Cybermouth: A Closer Look

This week I decided to explore the Web for sources that are relevant to my blog’s emphasis in dentistry. In the course of my search, I found ten sites, which have been posted in my link roll to the left, that may be valuable to those who share an interest in my field of study. As a tool for those browsing my blog, I have critiqued the websites according to the Webby Awards criteria, and have offered a few comments as to how these sites may be improved in order to make a viewer’s experience more enjoyable.

The first and foremost significant aspect of a credible website is having trustworthy text, visual, and musical content. The American Association of Orthodontics offers educational videos, detailed advice for patients, and updated press releases. These areas of interest are easy to navigate, structurally appealing, and engaging. I found my overall experience at this particular site to be excellent, as it functioned well and provided a wide variety of topics that could be valuable to dentists and patients.

Since cosmetic dentistry involves meticulous attention to detail, it is no surprise that the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry appropriately contains superb visuals and audio. The Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions suitably offers exceptional material for students with intentions of pursuing a career in dental medicine. From personal experience, I can ensure that it contains easily accessible links that can offer a student all the necessary advice to properly prepare for the DAT. The American Dental Association also offers suggestions for the DAT exam, in addition to a variety of subject matter concerning oral health. It arranges all of its topics in alphabetical order, which makes browsing the page more efficient.

The American Association of Women Dentists is an appealing site because more and more women are entering the field of dentistry and need power for networking and representation. The site also offers easy access to affiliate organizations. The content is intriguing, however the way the material is presented needs to be done so more creatively. Web Dentistry encounters a similar problem. Although it contains high-quality, frequently updated content relevant to current issues in dentistry, the structure of the site is very repetitive and boring. For these sites, it may be beneficial to add supplements that are visually pleasing to the viewer, like video clips, audio, and photos.

With new breakthroughs in medicine and health care everyday, it is important for professionals and patients to be able to share experiences and thoughts on the web. Oral Health America actively portrays to the public the importance of the mouth on general health, and encourages viewers to donate to charities and sign up for news letters. Dental Fear Central allows patients to easily and promptly discuss their fears involved with seeing the dentist. There is abundant opportunity for students to interact within the American Student Dental Association. It encourages student dentists to obtain a membership, make a profile, and to participate in discussion forums. Although ADS Practice Transitions Made Perfect offers interactivity for those professionals with questions about their practices and questions about dental economics, it is unfortunately not very functional. It is slow to load its blog page, which may drive away browsers. It is crucial that websites not only have easy access to areas within the page, but it must allow viewers to retrieve information in a timely manner.

Although these websites do need some corrections and updates, they do contain very useful information that may be beneficial to patients, practitioners, and students. I hope my critiques may be valuable to others when exploring these links.