It’s no secret that patients tend to have anxiety both before and during their visit to the dentist. Although having anxiety is natural, as a dentist, you can do your part in reducing your patients’ anxiety; this will not only facilitate your job, but will allow your patients to be more comfortable and relaxed during their visit.

In a poorly designed or executed office, a patient can feel claustrophobic, tense and uncomfortable. Re-designing your practice space may be the first step to creating a comfortable atmosphere for your patients.

Small changes within the office can have huge impacts on a patient’s experience. The patient’s experience starts from the moment they enter your office. Treatment rooms are often the main area of focus when it comes to design. Although treatment rooms are important, the waiting area is the first area a patient is exposed to; this is where they get their first impression of the office. Simple changes such as updating furniture, refreshing the wall paint, and adding calming music to create a spa-like atmosphere can all contribute to an increased overall positive experience for your patients.

Patients who were less stressed, would tend to have more positive experiences, and consequently, would refer more patients. More referrals would lead to a larger pool of potential patients, who would hopefully transition to permanent patients. New clients would likely lead to even more referrals in the future. This cycle would decrease, and possibly eliminate the need for costs associated with marketing or advertising. Investing in the design and aesthetics of your office can have major benefits in the long-term.

Simple changes to your dental office can drastically improve each patient’s experience, increase the number of office referrals, and even decrease future marketing costs. Investing in the look and feel of your office will only positively impact your business and patients. For more information and the full article, visit Dentistry Today’s article titled Craft Your Office Environment to Reduce Dental Anxiety.

Please visit Arminco’s website for pictures of previously completed projects and inspiration for your future dental office construction and design. To learn how you can transform your dental office, please call us at 703-430-6669.