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ADA Compliance Checklist
A step-by-step checklist to make sure your dental practice website meets ADA requirements — written for practice owners, not engineers.
7 min read
Why this matters
If your practice accepts Medicaid or Medicare, this is no longer optional. The 2024 HHS rule under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requires your website to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA — with deadlines starting in May 2027 — or the federal funding you depend on is at risk. The same standard satisfies what’s expected under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and it closes the door on the opportunistic lawsuits that target dental sites.
Work through the ten steps below in order. Each one closes a common gap that automated scanners — the same kind regulators and plaintiffs’ attorneys use — flag first.
The 10-step checklist
1
Add alt text to every image
Smile galleries, team headshots, office photos, logos, and icons all need descriptive alternative text. Decorative images should be marked as such so screen readers skip them.
2
Check color contrast on text and buttons
Body text needs at least a 4.5:1 contrast ratio against its background; large text and UI controls need 3:1. Light brand colors on white backgrounds are the most common failure.
3
Label every form field
New-patient forms, appointment requests, and contact forms must have programmatic labels — not just placeholder text — plus clear, specific error messages.
4
Make everything keyboard-accessible
Every link, button, menu, and booking widget must be reachable and operable with the Tab and Enter keys alone, with no traps that strand keyboard users.
5
Show a visible focus indicator
Keyboard and switch users need to see which element is focused. Never remove the focus outline without replacing it with something clearly visible.
6
Structure pages with proper headings
Use a single H1 per page and nest headings in order (H2, H3…). Screen-reader users navigate by headings, so a logical outline matters.
7
Add captions and transcripts to media
Welcome videos, patient testimonials, and procedure explainers need captions; audio content needs a transcript.
8
Ensure the site works on mobile and with zoom
Content must reflow and stay usable at 200% zoom and on small screens — no horizontal scrolling or clipped text.
9
Publish an accessibility statement
A statement signals good-faith effort, gives visitors a way to report barriers, and is viewed favorably if a complaint ever arises.
10
Monitor on an ongoing basis
Sites change — new pages, new photos, new plugins. Automated monitoring catches regressions before they become liabilities.
A note on “accessibility overlays”
Be cautious with one-line “overlay” widgets that claim instant compliance. Courts have not accepted them as a defense, and many have themselves been named in lawsuits. Real compliance comes from fixing the underlying code — which is what our plugin and remediation team do.
How Denta11y helps you check each box
- Scan — our free scan audits your site against every item above and tells you which apply, ranked by risk.
- Auto-fix — our WordPress plugin resolves the most common items (alt text, contrast, labels) without touching code.
- Remediate & monitor — our engineers handle the complex items, then ongoing monitoring keeps you compliant as your site changes.
Start with a free scan
You can’t check these boxes confidently without knowing where you stand. A free scan turns this checklist into a personalized, prioritized to-do list in under a minute.
Common questions
- What does a dental website need to be ADA compliant?
- In practice it needs to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA. That means descriptive alt text on every image, sufficient color contrast, labelled form fields, full keyboard operability, visible focus indicators, a logical heading structure, captions on media, and a layout that reflows at 200% zoom.
- Do accessibility overlay widgets make my site ADA compliant?
- No. Courts have not accepted overlay widgets as a defense, and several overlay vendors have themselves been named in lawsuits. Real compliance comes from fixing the underlying code.
- How long does it take to make a dental website ADA compliant?
- Most practices resolve the highest-risk items — alt text, contrast and form labels — within days when the fixes are automated. Complex custom widgets and booking flows take longer and usually need a developer.
- Do I need an accessibility statement?
- It is not strictly required, but publishing one signals good-faith effort, gives visitors a direct way to report barriers instead of contacting a lawyer, and is viewed favorably if a complaint ever arises.