Let’s be honest, most dentists choose to design or redesign their office in order to fix inadequacies rather than to make a very good office into a fantastic one. We’re not stating that this is a good thing, but simply to make an observation that may be of help to you as you contemplate changes in your office. We mention this because most dentists basically resent having to spend money on improving their office and, as a result, they do not give it the time and attention that it requires. You’ll want to set clear objectives prior to beginning your design project. Why? Because, when you finally get going, it is quite natural to get swept up in the design project after it has begun and lose sight of your primary objectives.

Our experience has led us to conclude that there are three distinct types of design projects and that the sooner you clarify which type of project you are pursuing the faster you will meet your goals.

The three types of dental office design projects are:
1. Functional renovation
2. Improved office esthetics with capacity increase
3. Signature practice creation

Quite frankly, most of the doctors that are purely interested in function don’t take the time to survey their options. They have broken rooms, get sick of having to deal with them and simply go to a trade show or local dealer and get a new room or two…they are usually not even reading this…

We’re not saying that this is a good plan – there is so much more that can be accomplished – for the same expense – we’re just noting that doctors who focus purely on creating workable space as their only task tend to over spend and under plan…and the results show.

If you are truly a function only sort of person, in reality you would have stopped reading this by now. That means that in all likelihood, you are in one of the other two groups, either desiring a signature practice (more on this later) or you are focused on function, and also want your new office to look great – but you don’t want to spend an inundated amount of time on the matter. At Design/Ergonomics, our solution for you is a great design wrapped in one of our selectable pre-packaged interior design packages. Doctors in this second category, desiring both improved office capacity and aesthetics, but trying to do so on time and on a reasonable budget, are often our favorite clients.

Believe it or not, there are many more of the function only doctors than there are doctors who want to create highly productive spaces that are also beautiful. That is why the opportunities in dentistry are so great. There are simply not enough good dentists who want to create a great place for people to receive dental care!

In most markets, we think your primary objective should be simply to create a phenomenally productive office layout and, to do that, 90% of the work is functional design, but you need to be ready to make a few definite concessions in the direction of the patient’s physical and psychological comfort. These concessions for the patients’ well-being will easily be offset by the increases that you will achieve in referrals and case acceptance. By first creating a highly efficient workflow, you will be assured that the slight concessions made in the name of patient comfort will never even measurably effect your production.

For these second category practices that desire a balance of function and aesthetics, you have two methods for creating a great look. First, you can hire an interior designer to create a custom interior for you. This is a fine solution and we greatly enjoy collaborating with our in house interior designers as well as designers around the country. However, we do want to point out that you must make sure to leave enough time in your design schedule for this process. It is unreasonable to expect your chosen interior designer to be able to pick up your project in the last few weeks of the design process and be expected to produce fantastic results.

Because we so often meet doctors with time or budget constraints that require rapid interior design solutions and for doctors who simply desire a great looking office, but who do not wish to spend the time or funds to create a fully custom interior, we have a solution that works extremely well – pre-formatted interior packages. This is how it’s done.

Every year, we survey the best in interior finishes for the dental environment and then create a series of packages that we provide for a nominal fixed fee to our design clients. This option allows you to choose materials that are great for creating attractive offices, designed with reasonable budgets in mind and that will greatly speed your office planning. It allows you to begin selecting your aesthetic preferences as soon as the design process begins. Ask us how!

The third type of office design is the so-called signature practice. There are certain office situations that call for the finest finish materials and details, where nothing less than individually designed alternatives will do. We find that about 5-10% of the practices in the country require this level of finish. When this is what your practice needs, you want to plan early for the full support of an interior designer. If this is your practice objective, we have dedicated design professionals on staff whose attention is solely focused on dental interior spaces. You spend your day practicing dentistry. Our designers spend their days planning solutions to make your day of dentistry better. By using their knowledge of specialized, durable materials, in a carefully programmed system, you will create a comfortable, magnetically attractive practice of great patient and staff comfort. In addition, the signature look you will build creates an identity that will attract the kind of patients that you are looking for.

By keeping all design services under one roof, you will maximize the benefits of the complete office design. Your architectural and interior designers will be able to collaborate from day one allowing for both aspects to unite and you will greatly speed time to completion. If you are able to fit this into your budget, it’s a great way to go.

Regardless of which type of design project you are pursuing, interior aesthetic design is vitally important. It is what your patients notice most. It is how you show them that you care. The early investment of a small amount of mental energy directed in this area will speed your office project to completion and produce greater satisfaction and income.

Contact our interior design department at: 1-800-275-2547 or dvarr@desergo.com.