In light of COVID-19 and the shutdown of so many offices, people are reconsidering their office designs. Now more than ever, safety precautions and touch-free technology are all the rage.

Many offices are adapting to increasing numbers of workers opting to work from home. Nowhere are these situational changes felt more than in a medical office.

If you're wondering how to design your office according to these new circumstances, this is the article for you! We'll take you through some key principles and tactics for your orthodontic office design.

Orthodontic Office Design: Master Digital Design Tools

Before you start shifting furniture, allow us to introduce you to some software that can save you several headaches. Using 3D design tools, you can get a strong feel for your office design without moving a thing.

The leading design software now is SketchUp. SketchUp is free for personal use but requires a license for commercial use. This design software allows you to create vividly accurate floorplans for your office.

You can render every aspect of your floor plan on this software, from furniture placement to room layout. You can even export your designs to different file types like PDF.

Incorporate Hygiene Into Your Interior Design

Many people still feel uncomfortable about large numbers of people being inside together. To ease that anxiety, you may want to incorporate social distancing into your design.

An orthodontist office can do this with relative ease. Ensure that chairs are spaced out so patients aren't sitting too close to one another.

You can also incorporate a sense of hygiene is to provide hand sanitizer at entrances and the front desk. Both a dentist's office or doctor's office can install safety shields at the front desk. This way, spit doesn't fly from receptionists and patients talking.

Utilize Automated Billing

Automated billing incorporates hands-free procedures for both receptionists and patients. Using online billing, you cut the risk of transferring germs between patients and receptionists.

Instead, patients can pay from the comfort of their own homes. Automated billing also gives you a chance to promote your patient portal. Patient portals can drastically improve office productivity, but too few patients use them.

If you make automated billing the primary payment method, you can help to change that.

Use Effective Lighting

Bright lighting is a critical point for any orthodontist office. As an orthodontist, you need bright lighting to minimize any dim or shadowy areas that could inhibit your work.

While brighter light is better for you, don't go overboard. For many people, going to the doctor is a source of anxiety. Bright light can induce further anxiety in patients.

Hire a Professional

Following these principles helps ensure your office runs smoothly. It also increases the perception of warmness and hygiene in your office. However, there's always more you can do.

If you want to guarantee your orthodontic office design is at its best, contact a professional service! This is an excellent way to ensure a top-quality design for your practice.