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XXXXX Dental Tribune U.S. Edition | April 2013 A15INduStry NEWS to research future purchases. 92 per- cent of smartphone users seek local information on their device, and 89 percent have taken action after look- ing up local content.9 More significantly for your practice, 52 percent of smart- phone owners have used their phones to search for health information.10 Without a mobile-optimized site, your practice will have a harder time driving new and repeat appointments from the mobile Web. Mobile shoppers are more likely to buy something if the company’s site is optimized for mobile, and are more likely to return to a site in the future if their mobile experience is good.11 You may be driving away patients Many mobile users now expect any brand they engage with to have a mobile-optimized site. Nearly half of smartphone users say that visiting a non-mobile-friendly site makes them feel like the company doesn't care about them.12 Additionally, more than half of mobile users say they won't recom- mend a business with a poorly designed mobile site.13 If smartphone users reach a site and “ MOBILE, page A14 see that it’s not optimized for mobile, what will they do? They might leave — 74 percent of mobile users are only willing to wait five seconds or less for a single Web page to load before leav- ing the site.14 Or worse, they might visit a competitors’ site – 61 percent of cus- tomers who visit a website that isn't mobile-friendly will leave to visit a competitor.15 The bottom line is that not having a mobile-optimized site can hurt your relationships with current patients, and drive away prospective ones. As smart- phone and mobile Web usage continues to grow, this will only become a bigger issue for dental practices without mo- bile-optimized sites. The mobile Web is where many of your patients are, and where they go to find and research your dental practice. Optimizing your website for mobile will help you best capitalize on the mobile Web as a tool for building and strength- ening relationships with patients. In selecting a partner to launch your mo- bile site, make certain they understand on-the-go patient online behavior and leverage your existing online practice brand and social media channels to op- timize the impact of your new mobile site. ÿ References 1. Brenner, Joanna. Pew Internet: Mobile. Pew Internet & American Life Project, Jan. 31, 2013, http://pewinternet.org/Commen- tary/2012/February/Pew-Internet-Mobile. aspx, accessed on March 7, 2013. 2. Katcher, Dan. Mobile Growth Stats. Rocket Farm Studios, Dec. 13, 2012, http://www. rocketfarmstudios.com/mobile-growth- stats, accessed on March 07, 2013. 3. Mobile. eMarketer, https://www.emarketer. com/coverage/mobile.aspx, accessed on March 7, 2013. 4. Smith, Aaron. Smartphone Adoption and Usage. Pew Internet & American Life Proj- ect, July 11, 2011, http://pewinternet.org/Re- ports/2011/Smartphones.aspx, accessed on March 7, 2013. 5. Mobile Commerce and Engagement Stats. digby, http://www.digby.com/mobile-statis- tics/, accessed on March 7, 2013. 6. See citation 1 7. Today’s Dental 2012 case study, Sesame Communications 8. Walsh, Mark. Global Mobile Payments to Hit $171 Billion This Year. Online Media Daily, May 29, 2012, http://www.mediapost.com/ publications/article/175693/global-mobile- payments-to-hit-171-billion-this-ye. html#axzz2Mb1OVNvu, accessed on March 7, 2013. 9. Sterling, Greg. Google: 1 Billion People Will Use Mobile as Primary Internet Access Point in 2012. Search Engine Land, Feb. 27, 2012, http://searchengineland.com/google- 95-percent-of-us-smartphone-owners-use- search-113017, accessed on March 7, 2013. 10. See citation 4 11. Indvik, Lauren. How Important is a Mobile- Optimized Site for Your Business. Mashable, Oct. 10, 2012, http://mashable. com/2012/10/10/mobile-site-small-business/, accessed on March 7, 2013. 12. See citation 9 13. Embrace Mobile Now, The Success of Your Business Depends on it. The MJR Blog, http://www.mjrcg.com/blog/2012/05/em brace-mobile-now-the-success-of-your-busi ness-depends-on-it/, accessed on March 7, 2013. 14. New Study Reveals the Mobile Web Disap- points Global Consumers. Compuware, http://www.compuware.com/d/re lease/592528/new-study-reveals-the-mobile- web-disappoints-global-consumers, ac- cessed on March 7, 2013. 15. Mobile-friendly sites turn visitors into cus- tomers. Google, http://googlemobileads. blogspot.com/2012/09/mobile-friendly- sites-turn-visitors.html, accessed on March 7, 2013. Expert Dental CE creates two restorative, esthetic modules Courses designed to address single biggest reason for rejected insurance claims: poor, marginal fit In keeping with its mission to pro- vide high-level online CE courses, Ex- pert Dental CE (www.expertdentalce. com) has launched its first two modu- lar programs in Restorative and Aes- thetic Advances. Both modules are CERP approved. “Our mission,” said Expert Dental CE Co-Founder Dr. Frank Murphy, “is to provide in-depth modules that give the learner more than a superficial introduction to a technique, while at the same time offering material that is useful and practical.” Learn the latest techniques for everday procedures Module One ($199 and worth six C.E. credits, ) consists of the following scholars and topics: • Dr. Charles Goodacre on “How to Achieve Excellent Marginal Fit & Cer- vical Contour with Crowns.” • Dr. Burney Croll on “Emergence Profiles in Natural Tooth Contour.” • Dr. Jim Fine on “Crown Lengthen- ing: A Powerful Tool for Healthier Gums” and Better Crowns.” • Dr. Dennis Tarnow on “Periodontal and Prosthetic Management of Furcat- ed Teeth: Parts I, II, III” “We created this module, in part, be- cause one of the single biggest reasons insurance claims are rejected by car- riers is poor marginal fit,” said Expert Dental CE’s other co-founder, Dr. Alan Winter. “But that’s not the only reason.” Winter also said that as dentists gain more clinical experiences through the years, they can become more removed from their dental school education, and there is a great benefit to gain from brushing up on the latest tech- niques for everyday procedures. “As a practicing periodontist,” he said, “I see greater value in learning how to reduce the incidence of periodontal disease and save dentitions than in taking a course that requires four surgeries and expensive biologics to grow a papilla or 1 millimeter of bone.” Newest theories in smile design Module Two ($239 and worth 10 C.E. credits) features the following scholars and topics: • Dr. Graz Giglio on “A Review of Smile Design Parameters” and “Achiev- ing Aesthetic Laminate Veneers.” • Dr. Mariano Polack on ”Understand- ing Current All-Ceramic Systems.” • Dr. Dean Vafiadis on “Computerized Dentistry for Private Practice: Abut- ments, Ceramics and Occlusion.” Module Two caries Expert Dental CE’s agenda forward by combining four outstanding lectures into a cohesive grouping that explores the up-to-date theories in smile design, performing laminate veneers and understanding Dr. Charles Goodacre Dr. Jim Fine Dr. Graz Giglio Dr. Dennis Tarnow Dr. Dean Vafiadis Dr. Mariano Polack Reflecting a new name, www. expertdentalce.com points to www.xpapce. com. Visitors to the website will find a full online community for dental professionals, with C.E. courses, new products and expert speakers such as those pictured below. Photos/Provided by xpAPce the differences in ceramics and the cements they require for the best per- formance and esthetics. Also covered in detail is the latest information avail- able on current knowledge for chair- side CAD/CAM technologies for single units and implants. For more information, contactExpert Dental CE at info@xpapce.com or visit: www.expertdentalce.com. (Source: Expert Dental CE) DiAnA P. FrieDMAn, MA., MBA, is president and chief executive officer of Sesame Communications. She has a 20-year success track record in leading dental innovation and marketing. She has served as a recognized practice management consultant, author and speaker. She holds an MA in sociology and an MBA from Arizona State University.