A handful of dental practices in Southern California have received legal claims for not employing an accessible website design, according to recent reports from the California Dental Association.
Dental practices accommodate the public, so they are required to make their services accessible to people with disabilities by the Americans with Disabilities Act and state disability rights laws. Failure to construct a website accessible to individuals who are visually impaired could result in a legal claim prior to filing a lawsuit.
This can pose a challenge to dentists, as there is no formal government standard for website accessibility, and compliance consultants often charge expensive fees.
When reviewing their website for accessibility, dentists should ensure it contains the options to enlarge font size and have text read by an assistive reader. They also should consider offering an accessibility button that leads visitors to an accessibility information page with alternative options to connect with the practice, according to Cory Roletto, the co-owner of a dental marketing company.
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