourself and your professional skills. Posting pictures of your team is another great idea to personalize your website.</p>

<p>The concept of high-quality content also includes optimizing your website for mobile devices. This means that your website&rsquo;s layout should also be adapted to the formatting of smartphones, tablets, etc. Otherwise, the layout will be simply too large for smaller displays. Last but not least, good page load times are another important SEO criterion. Your site should be technically up to date and load as fast as possible. This makes it more attractive for visitors and will have a positive impact on your search ranking by Google.</p>

<h3>Keywords</h3>

<p>When dealing with the topic of SEO for dentists, you will quickly come across keywords &ndash; the search terms typed in by users on Google. They can be a single word, but also several words. &ldquo;Dentist&rdquo; is just as much a keyword as the phrase &ldquo;which dentist is near me&rdquo;. Keywords must be included on your website if you want Google to consider it relevant for the user&rsquo;s query:</p>

<ul class="simpleList">
	<li class="simpleListItem">in texts</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">in the various titles and subtitles of the texts</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">in the URL</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">in the images as so-called &ldquo;alt attributes&rdquo;</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">in the metadata (title &amp; description of the website that appear in Google search results)</li>
</ul>

<p>However, keep in mind that good readability should be prioritized over the use of keywords. A text that is easy to read will most likely rank higher than a text that has more keywords but is difficult to read.</p>

<h3>Logical and appealing structure</h3>

<p>The buzzword here is &ldquo;user experience&rdquo;. Upon arriving on your site, users should find it easy to navigate between relevant subpages. Think about where patients can find your contact details, where online appointments can be booked, what content you want to display on your homepage, and how you want to present your services. For more tips, read our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dentalxr.ai/en/blog/2022/attracting-more-patients/">article</a>&nbsp;on how to win new patients.</p>

<h3>Link structure</h3>

<p>Internal and external links are relevant for Google&rsquo;s ranking of search results. Internal links are those that link the subpages on your website. By creating internal links, on the one hand, Google understands how the subpages relate to each other. On the other hand, they are useful for visitors, as relevant further information can be found with just one click.<br />
External links are those that link to other websites. They are mainly used to confirm statements on your website (e.g., the latest dental findings from studies) by linking to the source. Google thus recognizes the relevance and accuracy of your statements.</p>

<p>Aside from the links that you can include yourself, there are backlinks leading from external sites to your website. Google counts these as a recommendation of other sites for your website. The higher the quality of the site that links to yours, the more weight this link will have. However, building such a network requires a lot of time, effort, and patience. Use your contacts and ask them if they can link to your website with a recommendation. However, keep in mind the factor of quality content when building backlinks. By offering high-quality information, it is only a matter of time before other sites start to link to your website.</p>

<h3>Stay up to date</h3>

<p>It is not enough to create the perfect content if you do not plan on updating it from time to time. SEO for dentists means constantly revising and improving existing content. Google also gives you credit for that. As explained above, Google is constantly trying to optimize its search results and therefore constantly changes the factors influencing its ranking. That is why it is important to stay up to date and keep an eye on your competitors. Are there new ways to visualize content? What content is still relevant? Is there any new information you can add to your website &ndash; ranging from new equipment to new treatments or recently acquired qualifications?</p>

<h3>Conclusion: this is what matters</h3>

<p>SEO for dentists is not something you just do on the side. On the contrary, SEO work is never complete. However, laying a good foundation is already worth a lot and can result in a good ranking. Staying up to date will become a necessary routine task. In summary, these are some of the factors that matter:</p>

<ul class="simpleList">
	<li class="simpleListItem">quality content</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">meaningful keywords</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">a logical and intuitive structure of the website (menu navigation)</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">healthy link structure (internal links, external links, backlinks)</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">regular updates</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">varied content (outline, texts, headlines, images, videos)</li>
	<li class="simpleListItem">optimization for mobile devices</li>
</ul>


SEO for dentists: a quick guide

dentalXrai SEO RGB 72dpi-1280x853

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) serves to improve the visibility of one’s website in certain search queries. Targeted website improvement can help patients find your website more easily. But how does it work? Google uses over 200 factors to rank websites. In this article, we will show you what is important and which factors are decisive for you.

<h2>Latest treatment approaches, technologies and<br />
innovations in dentistry</h2>


Blog > Hero Section

<div id="animate">
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color:#0099ff">Welcome to our blog*</span></h3>

<p style="text-align: center;">How to make my dental practice fit for the future?<br />
How can I increase the traffic of my practice with the help of online marketing?<br />
What are the latest treatment approaches?<br />
Here you will find all valuable information about the latest developments in dentistry.</p>

<p style="text-align: center;">Read in!</p>

<p style="text-align: center;">*For reasons of readability, no distinction has been made between male, female<br />
and diverse. If the masculine form is used when referring to persons, this always<br />
refers to all genders on equal terms.</p>
</div>


Blog > Welcome

Blog > News

Header Blog RGB 72dpi 1650x486px

Hero-section_overlay

HeroSectionBlogMobile

Blog

The decision support platform for dentistry. <br />
We help dentists make better decisions in less time.

Latest treatment approaches, technologies and innovations in dentistry