Deciding to refurbish your practice, be it old or new, is not a decision to be taken lightly. The size, layout and overall ‘feel’ of the building may not be exactly as you would like it, and the idea of battling with the new HTM01-05 guidelines, disability access laws and structural limitations of listed buildings can deter anyone from deciding to bring their practice into the 21st century.
Nevertheless such concerns haven’t stopped thousands of dental practices up and down the country, from turning to the experts to overcome these obstacles and transform their premises into a modern-day practice to be proud of.
This was particularly true for dentist James Dewe-Mathews, who had been searching for new premises to run his busy dental practice for around six months when he finally discovered 30a Wimpole Street, a Grade II listed, arts and crafts building on the reputable Howard de Walden estate. However, James was slightly fearful that as the structure of the building couldn’t be touched, there would be no means of developing the building into a modern workplace. Such reservations didn’t last long after James turned to Henry Schein Minerva and made it their challenge to blend the requirements of a 21st century modern dental practice within the confines of a Grade II listed building.
The brief was simple; refurbish seven surgeries and a centralised decontamination room and ensure the practice was ready to operate by the beginning of May (it was only February at this point). So it was agreed that a team of experienced designers and engineers would assist with the complete surgery equipment and installation plan of 30a Wimpole Street. But as expected, the project wasn’t as straightforward as the team would have liked. The building occupied a corner position and presented an awkwardly shaped space, so the 5,500 square feet, four-floored, seven-surgery practice needed to be well-planned before any work commenced.
Chief engineer, Gary Macey, knew the team had a task like no other on their hands. He explained, ‘One of the most important aspects of a successful new surgery installation is the planning. The complexity of this project meant that we had to design a range of innovative surgery layouts, tailored to suit the practical requirements and the structure of the building. By preparing an extremely detailed design using our CAD drawing system, the client could see their seven surgeries come to life before the installation started.’
Despite the painstaking planning and organisation, the equipment team still had to find a way to work around the logistics of refurbishing an early 20th century building. Trying to get pipes to fit where they didn’t want to fit and manoeuvring heavy items of equipment across the four floors of the building all proved a challenge. Initially the team suggested some difficulties could be overcome by building-up floors and making changes to the structure of the building, but the client was adamant that he wanted to restore, preserve and most importantly ‘respect’ the original design and architecture. So by installing all the equipment needed to develop a hi-tech practice, from dental chairs to suction pumps and compressors, the team helped transform the rooms into modern, comfortable surgeries. This whole process involved transporting innovative chairs and delivery systems from US supplier Pelton & Crane. They had been shipped from the US and the team struggled to carry and position this state-of-the-art equipment up flights of spiralling, narrow stairs and even resorted to using the small, old-fashioned elevator.
Henry Schein Minerva’s team of engineers worked hard to complete the refurbishment on schedule and in due course James Dewe-Mathews was able to close his Harley Street practice on the Thursday and open 30a Wimpole Street the following Tuesday. James has been extremely complimentary about the work of Henry Schein Minerva, who overcame all the adverse factors they faced.
‘I have nothing but praise for the team at Henry Schein Minerva. They ensured the smooth running of the project from start to finish and took the time to revise the plan and make it work and fit within a relatively tight, awkwardly shaped space. Everyone said we couldn’t do it, but I think it works incredibly well and the challenges we faced along the way make me appreciate the end result all the more,’ said James.
The key to this successful practice refurbishment was communication, trust and experience. By effectively communicating his vision to the Henry Schein Minerva equipment team, a group of people who were committed to making everything work despite the challenges they faced, James succeeded in creating a modern-day 21st century practice within the confines of an early 20th century building.
If you’re thinking about refurbishing your practice then you should turn to the experts, a team who can take care of everything from surgery design through to the installation of hi-tech equipment.
For more information about the surgery equipment and design services available from Henry Schein Minerva simply call 08700 10 20 41 or visit www.henryschein.co.uk