What the law says about dental practices
Private businesses that are open to the public are covered by Title III of the ADA. The Department of Justice has not adopted a technical standard for private business websites, but its guidance says the ADA's requirements apply to web content, and WCAG is commonly used as the yardstick for accessibility work.
The ADA lists the professional office of a health care provider as a place of public accommodation. If your practice also receives federal financial assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services, which can include accepting Medicaid, the HHS Section 504 web rule may apply too. It requires WCAG 2.1 Level AA for web content and mobile apps. Under the extended dates, recipients with 15 or more employees must comply by May 11, 2027, and those with fewer than 15 by May 10, 2028. Whether either rule applies to your practice is a question for your attorney.
Where dental sites commonly break
- Online scheduling. Booking widgets from third party vendors often have unlabeled fields and calendars that cannot be used without a mouse.
- New patient forms. Downloadable PDF forms with no fillable fields, or forms that time out.
- Before and after galleries. Images with no description, or sliders that cannot be paused or operated by keyboard.
- Service pages. Text laid over photos with poor contrast, and treatment names shown only as images.
- Pop ups. Special offer and chat pop ups that trap keyboard focus.
- Financing and insurance pages. Embedded third party tools that were never tested.
What a patient with a disability needs from your site
A patient who is blind may use a screen reader and needs form fields that announce what they are. A patient with a tremor may need large targets and no tiny close buttons. A patient who is deaf needs captions on any video, such as a tour of the office or an explanation of a procedure. A patient with anxiety or a cognitive disability benefits from plain language, clear steps, and a visible phone number. These are not extremes, and they overlap with ordinary needs such as using the site one handed in a waiting room.
What to do next
Run the free scan on your home page. Then check, by hand, your booking process and your new patient forms, since the scan does not complete tasks. Ask the booking vendor whether their widget is tested to WCAG 2.1 AA. If you want help, our testing and remediation services can fix what is found. If your site is dated, an accessible redesign is an option, but only if a repair would not do. See also guidance for medical clinics.
General information, not legal advice. Automated testing cannot establish full ADA compliance or guarantee protection from lawsuits. It finds some kinds of barriers quickly. A person still has to test the rest. Ask a qualified attorney how the law applies to you.
Frequently asked questions
Is my private dental office covered by the ADA?
A professional office of a health care provider is a listed public accommodation under Title III. How the ADA applies to your website is a question for a qualified attorney.
Does the HHS rule apply to me?
It applies to recipients of HHS federal financial assistance. Ask your attorney whether your practice is one. Dates are May 11, 2027 for 15 or more employees and May 10, 2028 for fewer than 15.
Does my booking widget count as my website?
Tools you put on your site are part of what patients experience. Ask your vendor for evidence of accessibility testing.
Can the free scan test my booking process?
No. It scans a single page and does not complete tasks. Booking and forms need manual testing.