office design
Successful
Dental Office
Design
and the Balance of Your Time, Talent and Treasure
by Stephanie Morgan, RID, IIDA, LEED AP
Nearly half of dental offices never get built because of improper
planning. The biggest issues that we are seeing with dental office
design center around the lack of knowledge on the sequence of
the events that need to take place in order to properly plan for an
office. For instance, so many dentists get themselves in trouble
because they commit to a space that isn’t right for them before
they have done a basic space plan. Or they forget that they need
to order furniture and rush at the last minute to choose things
that are either inadequate in quality or not quite what they are
looking for in style.
If you are looking to start planning for a new office or if you are
someone who is already in the middle of the process our goal is
to help shine some light on what is yet to come. First step, start
with the end in mind.
Develop your long term vision.
How long do you plan on staying in the space? What is the ideal
number of operatories you would like to have? Is your preference
to lease or buy? When do you want to complete the project?
14 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
Realistic timeframes from design through construction to movein for a new building can take 12 to 18 months, and for lease space,
8 to 10 months is normal.
Start putting your team together.
– Interior Designer, Architect, Real Estate Agent, Lender,
Equipment Specialist.
Have a designer on board before you start evaluating potential
properties. Not only will they be your advocate during the entire
process, they can also help you determine if your office will fit in
the space and advise you on the local codes and requirements for
the area you are looking at. Do not commit to a site or building
until you have a thorough understanding of all of the parts and
pieces that constitute the design process as outlined in this article.
Once the space is located, then the more detailed design can
begin. Remember that the key to success is planning, planning
and more planning. This is a good time to start looking for contractors and introducing them to the team. You will need detailed
construction documentation (not just a floor plan), finish selec-