Whether you are planning on refreshing, renovating or re-imagining your dental office, it goes without saying that you will need to partner with a proven, experienced dental office design firm.
Indeed, just as you would never want your patients to “self-medicate” or have their dental work handled by an amateur, you and your team do not want to be on the wrong side of an office design project.
If that happens, you will invariably pay more than you should, waste valuable time, and possibly lose patients who are not thrilled that you are “closed for renovations”, or that while they are sitting in your waiting room contractors and tradesmen are roaming around, wires may be dangling from the ceiling, sections of the office may be blocked off, and so on. And of course, your staff will not be happy, either!
Fortunately, you can safely and proactively steer clear of this scenario by asking any prospective dental office design firm 3 critical questions:
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What is your experience working with dentists and dental practices?
While there are certain fundamentals of successful office design that do not change from project to project (such as the importance of hiring certified contractors, etc.), there are nuances that shift when working in different industries. For example, the design approach in the restaurant or hospitality field will not be the same one used for dental offices.
With this in mind, it is vital to ensure that your prospective dental office design firm has in-depth experience in this area. Naturally, they should adjust their approach to your preferences and desires (e.g. if you want a large family-friendly waiting area, if you want to co-locate instrument sterilization stations in one room, etc.). But they should nevertheless have a strong, fundamental appreciation for dental office dynamics, and bring this competence and value to the table from day one.
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How will you help us minimize disruptions to patients and staff?
Obviously, cost is always a key factor when it comes to making dental office design decisions. Yet followed closely behind is time. Specifically, you want to ensure that your prospective dental office design firm will work with you to create a project schedule that minimizes disruptions to your patients and staff, and ideally eliminates any downtime.
For example, your firm may put together a stage-based schedule in which different pieces of the project are carried out consecutively rather than concurrently. While this would naturally increase the overall start-to-finish time of the project, it may make it more practical and feasible.
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Can I see examples of your work and speak with your other clients?
The answer you want to this question is a cheerful “YES!” If there is any hesitation or push-back, then it is a red flag. Qualified and experienced dental office design firms are more than happy to showcase their work and excellence, and invite you to contact references, as well as read testimonials and case studies.
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At Key Interiors, we are proud to be the design firm of choice for several successful dental firms. We have proven experience and insight into what makes the dental field and marketplace unique. To learn more, contact us today and schedule your free consultation.
