Designing a comfortable, safe, and productive dental office space can be quite overwhelming for a provider. There are many conflicting needs that needs to be factored into the final design. Not only must the patients be properly attended to but the needs of the staff – and the dentist – also have to be considered.
Here are some of the most important ones:
A Privacy-Sensitive Intake Area
No patient ever really wants to reveal the intimate details of their healthcare situation to those folks who do not need to know. For this single reason, it is important to create some areas where relevant health information can be taken without prying eyes and ears noticing. It is a relatively small thing but one that immediately puts new patients at ease while waiting to speak with the doctor. It is also a great way to introduce patients to how the dental practice will be run.
A Comfortable Waiting Room
Just adding some chairs and a few outdated magazines does not cut it anymore when it comes to dental office hospitality, In fact, it does not really cost that much to ensure that the “waiting” experience is relatively pain-free. While a television is always welcomed by patients, it might be advisable to consider adding a fish tank or a small aviary instead. The animals are predictable and unlikely to produce the boredom of a newscast or old situation comedy.
A More Open Treatment Area
The newest innovation in dental patient care is the idea of an open treatment area. If you prefer the open treatment room concept with central cabinetry as a dividing line separating the individual dental chairs from one another, you can expect several benefits. Primarily, patients can actually interact with each other and make one another feel more comfortable while they are awaiting treatment. Subordinately, the doctor and staff members can more rapidly deal with their own duties.
A Private Staff Space
No matter how well-run, a dental office will sometimes get stressful. It is imperative that a dentist and their staff have a private space– if just for a few minutes – to go to blow off a little steam outside the view of the patients. It does not need to be large but it should have a window, a microwave, a sink and a place to sit down. These are small accommodations to make and your staff will thank you.
A Better Patient Recovery Area
It may seam like a small consideration but providing an isolated patient recovery room – one that is located quite close to the treatment area is essential. The fewer steps that a patient has to take after a procedure is consequential and means a lot to their recuperation. The use of one will also significantly lessen the strain on any staff or family members who are there to help with the movement. In short, a well-situated patient recovery room is a benefit to everyone involved in the ordeal.
For a more detailed rundown on these and several other design options that can be used to maximize the productivity of your dental office space, please contact us at HJT Design. Find us online at HJTDesign.com or reach us directly by phone at 866.213.1268.