What Goes Into Dental Office Design?

Visiting the dentist can be stressful. But what if checking into your appointment felt like stepping into your favorite restaurant? With thoughtful design, a dental clinic can become an environment where patients and staff feel comfortable and cared for. This can involve some unique challenges such as navigating complex building codes, budgeting, and balancing the needs of staff and patients. But it the end, it's worth it. This article explores what it takes to create a great dental experience all the way from the ground up.

Thoughtful Planning

Lush Family Dental, Waukee, IA

When creating a layout for a dental office, the main priority is optimizing workflow and efficiency. For established dental clinics it begins with the history of the current operations of the clinic, to understand what is and isn't working. It is important to prioritize the needs of the staff in this process because if they aren't thriving in their workplace, the quality of their caregiving will suffer. Designers will take this into consideration and strategically plan the placement of the treatment rooms, sterilization, x-ray, and storage area in order to reduce walking distance for staff.

The entry should direct patients to the reception desk and seats in the waiting room. There should be distinct separation between public and private areas. Staff should have a dedicated space for breaks, as well as a changing room, a space for personal items, and a private restroom. Areas designated for staff should be clearly marked or concealed to prevent accidental entry by patients. Public areas should be located near the entrance and in proximity to other public spaces. Along with efficiency, a dental clinic layout needs to be compliant with the latest building codes. It's important to dive into these early on in case any unforeseen issues need to be addressed with the layout.

Choosing a Scheme & Finishes

Creating a scheme begins with asking the client what is most important to them. Do they want their space to feel warm and welcoming? Clean and minimalistic? Are they passionate about branding? Do they care about creating a family-friendly environment? Are they doing a renovation and want the existing to be cohesive with the new?

The aim for every dental clinic project is to create an environment that will ease any anxieties patients might have. A balance of light colors, such as white, will make a space feel open and clean. Incorporating warm lighting, natural textures, and greens, blues, or neutral tones can create a calming and welcoming atmosphere. Too many bright colors and patterns can become overwhelming, and too much of the same color can make a space feel muddy or sterile.

Finish & Furniture Selection

It's helpful to have physical material samples in order to have a good understanding of what the products look like and how they coordinate. This is especially true for renovation projects where the new products need to match the existing. It is important to assess the quality of materials to ensure they are durable, easy to clean, and slip-resistant. Commercial-grade flooring and type II wallcoverings serve as helpful guidelines. Additionally, using soft materials like carpet or acoustical ceiling tiles helps manage sound in treatment rooms.

Furniture selection is also a valuable piece of the design process. Designers will work with the owner to ensure the overall design and furniture pieces are cohesive. For patients and their families, it's good to have comfortable and accessible seating in the waiting room. Modular seating for staff creates a more flexible and functional environment. Commercial furniture reps often step in to direct designers to specific products and help with coordinating ordering and delivery.

Dimples Dentistry Renovation - It's incredible what new carpet and paint can do to a space!

The Final Touches

We've discussed how a great dental experience starts with planning, codes, finish selections, and furniture, Each of these parts of the process is essential to creating a space that goes beyond the dental practice. But one last step allows the design team to raise the bar with every project: final feedback from the owner. What didn't work? What can we do better next time? With this kind of thoughtful design, the future is bright for dental clinics!