As an owner, investor or even a practitioner – your practice is the face you show your clients. An outdated practice can allude to an uncaring façade which can drive patients away or at the very least show an uncaring attitude.
The balance to invest capital into a dental practice renovation using modern dental clinic designs vs the act of doing nothing can impact your bottom line. The old saying “if you do the same thing you get the same result” is a good simile. If your practice is losing patients and you do nothing, then your practice will continue to lose patients.
After this occurs, the chase to get them back or to attract new patients can be a costly and lengthy challenge.
What is your dental clinic communicating to patients?
If your equipment and tools of trade are older than 20yrs then their wear and tear will tell their own story. Patients sitting in a waiting room on 1990s chairs, stained walls, shaggy stained carpet and interior design that screams ‘I’m old’ is giving your patients every reason to find a new dental practice with an updated dental clinic design.
Although dental chairs have not changed in design a great deal, an updated dental chair is the rooms hero – a necessary piece of furniture that must be in ‘as new condition’. Patients need to feel that the chair is clean and updated for them to feel they are in good hands.
You might be an experienced dentist with years of treatment under your belt, but if your chair and tools of trade look tired your patients will immediately lose confidence. These are reasons enough for patients to look for a new modern dental clinic. Once patients have made the choice to seek an alternative dental practice the act of wooing them back is a difficult one.
What do your dental methods communicate to your patients?
The 2020s sees Australian’s being very health conscious. Dental health is considered important to patients. Further, patients no longer accept waiting in long lines or waiting for extended times in the waiting room and patients expect to see a dentist at the time of their booking. Therefore, for your practice to reflect up to date methodologies is important to show your patients that your dental practice is forward thinking and proactive. Introducing things like sms appointment reminders the day prior is now highly effective. Old practices like Reception staff pulling patient cards no longer looks clever – this is outdated and archaic. Patients now expect digital x-rays over radiographs due to health benefits. Patients are more informed than ever before. Don’t let your outdated methods let patients walk out the door.
For many people today, the world around us is important. As the worlds resources are limited people now see waste as hugely unethical. If your staff are still using outdated methods for communication and filing, you might be sending a message that is counter conductive to many values that new age patients now hold.
Showing that your office methodologies are up to date is an easy way to retain patients.
What your style is communicating?
Consider sitting in a dental practice that was a converted house back in the 1990s. Laminate brown chairs, dirty carpet, the receptionist sitting at the converted kitchen bench, small windows, the old gas heater still working – it’s a pretty bleak image. An image most people won’t miss. A dental practice like this is screaming for a dental practice renovation to bring it back alive. For it’s heart to keep beating.
Further, in order for dentist to work at their best they require a peaceful ambiance of neutral colours and a clean crisp environment. Support staff require well laid out areas that enable them to perform at their best. Patients require clean up-to-date areas that elude a calm and peaceful environment. All stakeholders require a dental interior design that is modern and sophisticated.
To retain patient numbers and attract new patients your dental practice façade and practice interior design must be modern and up to date.
Things to consider:
To ensure your dental practice is up to scratch, at the time of thinking about a dental practice renovation, we would suggest you consider partnering with dental fit-out companies. Specialist dental fit-out companies will ensure a modern dental clinic with clever dental interior design that will show your patients that your care and respect their health.
