Oct 4, 2024
January 27, 2023 - Arminco Inc.
As of 2023, there are 185,897 dentistry businesses in the United States.
Much like with most medical offices, your patients don't really want to be there. A lot of people are on edge when they're at the dentist. This is why it's important to design your office environment with specific principles in mind.
Keep reading to learn more about best practices when designing dental offices.
A lot of people have dental anxiety or get nervous when they're at the dentist. You can combat these nerves with the creative use of color.
Relaxing colors are usually those found in nature, that we associate with certain feelings. Lighter shades of blue and green are some of the most calming.
Using some brighter accent colors like orange and pink are okay too, as long as they are used in moderation.
An empty office can set your patients on edge. You want to make sure your dental office decor is inviting and relaxed.
There should be some art on the walls. The waiting area should have cushions so it's more comfortable for patients. It's important that there's an easy flow through the space, so make sure it isn't cluttered and busy.
If you need help improving your office decor, learn more about our design services here.
A lot of people don't realize that temperature is an important part of dental office design.
When people are nervous, their body temperature increases. This means people feel a lot hotter than it might actually be in the office. And once someone feels hot, they start feeling even more uncomfortable.
A great way to help with this is by keeping the office temperature a little bit on the cold side. While it might be that your staff has to wear slightly warmer clothes, since they're there all day, it means your patients will be a lot more comfortable.
Whether it's a pile of magazines or coffee table books, or a TV playing something in the corner of the room, people will appreciate it. Incorporating distractions into the design of the room helps people focus on something else while they wait. This helps stop people from psyching themselves out before an appointment.
Lots of people use their phones as their distractions. Help make this easier for them by offering free wifi (keep the code at reception) so they can distract themselves more easily. You can even consider keeping some headphones on hand in case people don't have their own with them.
For dentists, the office environment plays an important part in soothing the anxiety of patients. This means dental offices have to put extra attention into designing an inviting and calming space.
Some ways to do this include creative use of colors, decor, and temperature control. The inclusion of easy distractions can also make a big difference.
Contact us for all your dental office construction and design needs!