We’re working on a dental office design project right now and are struggling to find just the right color match between the floor tiles, countertop, and backsplash tile. Since the client really loves the floor tile, it is the backsplash tile that is being problematic. I’m sure, as a dentist you can relate. When working to build a new crown for a patient getting the enamel color just right so it matches the teeth around it is critical. If it is a shade or two off the tooth will stand out like a sore thumb and everyone will notice. The same is true in design. If something isn’t just right, the overall effect will be marred, and consequently, the impact from the design will be diminished.
There are multiple goals when creating a new design for a dental office:
- What is the branding message the practice is trying to send?
- What is the patient experience that the practice wants to be remembered for?
- How can the practice become more productive and efficient through better space planning and design?
- How can repetitive use injuries be reduced or avoided through better ergonomic design?
- How can the practice use energy and water more effectively and efficiency through green design?
- How can the practice make more productive use of its space through the application of technology?
These are just of a few of the questions that we ask our clients and ourselves on each project we work on. Hitting a homerun on all or most of these requires careful attention to details – just like getting the color right on a patient’s tooth.
