Only 28% of dental practice websites say which insurance they take
It's the first question a new patient has, and 72% of the 135 independent practices we scanned make them call to ask. Prices and new-patient status are missing even more often.
- Only 28% of 135 independent dental practice websites say which insurance they take (Clikiti Research, October 2026).
- Fewer still say what a visit costs (23%) or whether they're taking new patients (22%).
- 79% state their opening hours, so practices can publish facts; they just leave out the ones patients ask first.
A new patient looking for a dentist has a short list of questions, and the first one is almost always the same: do you take my insurance? On most independent practice websites, the answer is a phone call.
In The State of Dental Practice Websites 2026, Clikiti Research scanned 135 independent dental practices: general and family, orthodontic, pediatric, and cosmetic and implant practices. Only 28% say which insurance they take.
of the 135 websites we scanned answer “Do you take my insurance?” (says which insurance it takes).
What else do new patients have to call to find out?#
Insurance isn't the worst-answered question. Only 22% of practices say whether they're taking new patients at all, and 23% show a price for a common visit or a membership plan. Meanwhile 79% state their opening hours, which shows the sites can carry plain facts. They just leave out the ones a new patient needs first.
Share of sites that answer each question
135 websites · Dental practices · Q4 2026
Which practices are the best prospects?#
The four types of practice score within a few points of each other, so pick by the gap rather than the type.
| Type of practice | Sites | Median score |
|---|---|---|
| General and family | 37 | 78 |
| Orthodontics | 33 | 77 |
| Pediatric | 31 | 77 |
| Cosmetic and implants | 34 | 74 |
Cosmetic and implant practices have the lowest median, and their patients are the most likely to pay out of pocket, so a missing price or insurance page costs them the most.
of the 135 websites we scanned answer “Are you taking new patients?” (says whether it is taking new patients).
How do you pitch it?
- Ask their question as a patient would. Search their site for "insurance" on a phone and screenshot what comes back.
- Give them the industry number. 72% of practices in the study don't answer it either, so you're pointing at an easy way to stand out, not a failure.
- Quote one page. An insurance page that names every plan they're in network with, or says clearly that they're fee-for-service, linked from the home page. Small job, visible result.
"Do you take my insurance?" is the first question a new patient has, and your site makes them call to ask.
Speed is the next conversation: 91% of the practice sites take longer than 2.5 seconds to load on a phone. But start with insurance. It's the question their front desk answers all day, and they'll recognise it straight away. Law firms have the same blind spot with whether anyone will answer tonight.
Keep reading
More on dental and the same problems in other industries
How to cite
Clikiti Research (2026, October 14). Only 28% of dental practice websites say which insurance they take. Clikiti. https://splash.clikiti.com/research/posts/dental-websites-insurance
Data and license
Every number comes from The State of Dental Practice Websites 2026 (n = 135). Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Credit Clikiti with a link. Plain Markdown
About the images
People in the photographs on this page are AI-generated. No real person, school, firm or practice is shown. Last updated Oct 14, 2026.
One stat. One pitch. Every Tuesday.
A finding from our scans, what it means for the agencies selling to that industry, and the line to open a pitch with. Free.