What emotions does your dental office inspire? Are your patients excited to come back? Do kids ask when they get to visit their dentist again?
When people walk into your practice, do they immediately think cutting-edge, top-quality care? Are they confident that the latest technology is being utilized, or does the environment feel more clinical than comfortable? It’s time to dream big about what your practice could be, and let us help those dreams come true.
Old, outdated office decor and inefficient layouts often tell a story that doesn’t represent who you are. Over time, no matter how well you maintain a facility, finishes become worn and dated. Unfortunately, this can make a practice feel behind the times and out of touch with today’s technology. Don’t let that be your story.
Make it easy, inside and out.
Consider the patient logistics. Insurance is confusing, do you have an easy, comfortable way of explaining how it works? Is that conversation happening at the chair while you are checking their gums, or at the checkout desk amidst the chaos of incoming patients? Imagine how much better that conversation would feel if patients had a private, quiet area to focus on their care plans.
In our fast-paced lifestyle, convenience is a baseline demand. Patients want to get in and out with as little hassle as possible. That applies to your location, but it also applies to the flow through your office. Is your front door visible and straightforward? Is there an architectural element acting as a beacon to call patients in? Once inside, can they navigate the space intuitively, or does your staff have to guide them every step of the way?
Give them something to talk about.
Office reviews and social media are powerful marketing forces. New patients rely heavily on online feedback. Are your reviews positive? Are patients talking about how amazing your facility is?
Does your online imagery represent a fresh, cutting-edge practice, or are you nervous about what might get shown? Would the photos available online drive people toward you or away? You can easily capitalize on free marketing by creating a space so unique that people naturally want to post about it. Don’t miss out on those “Instagrammable” opportunities.
Personal referrals will always be the ultimate source of new business. What are friends and family saying about their dental visits? When I grew up, the dentist was just something you did every six months—done and forgotten. It certainly wasn’t something I looked forward to.
My kids, however, are a different story. They constantly ask when they get to go back to the dentist. Sure, their practitioner is amazing, but my kids specifically ask to go see “the monkeys in the trees.”
Modern consumers expect to be wowed. No longer can a business simply provide a baseline service; patients want an elevated experience. Whether your practice focuses on general dentistry, pediatrics, endodontics, orthodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, or oral and maxillofacial surgery, you have a unique opportunity to pamper your patients. Dental office design matters here.
If your patients aren’t leaving reviews like, “It’s so relaxing I forgot I was at the dentist,” or “It feels more like a spa,” it is probably time for a change.
Don’t just act the part—look the part.
Patients want to know you are using the latest technology to treat them, and these advancements directly impact the layout and look of your facility. Does your office look like it houses cutting-edge tech, or does it feel trapped in the 2000s? New technology can feel intimidating on its own, so your design should make it look effortless and comfortable.
If it has been more than ten years since your last renovation, chances are your facility is starting to look dated. Styles shift quickly trends run their course.
Why does this matter? If your patients walk in and can tell it has been a decade since your last update, they may subconsciously wonder where else you are cutting corners, or if your clinical methods are outdated too. Don’t let that thought cross their minds.
Take a hard, critical look at your practice, or better yet, have an outsider you trust walk through your doors and point out the areas of concern. Your space should reflect the high quality of care you provide.
To see more photos of this Wichita architecture project, click here!
