A great office design reduces patient anxiety, distinguishes your practice, enhances perceptions about the quality of dental care you provide and makes the waiting period feel shorter.

Great dentist office design depends on you making the right decision. Regardless of your budget, you must think about the environment you are creating and the effect every design element will have on the patient.

Comfortable Sitting

Choose sitting that allows patients to choose what makes them comfortable, what works for one patient might be uncomfortable for another. Include movable armrests, seating pads, footstools and cushions patients can move around to get comfortable.

Keep our Patients Active

Create a space that allows dental patients to stay productive even as they wait. Offer free Wi-Fi, charging pots and even individual or communal working spots if space permits. Many patients schedule their appointments in between a busy workday; make it comfortable for them to work remotely as they wait to see you.

Alternatively, offer your patients with I-pads tethered to furniture pre-loaded with games, dental care information, latest magazines and social apps. Parents bringing their kids to the practice will appreciate the distraction the I-pad offers, even allowing them to catch up on some work. Other patients will appreciate the entertainment as they wait to see you.

Another way to engage your patients is to include a retail section where patients can pass time shopping. Think of creative ways to merge the retail space to your practice; for example, if you cater to parents a lot, you can offer a shop with alternative healthy snacks that are safe for their children’s teeth.

Give Patient Control

Give patients a variety of sitting arrangements; you can include a working desk for professionals, a round table for families or a play area for visitors with children. Consider giving your patients the freedom to move around the chairs for a greater sense of control. Give your patients more control by keeping them updated; for example, send them a text message when you are running late or give an accurate estimate of the waiting time.

Pamper your Patients

Everyone loves to feel good: study your patients’ habits and identify opportunities for you to improve their experience through pampering. If you receive a lot of children, include a relaxing room where their parents can enjoy a massage chair or rest their feet on a foot massager as they wait for their kids to receive a service. Something as simple as a web-surfing station for teenage patients can transform your dental business and increase referrals.

Build a Community

Find a creative way to connect your dental clinic to the community around. You can create a community board where you share information relevant to your patients such as details on upcoming local hikes, discounts in health stores or information celebrating local heroes such as a fireman or a kid who is doing good in the community. Other businesses and local stakeholders will appreciate the connection and your patients will enjoy a space that allows them to stay connected to their communities.

There are several options for you to transform your dental office into a haven that makes patients feel happy. Your next design project is an opportunity for you to throw away the rulebook and explore new, innovative ideas. Look for inspiration everywhere and experiment by creating a space that keeps your patients excited as they wait to see you. Contact the experts at HJT designs who will help you implement whatever ideas you have.