Assessment of the online presence and regulatory compliance of dental practice websites in France

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the online presence of French dental practices that have a professional website. Secondly, the degree of compliance of practices’ websites with the current regulatory framework was assessed. Methods Open data was used to identify a 5% random sample of private dental practices in France ( n = 1370 facilities). Then, a manual search was made on Google to find the website for each practice. When found, the website was analyzed using criteria. Results Only 25.9% of dental practices have a functional and referenced website, allowing 28.9% of the dentists in the sample to have an online presence. Disparities exist depending on the geographical location of the facility and its type. The assessment of website content uncovered a lack of compliance with the existing regulatory framework, exhibiting variations based on the type of facility and the person who designed the website. Hiring a specialized web design provider for dentists enhances compliance with laws and guidelines, though it doesn't guarantee complete adherence. Conclusions The online presence of dental practices and dentists in France is limited. Where they do exist, dental practice websites generally do not comply with legal requirements and guidelines for online communication. Efforts should be made to improve the information provided to patients.