Samuel Gembe

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[Case 04]

Responsive Design for Human-Centered Care

Responsive Website

Rios Dental

Crafting a responsive web presence for a trusted Ontario dental provider expanding its heritage to Guadalajara

[Project Overview]

Since over two decades, Rios Dental has provided excellent in-clinic care to Ontario communities. Branching out to Guadalajara, Jalisco, they needed their first website to be responsive to evolving patient needs beyond the treatment area. We built a flexible online home that does justice to their heritage while making access easier – including bilingual appointment booking, geo-sensitive service details for both locations, anxiety-reducing educational resources. This new platform extends their "patient-first" philosophy into the virtual world, allowing generations of loyal patients to book seamlessly and welcoming Mexico's newest community with equal warmth.

[Problem Statement]

Rios Dental, with 20+ years of dignified community service in Ontario and recent growth to Guadalajara, had no functional website – resulting in deep patient experience gaps:

Zero Digital Trust
New patients couldn't verify credentials/services, especially in Mexico where the brand was unknown.

Operational Inefficiency
Phone-only bookings led to missed calls during busy hours at both offices.

Growth Limitations
The Guadalajara expansion passed unnoticed by local communities with no online presence.

[Industry]

Healthcare

[My Role]

UX / UI Designer - Photographer

[Platforms]

Desktop and Mobile

[Timeline]

May 2024 - July 2024

View Behance Project

[Persona 1 - US based]

Miguel

Construction Foreman

Rios Dental has been my trusted dentist for over 10 years. I would like my children and grandchildren to continue going there.

Age: 52

Location: Ontario, California

Tech Proficiency: Moderate

Gender: Male

[Goals]

Find Spanish-speaking dentist

Understand insurance coverage

Fair prices, not too high

[Frustrations]

Confusing English insurance terms

Clinics that "upcharge Latinos"

Judgment about dental neglect

[Persona 2 - Mexico based]

Sofía

Digital Marketing Specialist

I like to be treated by my dentist with quality care and comfort in mind. I feel secure when I see a well-experienced team and up-to-date facilities.

Age: 28

Location: Guadalajara, MX

Tech Proficiency: High

Gender: Female

[Goals]

Convenience to schedule, reschedule or communicate with the clinic

Have continuous and quality treatment

Feeling appreciated as a customer

[Frustrations]

Feels like the dental clinic is out of date, facilities and processes

Aesthetic Uncertainty

Price Transparency

[Process]

[01] User Research

User surveys in both countries

Competitive audit

User interviews

[01] User Research

User surveys in both countries

Competitive audit

User interviews

[01] User Research

User surveys in both countries

Competitive audit

User interviews

[02] Insights

Users want to see real results from other users, photos or testimonials.

Phone-Only Booking Excludes Generations

Updated facilities and the use of technology provide security to users.

[02] Insights

Users want to see real results from other users, photos or testimonials.

Phone-Only Booking Excludes Generations

Updated facilities and the use of technology provide security to users.

[02] Insights

Users want to see real results from other users, photos or testimonials.

Phone-Only Booking Excludes Generations

Updated facilities and the use of technology provide security to users.

[03 Design Solution]

A dynamic website was created for each location with English and Spanish options.

Easy and intuitive way to schedule and manage appointments

Clear and easy to find information. Real images and testimonials to build trust

[03 Design Solution]

A dynamic website was created for each location with English and Spanish options.

Easy and intuitive way to schedule and manage appointments

Clear and easy to find information. Real images and testimonials to build trust

[03 Design Solution]

A dynamic website was created for each location with English and Spanish options.

Easy and intuitive way to schedule and manage appointments

Clear and easy to find information. Real images and testimonials to build trust

[04] Testing & Iteration

Testing with low-fidelity prototypes

A/B testing prototypes

Try different third party appointment scheduling softwares

[04] Testing & Iteration

Testing with low-fidelity prototypes

A/B testing prototypes

Try different third party appointment scheduling softwares

[04] Testing & Iteration

Testing with low-fidelity prototypes

A/B testing prototypes

Try different third party appointment scheduling softwares

[Outcome]

65% less phone dependency

Acquisition of new patients through internet presence

Increased user confidence through accurate information and pictures

[Final Design]

[Photo Shoot]

In order to solve the lack of real photographic material of the clinic and avoid using stock material, I produce a photoshoot aligned with the aesthetics of the website and brand values.

[Key Learnings]

Trust Is the First Treatment

We learned that patients won't book appointments until they feel emotionally safe. For US Latinos, this meant insurance clarity; for Mexicans, to have confidence from knowing the clinic and its staff. By designing with trust in mind – pricing transparency, real equipment photos, and dentist video intros – we reduced appointment no-shows significantly. Healthcare UX must address fear before functionality.

Trust Is the First Treatment

Cultural and language support

Simply translating content wasn't enough. Mexican elders wanted phone support prominence; US Latinos needed insurance literacy tools; young Mexicans demanded social proof. We implemented location-aware interfaces: MX saw family-focused imagery and cash pricing, while US views highlighted insurance badges. This cultural UX alignment increased retention across both markets.

Cultural and language support

Digital Presence as Modern Caregiving

A website is not just an online brochure – it's today's front desk, waiting room, and first clinical impression. For Rios Dental, having a responsive website meant meeting patients where they are: on search engines looking for symptoms, on social media looking for highly recommended reviews, and on smartphones booking in busy schedules. This synergy – where instant messaging follows but not supplants phone calls, and online transparency builds on face-to-face trust – shows that true new-fangled healthcare maintains its roots by having technology be the ultimate care partner's best friend.