It's common for patients to approach appointments with trepidation. For them, a dental practice can be a nerve-racking environment where worries of discomfort and unforeseen costs often manifest. Creating an environment where patients feel comfortable and at ease will have a huge impact on their overall experience and satisfaction with your practice. Choosing the right design elements throughout can help with this.
Before a patient even enters your dental practice, design elements will start to come into effect. With every touchpoint, an impression of your dental practice is being fabricated and can influence their overall experience. Using design features to your advantage by creating a functional and aesthetic appeal that reflects your commitment to quality, and make patients feel valued throughout their entire visit can have significant benefits.
A patient that has a positive experience where they feel valued and well cared for is far more likely to return, to keep appointments, agree to new procedures and refer your practice to others along the way. Making the value that good design generates, imperative to the future of your practice.
Dental practice design features
The exterior
The design elements of your dental practice come into effect before a patient even enters your practice. If your practice benefits from high volumes of foot traffic then the exterior acts as free advertising for your services. Many people judge a book by its cover and the facade of your business is no exception. While you may not have much control over the exterior, easy access and clear signage are non-negotiables. Ask yourself:
- How easy is it to find your practice?
- How well is your entrance signposted?
- Is there ample parking?
- Is the transition from the parking lot to your practice simple and effortless?
Good signage assures patients they're in the right spot. Having a clearly highlighted, welcoming, and easy-to-access entrance will smoothen the arrival process and help initiate that positive impression before the patient even walks through your doors. Also, ask yourself whether the outside reflects the service and experience found on the inside. There's little value in having a premium look to the exterior of the practice if the fixtures, services, and experience is more budget-oriented.
Waiting room furniture
Don't skimp on furniture. Uncomfortable furniture can make patients more restless or irritable and can increase their perceived wait time. Opt for furniture that's inviting to sit on. The waiting room of your practice is the perfect opportunity to relax your patients and calm their nerves before you treat them. Using visually appealing furniture that fosters a sense of homeliness is a great way to do that. Take it that step further and add a lamp, a plant, or maybe a rug to give it those additional warm, comforting touches!
People value personal space and can often feel anxious being in close to strangers, and even more so amidst the current pandemic environment. Show your patients you value their need for personal space by providing adequate seating around the room. Opt for seating with armrests. This will provide an extra level of comfort and strategically create a spacious feeling.
Floor plan
The layout of your practice plays a crucial role in the overall atmosphere created and should flow seamlessly between touchpoints. From arrival, your layout should make sense to first-time patients and naturally guide them to where they need to go next.
Consider an open floor plan to make the space more expansive and reduce any anxious patients feeling claustrophobic. A dental practice that focuses its layout on being open provides patients with a clear view of what's happening throughout the space and gives them a visual cue on where they'll be treated, helping build trust and confidence.
Functionality
Just as the ideal floor plan should naturally guide patients as they flow through your practice, accessibility throughout should be just as seamless.
It goes without saying that your dental practice should be accessible to everyone. Doorways should have flush floors for wheelchairs, walkers, and pushchairs to wheel through with ease. Include wide hallways, spacious bathrooms, a lowered section of the reception desk, automatic doors, and try to remove any unnecessary clutter from common areas. Your clinic should be safe and easy to navigate for all who enter.
A well-designed practice will contribute to the overall efficiency, productivity, and day-to-day functionality of staff and patients alike. Appropriately locating treatment rooms and common areas, providing adequate sized facilities, and adhering to all building codes and health regulations will facilitate optimal functionality throughout the practice.
Lighting
Getting the lighting right is integral to a well-designed practice. Harsh or flickering fluorescent light can give people migraines and make a waiting room feel sterile and intimidating. Where possible opt for maximum natural lighting, as this will create a softer atmosphere in the practice and put patients at ease.
This applies throughout the practice. Try including natural lighting in treatment rooms too, not just the waiting room, to achieve a consistent experience throughout. Design decisions such as positioning a dental chair near a window or installing cabinet downlights will all help promote a sense of calm as patients can focus on the view, where possible.
Reducing wait time
Perceived wait time and actual wait time are two very different things. Even if you run a tight ship that's consistently efficient and on schedule if patients feel like they're waiting a long time this is going to negatively impact their overall experience at your practice.
Add some simple aesthetic appeal to the waiting room to keep patients relaxed and distracted. Use calming colours throughout, hang up intriguing artwork or add a feature wall. Simple things like including plants or splashing out on fresh flowers each week can have a big impact on the overall feel of your clinic.
Consider offering complimentary tea or coffee for patients to enjoy while they wait. Play relaxing music while also having magazines available. And offer free Wi-Fi. Simple amenities that keep patients occupied and distract them while they wait comes at a minimal cost to your practice but can go a long way in reducing your patients' perceived wait time and putting them at ease before they see you.
If you have a larger clinic, consider a digital wait time estimator. Having a screen providing queue order and wait-time information reduces any guesswork for patients improving their waiting experience.
Child friendly
Make the experience of visiting your practice easier for parents and more enjoyable for children by including simple child-friendly design features. Provide toys that are appropriate for all ages and are quiet to play with. Position any breakable items in out-of-reach settings. Including pictures or artwork on the walls or having a fish tank helps distract children and patients while they wait, reducing any anxiety surrounding dental visits. Going above and beyond to accommodate children will be appreciated by all.
Make it memorable
Distinguish your practice from competitors by creating a memorable experience. First impressions matter so show touches of personality amongst the professionalism right from the get-go. Simple interior design choices you make such as colours, artwork, light fixtures, and furnishings go a long way in making a patient's experience with your practice memorable and enjoyable.
Ultimately, your goal is to put your patients at ease and provide them with the best possible experience of your services and good dental practice design helps do this. Providing functional, innovative design that reflects strong attention to detail and genuine care, will keep patients coming back every time.
For more innovative and inspirational dental practice designs ideas to include in your dental practice, check out our free inspiration guide.
