The subject of design is an important one for the modern dental practice. Whether you’re starting from scratch or refreshing an existing business, there are many different aspects to think about. Importantly, great design isn’t just about making the space functional – it’s about making people feel something. The construction, layout and aesthetic of the space should all come together to evoke emotion and subconsciously guide both staff and patients on a seamless journey through the practice. This is only achieved with a multisensory approach to design; one that accentuates cognition, movement, relaxation and communication.
A conscious process
As such, the design of your practice must be an intentional process. Focusing on single elements, pieces of equipment or areas of the building can lead to a disjointed practice experience. Instead, you need to tell a story, ensuring a coherent narrative from the front desk right through to the waiting room and the surgery.
The concept of conscious design is, therefore, important. It promotes the idea of intentionally designing a space with awareness of the people, communities and ecosystems involved. For dental practices, this means creating an environment tailored primarily to patients, but also being mindful of the professional team. It allows for future development of the environment as the business evolves, without compromising the integrity of the original look and feel. There is also an argument to be made for enhanced sustainability that it facilitates, prompting principals to be more considered of their choices for longevity of their design.
A sight for sore eyes
When it comes to pleasing the senses, sight often comes to mind first. It is also one of the easier aspects to accomplish – a visually stunning practice will also create an excellent first impression.
Everything from the colour scheme to the layout of the rooms and the lighting has a part to play. Taking the latter as an example, both natural and artificial light helps to define the atmosphere and function of a space. It is essential to strike a balance between ambience and functionality throughout the practice, with softer and warmer lighting helping patients to feel calm and at ease, while brighter and cooler lighting will be needed in clinical areas to support the delivery of high-quality treatment.
Other ways of improving the interior aesthetic include using artwork. Affording secondary benefits, the strategic placement of art has also been shown to help reduce cortisol levels and, therefore, lower anxiety in patients.
The two Ts
Two other senses relevant to the dental practice are touch and temperature. These incorporate everything that a person will physically experience when in the practice. Consequently, the initial design process should consider the materials being used for anything that a patient will come into contact with. Think door handles, reception desk, waiting room chairs and the dental chair as just a few of the major touch points for a patient. It’s just as important to consider the temperature by incorporating the relevant heating or air conditioning systems into the building design.
Mechanical stimuli
When looking further into how the practice can influence how patients feel, another sense modality may come under the spotlight – mechanoreception. For principals who are passionate about optimising even the smallest of details for a truly elevated patient experience, this is about improving how a patient detects vibration, pressure or other mechanical stimuli during their appointment. This is most likely associated with the dental chair, making it important to choose equipment that moves smoothly for optimal patient comfort.
When searching for a suitable dental chair, it can be hugely beneficial to work with experts that completely understand the various principals of good design and how to apply them to a dental practice. RPA Dental has decades of experience in designing, installing and maintaining dental practices of all shapes and sizes. The team supply an array of globally leading dental chairs, offering dentists knowledge, advice and guidance that is second-to-none. RPA Dental will help make your patients feel comfortable, content and captivated as soon as they step into your practice.
More than a pretty picture
How your practice looks is just the start. Whether refreshing an existing space or building a totally new practice, design is the first step to bringing your vision to life. It involves so much more than how the environment will look; it determines how your patients will feel. Making conscious design decisions on everything that will impact any of the senses is essential for the very best results.
References available on request.
For information visit www.dental-equipment.co.uk