Posted By: Dr. Kyle Fagala, DDS, MDS
Last updated: November 9, 2026
Key Takeaways
- The Department of Justice’s 2022 guidance says the ADA’s requirements apply to what businesses open to the public offer online, and it lists medical offices as an example of those businesses.
- For private practices, the DOJ has not issued a regulation with detailed technical web standards. Its guidance points to WCAG and the Section 508 Standards as helpful references.
- Practices that receive federal financial assistance from HHS face separate rules. HHS’s Section 504 rule adopted WCAG 2.1 Level AA, with compliance dates now set for May 11, 2027 (15 or more employees) and May 10, 2028 (fewer than 15).
- Most barriers on dental websites are fixable design choices: low contrast, missing alt text, uncaptioned video, unlabeled forms and mouse-only menus.
- This is educational, not legal advice. Confirm your obligations with your attorney or compliance advisor.
Dental website accessibility means people with disabilities can use your site to learn about your practice, request appointments and fill out forms. The Department of Justice says the ADA applies to what businesses open to the public offer online. It hasn’t set a detailed technical standard for private practices, but WCAG is the common reference point.
Practices that receive federal financial assistance from HHS have more specific rules and deadlines. This article is educational, not legal advice, so confirm what applies to you with your attorney or compliance advisor. And if a rebuild is on your list, put accessibility in the brief for your dental website design project from day one.
Does the ADA apply to dental and orthodontic websites?
The DOJ’s position is that it does. In its Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA, published March 18, 2022, the Department explains that Title III covers “businesses open to the public,” and it lists “hospitals and medical offices” among its examples.
The guidance goes on: “the Department has consistently taken the position that the ADA’s requirements apply to all the goods, services, privileges, or activities offered by public accommodations, including those offered on the web.”
The California Dental Association put it plainly in a 2020 article for dentists: the ADA and state disability rights laws require dental practices, as places of public accommodation, to make their services accessible, and that includes the practice website. CDA also reported it was aware of “a handful of dental practices in southern California” that had received legal claims over inaccessible websites.
Is there a legal WCAG standard for private dental practices?
Not from the DOJ under Title III. The 2022 guidance says the Department “does not have a regulation setting out detailed standards” and that businesses “can currently choose how they will ensure” their online offerings are accessible.
That flexibility isn’t a pass; businesses “still must ensure” online offerings are accessible. The guidance names the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the Section 508 Standards as helpful technical references.
You may have heard about a 2024 DOJ rule requiring WCAG 2.1 Level AA. That is a Title II rule for state and local governments, and its ada.gov fact sheet lists examples like public universities and “public hospitals and public healthcare clinics,” not private offices. So for a private practice with no federal funding, WCAG is the common reference point, not a level named in an ADA regulation.
What do the HHS rules mean for practices that take federal funds?
They add obligations for practices that receive federal financial assistance from HHS. Two 2024 rules matter.
Section 1557. HHS’s Section 1557 final rule, published May 6, 2024 and effective July 5, 2024, applies to health programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance from HHS. Its section on technology (45 CFR 92.204) says a covered entity “must ensure that its health programs and activities provided through information and communication technology are accessible to individuals with disabilities,” unless that would cause undue burdens or a fundamental alteration. HHS chose not to adopt a specific technical standard in that rule. In the same rule, HHS also revised its interpretation so that Medicare Part B funding counts as federal financial assistance.
Section 504. HHS’s separate 2024 Section 504 rule did set a standard. According to HHS’s May 2026 interim final rule, the 2024 rule adopted WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard for recipients’ web content and mobile apps. The 2026 rule pushed the compliance dates back one year:
| Recipient size | Original date | Current date (2026 interim rule) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 or more employees | May 11, 2026 | May 11, 2027 |
| Fewer than 15 employees | May 10, 2027 | May 10, 2028 |
Whether Medicaid, CHIP or Medicare participation makes your practice a “recipient” is a question for your attorney. These dates have already moved once, so check the current rule.
What are the most common accessibility barriers on dental websites?
The DOJ’s 2022 guidance lists six common barriers. Here is where each tends to appear on a practice site.
| Barrier (DOJ list) | Where it shows up on a practice site | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Poor color contrast | Light gray text on pastel brand colors | Darker text, tested contrast |
| Color alone conveys meaning | Required form fields marked only in red | Add text labels like “required” |
| No alt text on images | Before and after galleries, doctor photos | Short descriptions of each image’s purpose |
| No captions on video | Doctor intro and patient story videos | Accurate captions on every video |
| Inaccessible forms | Consult requests and new patient paperwork | Visible labels, clear instructions, error messages |
| Mouse-only navigation | Drop-down menus and appointment widgets | Full keyboard access |
Most of these are design and content decisions, not exotic code, which means a good web team can fix most of them.
Our view at Neon Canvas: accessibility asks for the same shift. Build for every patient who might use the site, including someone relying on a screen reader, captions or a keyboard.
How do you check your dental website for accessibility?
Start with a self-check, then have your web team or an accessibility specialist do a formal review.
- Tab through your home page and consult form. Can you reach every link and button with the keyboard alone?
- Turn on your phone’s screen reader. Do images, buttons and fields make sense read aloud?
- Check your forms. Every field needs a visible label, and errors should say what went wrong in words.
- Review your video library. Every video needs accurate captions, so ask for them up front from whoever handles your video and photography services.
- Check contrast on brand colors. Text over soft, playful palettes must stay readable, a branding and graphic design decision as much as a web one.
- Ask your scheduling and form vendors how their tools handle accessibility.
- Keep your phone number easy to find on every page, so anyone who hits a barrier can still reach you.
When you’re ready to rebuild, ask whoever handles your orthodontic website design how they test for accessibility before launch.
What should you do if you receive an accessibility demand letter?
Call your attorney and professional liability carrier before you respond. CDA says a dentist who receives a legal claim about website accessibility “should consult with their attorney and professional liability carrier.”
CDA also advises talking with your website designer about which accessibility features are reasonable to add. Don’t ignore the letter or sign anything until counsel reviews it.
Why does accessibility matter beyond compliance?
Because an accessible site is usually easier for everyone. Clear labels and captions help a parent on a phone in a loud waiting room, too.
Dr. Brian Hoagburg of Hoagburg Orthodontics described his Neon Canvas website this way on our home page: “Since we’ve been working with Neon Canvas, they developed a beautiful website for us. The marketing, the digital side has been really valuable for our practice. It’s easily accessible and easily digestible as well as not too overwhelming for patients.”
For more, see what a dental site needs to turn visitors into booked appointments and our list of must-have features for an orthodontic website. If your site underperforms in general, start with the most common reasons orthodontic websites lose patients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do dental websites have to be ADA compliant?
The Department of Justice’s position is that the ADA applies to what businesses open to the public offer online, and its 2022 guidance lists medical offices among those businesses. It hasn’t issued detailed technical web standards for private businesses. Practices receiving HHS federal financial assistance have additional rules. Ask your attorney how they apply to your practice.
What WCAG level does a dental practice need to meet?
It depends on which rule applies. The DOJ’s Title III guidance names WCAG as a helpful reference but doesn’t mandate a level for private businesses. HHS’s Section 504 rule adopted WCAG 2.1 Level AA for recipients of its federal financial assistance, with compliance dates of May 11, 2027 or May 10, 2028 depending on employee count.
How do I make my dental website ADA compliant?
Start with the barriers the DOJ lists: poor contrast, color-only cues, missing alt text, uncaptioned video, inaccessible forms and mouse-only navigation. Have your web team audit against WCAG, fix issues on your most-used pages first, and retest after updates. Keep a simple record of what you fixed and when.
Does Section 1557 apply to my practice?
Section 1557’s 2024 rule applies to health programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance from HHS. In that rule, HHS also said Medicare Part B funding counts as federal financial assistance. Whether your practice qualifies depends on the programs you participate in, so confirm it with your attorney or compliance advisor.
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We’ll review how your site performs for patients and point out where it’s making things harder than it should. Request a free website and marketing audit.