Just as dentists would never even think of advising their patients to perform “self-dentistry”, when it comes to reimagining their practice, it is important to get advice from interior solutions specialists. With this in mind, here are 5 dental office design best practices and tips from the experts that all dentists should keep in mind when it comes time to renovate, refresh or re-invent their space:
Dental Office Design Tip #1: Think Ahead
It is important to look beyond immediate or short-term design goals, and understand how today’s design choices will impact future possibilities. For example, if a practice plans on expanding in the years ahead by adding more staff and seeing more patients, it is important to choose furniture and make other decisions that efficiently and cost-effectively support this eventual growth.
Dental Office Design Tip #2: Focus on Patient Experience
While function and efficiency will always be important dental office design considerations, today’s patients want – and increasingly expect – their visit to be pleasant and productive. To that end, consider adding workstations, Wifi, ergonomic seating, and of course, play areas for kids if the practice has a focus on pediatric care. Keep in mind that per a survey by Dental Products Report, 69 percent of dentists believe that patients see dental office design as a reflection of their dentist’s competence.
Dental Office Design Tip #3: Keep Workflow Needs in Mind
An ideal dental office design enables (as much as possible) one-way traffic flows for both staff and patients. This maximizes efficiency, and avoids human “traffic jams” that can happen during busy times. It also prevents patients from getting confused and disoriented as they go from one room to another.
Dental Office Design Tip #4: Establish Your Budget Early
It is important to establish available budget early in the process, so that the dental office design vision (once clarified) is affordable and financially feasible. For example, it is a waste of time to explore options that will costs well over $100,000, when the budget is under $25,000.
Dental Office Design Tip #5: Don’t DIY
Last but certainly not least: dentists and their teams should not waste time and resources trying to make dental office design decisions on their own – because they almost certainly will not have all of the information they need to make smart, practical and cost-effective choices. Partnering with a proven interior solutions firm at the outset of the design process is safe and strategic.
Learn More
To learn more about how to implement these and other dental office design best practices and tips in your space, contact Key Interiors today. We have extensive experience working with dental practices of all sizes, and serving different patient groups (executives, families, children, etc.). Your consultation with us is free.
