Let’s play a game of search, kind of a “Where’s Waldo” for proofreaders. Ready? How many grammar and spelling mistakes can you find in this dental practice website?

(click on the image below to see it live)

The offender that originally caught my eye is “Sugary.” Really? Oral Sugary? Sweet. At first that was the only one I saw. And then the others appeared as I looked closer and started trying to read through the front page.

Also, what’s with the music selection for that video you can’t turn off? It’s something between the Brady Bunch theme and middle school marching band, and the best you can do is mute your computer so that it doesn’t keep starting over with each page change.

English appears to be a second language not only for the website developers but for most of the patients, too. Otherwise, don’t you think someone would have told them about this by now? It won’t be me. Not just yet, because I’m getting to a point first.

I counted eight errors. But what makes this number so awful is that there are not that many words on this page!

Maybe the Vietnamese community in Houston is more forgiving about dental websites. They might not even be able to read the words at all, and maybe the flashy stuff looks clean and assuring. Especially the little kiss blown at the end of the video. I actually found the clinician’s manner to be quite touching and sincere.

No one needs to be told anymore that you have to have a decent website to make a good impression these days. I mean, if yours looks like 1995 HTML markup you’re probably better off not having one. And even if you have a super-cool template and someone in-house that can webmaster a bit, you have to watch that you don’t put off patients with weird stuff, or too much information, or not enough information. On the other hand, if you’re not careful enough about the website designer you hire, your prospective patients might get a case of STOCK IMAGE GLAZEOVER and quickly leave your page for the next dentist in the Google search that has real people on their front page, not this same girl you see everywhere:

See what I mean?

Now go look at your own website. It needs to be better, no matter how good it is now. And if you think it’s just fine the way it is, then you need to talk to someone you trust who can either give you ideas on how to improve your online presence or just give up trying. Because there is no “Done” when it comes to web design. There’s just better for now.

Kind of like getting your teeth cleaned.

by Eva Watson

There are people that claim they are advocates of stuff; they partake in advocate-y types of things without much credence to back up their statements. Then again, there are those who are dedicated to the continuing awesomeness of support to an idea; a cause; or a spectacular organization of professionals.

Dental hygienists are pretty much the awesomeness I was referring to. Kneel when you approach.

I’m proud to introduce Mark Hartley, editor of RDH Magazine and overall good guy, to the DentalBuzz audience.

Mark took some time to answer questions while he was busy attending RDH/Under One Roof.

DB: How did you become the editor of RDH Mag?

MH: I was basically a flunky for RDH throughout most of the 1980s and early 1990s. Did proofreading, subbed in for editors when they were on vacation or on the road. In 1995, PennWell acquired RDH and asked me to help with the transition. I must have done all right, because the company asked me to stay on as the editor. So I have been the editor since 1995.

DB: A flunky- I love it. How have your opinions evolved regarding the dental hygiene industry over the course of sixteen years with RDH Magazine?

MH: I think I recognized that hygienists such as Irene Woodall, Regina Dreyer, Trisha O’Hehir, etc., were part of a second generation of leaders, guiding the profession to where it is today. But I don’t think I had a full appreciation of it until I became the editor. I have always encouraged hygienists to express themselves as writers, and I think the magazine fortunately has witnessed that during the past 16 years.

There have been some terrific writers over the past 16 years. If I may so, you’re a proud member of the current generation. On another front, manufacturers have always supported the ADHA and RDH magazines throughout the years. But I think we have actually observed them being actively engaged with the profession. RDH Under One Roof is one example of it. Another example is the career growths of dental hygienists who embarked on second careers with corporations. They used to be just “professional educators,” sent out to the state hygiene meetings to do seminars. But all of the major dental corporations now have dental hygienists in key positions, and they are profoundly influencing the relationship between manufacturers and dental hygienists.

DB: RDH Magazine is an outstanding vehicle for hygienists to stamp vital opinions in. Have you seen an increase in dentist support for the publication during the years? Or is the current consensus from dentists the ever-present, “Dental hygiene?  It’s not rocket science.  Any schmuck can clean teeth.”?

MH: We did a survey last April where 103 dental hygienists commented on the politics of the relationship between the two professions. Interestingly, 57% said their boss would vote in favor of dental hygiene to enhance patient care if a state board asked the hygienist’s employer to cast the deciding vote. We also asked who was the most supportive person in a dental office. “Dentists” was the largest response at 38%. That, of course, is not a majority. But the next highest percentage was “no one” at 21%, followed by 17% who indicated a front office person was the most supportive. So, hygienists are naturally, very offended by derogatory attitudes on the political level. On a personal career level, it’s a different story.

DB: You know what would be great? A national game of ‘Capture the Flag’ between RDHs and dentists. Only the youngest, fittest, and newly-licensed hygienists hungry for jobs would represent our side while the dentist team would have the most burnt-out, crotchety, old-men with a penchant for thirty-minute prophylaxes screaming, “Off sides! Those hygienists are off sides!” when, all along, the dentists just got frustrated because they know the RDHs were much better at capturing their flag.  I would definitely watch that game.

MH: Well, I’d hate to see myself as a cheerleader. I think the spectators would be thoroughly depressed with that image. On the other hand, we recently did a rate-uniform-scrubs survey; it was sort of a Project Runway voting on dental uniforms. One person wrote in to say she would like to see me in one of those scrub tops. I guess I could bite the bullet for the home team.

DB: Yeah, baby!  Just please let the scrub top be of a solid color. The unsettling vision of you sporting a Betty-Boop printed scrub top is not quite the lasting impression the fans need to see.  Know what I mean?

MH: Absolutely. Even the three dogs who own me would howl mournfully, long into the night.

It takes an exceptional person to admit their limitations in the arena of dental scrub top fashion. There are only so many horrific prints our eyes can handle.