Platform Update: A Smoother, Faster Experience Behind the Scenes

At Great Dental Websites, we’re always working to make your website faster, more reliable, and easier to manage. This week, we’re launching a major upgrade to the backend of our website platform.

We're introducing a new, more flexible foundation for our platform, making it easier to deliver future enhancements while keeping your website running smoothly and reliably.

So… What’s Changing for You?

For the large majority of our clients, the answer is: not much, and that’s a good thing! Our goal was to do all the heavy lifting behind the scenes, so you don’t have to. Your practice's website will still be fast, effective, and beautiful!

However, there are a few small updates you may notice:

Some Older Layout Features Have Been Removed

We’ve removed a few outdated layout tools that were no longer in use (like old sliders or design overrides). In rare cases, this may result in small layout changes, especially if your site used these retired features. If anything looks off, just let us know, and we’ll take care of it quickly.

Improved Image Uploading and Cropping

All photo uploads (except within text editors) now use our new, faster cropping tool, the same one introduced on our updated service pages that we rolled out last year.

You’ll notice:

• Cropping happens directly on the editing page; no need for extra steps
• You can still remove an image easily with a checkbox
• Simpler controls for faster editing

Cleaner Settings for Better Usability

If you’ve noticed that some options have disappeared from your website settings, that’s on purpose. We’ve removed outdated features and unused site settings to make your admin area cleaner, faster, and easier to use.

Homepage Pods Removed

The outdated homepage pod feature has also been removed in the new version. If your site previously relied on pods to pull in related content to your homepage, feel free to ask your Marketing Coach or our Support Team for alternative ways to incorporate that content; we’re happy to help reimagine it.

Social Media Posting Tool Removed

We’ve officially retired the built-in social media posting tool, which was rarely used. Most clients prefer to post directly to their social media accounts, and we encourage you to continue doing so.

Why This Matters: Future-Proofing Your Website

While these visible changes may seem small, this upgrade is a big deal under the hood. It allows us to:

• Build and launch new features faster
• Improve your website’s performance and stability
• Respond to technical issues more quickly
• Keep your data and site more secure

In short, this update is all about giving you a better platform to grow your practice online.

What Should You Do?

No action is needed on your part.

However, if you do notice something unexpected, especially in your site’s layout, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team by email at support@greatdental.com. We’re here and happy to help.

Thank you for trusting Great Dental Websites with your online presence. This upgrade is just one of the many ways we’re investing in helping your practice thrive.