Style at the Dental Office
By Mark Whitten
Dentists have always focused on the aesthetics of the mouth, not the room. But now, they’re becoming interested in and are investing in clinic design. Looking good boosts their businesses and better supports patients and staff.
Prosthodontist Mark Lin 1T0 MSc Prostho knew his practice had outgrown its cramped and somewhat tired-looking space in north Toronto. The four treatment rooms, reception area and consultation room that doubled as his office no longer met the needs of the team or patients.
Lin wanted a functional separation between clinical and business areas, along with more treatment rooms, more office and reception space, and a well-positioned digital lab to support a larger number of patients and the continued growth of his specialty practice.
“Some longtime patients commented that the high- quality dentistry they received didn’t fit with the look of the building. They were being honest, and I listened to their feedback,” says Lin. Instead of just setting aside a basic budget and giving a builder general instructions, he made the choice to prioritize the look and feel of the clinic. Lin worked closely with an interior designer and project team to renovate, redesign and expand his clinic in 2018.
The effort was worth it: his clinic is now sleek, elegant and understated in monochromatic whites, greys and blacks. “I wanted a contemporary, clean look that isn’t sterile, but welcoming for my staff and patients.” He likes that his renovated office still looks like a healthcare facility.
While dentists are very much medical professionals, they’re also often business owners. Increasingly, general dentists and specialists like Lin are learning about design and what it can do for their businesses and their patients.
“Dental offices used to be designed based on cost and what was easiest for the contractor, and dentists rarely used an architect or interior designer. Now I see a lot of design-conscious dental clients,” says Ancaster-based Oomph Design principal Ian Graham, who has designed more than 70 dental clinics in Ontario. He’s seen a huge upsurge of interest in office design in the dental profession over the past decade. “They are looking locally and globally for ideas, but also want to make their office look different than everyone else’s.”
It’s most often urban dentists who are looking to design to help set themselves apart. “In the larger cities, such as Toronto, where there is a lot of competition in dentistry, and design services are readily available, dentists are using architects and designers more often,” says James Posluns 9T1, 9T8 Dip Ortho, assistant professor and director of clinical affairs with the Faculty.
But investing in design is only partly about competition. Both patients and staff are better supported by a carefully put together clinical environment. Looking good in dentistry — and in dental offices — isn’t superficial at all.
BRANDING THE BUSINESS
Design is a powerful branding tool for establishing and promoting a single dental practice, or group of clinics, in an increasingly competitive market. “I approach a dental office like a retail environment, with integrated graphics and signage that help bring the brand to life. A branded environment should be everything that the brand represents from the entry to the exit experience. The goal is to make a visit to the dental office a positive and memorable experience for the patient,” says Graham.
For Lin, branding through design is about making sure the type of care offered is reflected in the environment. “You have to create your own brand and see things through the patient’s eyes. Patients have a perception when they see a specialist that the standard of care must be very high. The visual component is extremely important, and the physical environment needs to match the quality of care,” says Lin.
For some dentists, the design of their clinic reflects their professional personality. “The office is an expression of who they are and how they work. It’s engaging and captivating for the designer because dentists often have distinct personalities and aspirations with specific wants for their clinic to look special and unique,” says Toronto-based architect and interior designer Tania Bortolotto.
Graham has worked with numerous dentists in different clinical environments and helps his clients develop a look that reflects their unique offering. That’s ranged from designing dental practices with multiple locations — such as Chagger Dental and Toothworks Dental Clinics — as well as distinctive-themed, single locations. For instance, Oomph’s strategy for Smile Studio Dental in Richmond Hill aimed to please upscale clients with the look and feel of a sophisticated boutique hotel.
WELCOMING PATIENTS
The new emphasis on design in dentistry puts patients — and how they feel during treatment — first. “When you create a warm, inviting environment, it helps patients fight off their fear and pain, and a positive experience helps bring them back to your office in the future,” says Bobby Chagger 9T6, whose flagship Oakville clinic featuring bold, playful colours and glass-enclosed operatories set the tone for his successful expansion to a network of offices across southern Ontario.
The Faculty’s new, state-of-the-art satellite clinic at 777 Bay St. illustrates how good design can make the function- al requirement of enclosed operatories for infection control aesthetically appealing. One side of each of the 41 spacious treatment rooms is glass with a sliding door to take advantage of natural light, and each of the four blocks of 10 operatories is colour-coded in blue, orange, yellow and silver. “The design had to be clean and simple, but we created interest by adding colour and also wayfinding for staff, students and patients,” explains architect Paul Weppler of Saccoccio Weppler Architects in Toronto, who designed the satellite clinic and his own dentist’s office, too.
Creating a clinic that would instantly put patients at ease was top of mind when multidisciplinary designer Natasha Thorpe designed a location for Go Orthodontistes in a mall on Montreal’s south shore. “The role of design in a clinic setting is to satisfy the technical and functional requirements of the space, and do anything possible to alleviate fear and create a calm, comfortable environment,” says Thorpe. She faced the challenge of creating a tranquil space that contrasted with the mall surrounding it and could only be accessed through a long, narrow hallway.
Go Orthodontistes asked Thorpe for other ideas after rejecting a design that proposed using the long corridor as a waiting area. “Patients would have to walk through people to enter the clinic, which would make them more anxious,” explains Thorpe.
She transformed the corridor into a clean, inviting, wood-lined passageway that beckons patients into a greeting area with a circular reception desk. “Patients come from the mall into a completely different environment.
No seat is turned with its back to the entrance, which also reduces apprehension,” she says. As a bonus, the hallway is functional, too: it features hidden storage.
Thorpe also paid special attention to the clinic’s X-ray room, where some patients feel anxious and claustrophobic. One wall features a backlit, custom-printed panel of a forest. “An X-ray chamber is often the area that causes the most fearful experiences in patients. There is a huge machine that makes loud noises. Studies have shown that exposure to a photo of nature reduces anxiety and when patients look at the forest it has a calming effect,” explains Thorpe.
DESIGN’S SOOTHING POWERS
Research by environmental psychologists reveals that good lighting, soothing wall colours, natural-coloured wood with a grain, natural sunlight and plants or nature-based art- work promote a sense of calm and relaxation for patients, while also boosting their mood.
Bortolotto has designed several award-winning dental offices that are inviting, relaxing and even inspiring for patients because of their striking visual appeal. “It’s about how the patient experiences the space and how it makes them feel. We aim to create a beautiful space that gives the patient a bit of a wow factor and makes them feel relaxed,” says Bortolotto. For one clinic, for instance, Bortolotto collaborated with the dentist to create a colourful environment infused with energy and brightness — plus it took advantage of stunning views of Lake Ontario.
Using attractive distractions and promoting the dentist’s expertise are two other design elements that promote positive interactions between professionals and patients, according to studies. So, when working with John Voudouris 8T3, 8T7 Dip Ortho, 8T8 MSc on his mid-town Toronto orthodontic office, she made sure to include a striking reception desk. Futuristic, custom light fixtures drop away from the ceiling in descending levels. Each of the glass partitions between the seven operatories feature custom, whimsical drawings that reflect the dentist’s patented orthodontic inventions. “We scaled up some of his sketches into large images — three metres tall — and put them on the glass panels,” says Bortolotto of the design project that won a 2021 Best of Canada Award.
Design to support patient-centred care enables patients to feel empowered and informed. Consultation rooms at Chagger Dental feel more like lounges, with patient and healthcare professionals on an equal rather than hierarchical footing. “Our consultation rooms have chairs and a round table, which is more casual and less intimidating than talking to a dentist behind a desk. Patients look at a movie screen rather than a laptop, and they feel more re- laxed discussing their proposed treatments,” says Chagger.
Giving patients an opportunity to view their treatment in real time also helps build trust and acceptance. “Some private dental clinics put computer screens in front of the patient so they can watch the procedure and ask questions. Patients are interested in what’s going on and advocating for themselves,” says Weppler.
STAFF SUPPORTS
Smart design also ensures dental staff can perform their tasks easily, efficiently and enjoyably, while reducing the risks of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and injuries. Two out of three dentists and more than 80 per cent of hygienists experience musculoskeletal pain during their careers, and MSDs are the top health reason for early retirement among dentists.
“Design is more than making an office look nice. Form follows function and the two need to mesh. You have to create an ergonomic environment where staff have enough space to work efficiently and not feel encroached upon,” says Chagger. Today’s dentists are making sure their clinic upgrades offer sufficient room for staff to do their jobs safely, encourage better workflow and include ergonomic equipment and optimal lighting.
Amenities, such as an attractive, well-equipped staff lounge or a lunchroom with comfortable seating, give staff their own space to relax and recharge — that’s important when you’re trying to retain staff in a competitive job market. “Staff need their own space to decompress, and a Zen-like environment goes a long way,” says Posluns.
VISUAL APPEAL
Dentistry is one of the most aesthetic of the medical professions, so it’s fitting that dentists are focusing more attention and resources on design. “Dentists work in millimetres and they appreciate the level of detail and complexity involved in designing and putting together a dental office,” says Graham.
Since Lin reopened his office after the renovation, he’s been getting more referrals than ever. “Patients tell me this place is beautiful and it gives me a sense of confidence that investing in design was the right decision for them and my practice.”
Photo: Surgery Room at Chagger Dental (Oomph Design)
Interested in more stories? Read the PDF edition of the U of T Dentistry Magazine Winter/Spring 2022 Issue