In this article, part three of a design series for dentists, Emily Pieshefski, Interior Designer with Benco Dental Design, discusses topics dentists should consider when designing a dental practice. Find out how dentists can add “wow” elements into the interior design at their dental practice and clearly define their brand.

In part one of this dental practice design series, Pieshefski explained the best way to get started on any interior design project: Identify what inspires, and make time for a big-picture overview of all the design options and details. It is important to start with a vision.

In the second installment of the series, Pieshefski takes dentists on a journey from the big picture to the details: Focus on the mood they want to create with the help of interior design, and define their personal style.

In part three of this series, find out how dentists can add “wow” elements into the interior design at their dental practice and clearly define their brand to guide other design decisions.

Add “Wow” Elements Into Interior Design to Make Your Dental Practice Design a Standout

When it comes to your dental practice interior design, a statement—or “wow”—element can differentiate your practice and also add practical benefits.

Dentists can add “wow” elements into interior design using wall murals, lighting, accent walls, and glass walls to highlight an area of the practice.

WALL MURALS

At Synergi Orthodontics located outside of Los Angeles, a wall mural pays tribute to local history. The mural, painted by Devin Johnson, nods to the citrus groves of the older, more agricultural Rancho Cucamonga. According to Dr. Vanessa Peterson, patients often share positive comments about the artistic adornment. Synergi’s design also include a statement wall with their logo in the spotlight.

The 2,200-square-foot space at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains “initially looked dark,” so Dr. Peterson worked to bring in as much light as possible. She also gravitated toward clean, modern lines and vibrant colors for the interior aesthetic, leading with the sunny, optimistic hue—“International Orange”—found in Synergi’s logo, shown above.

You can read more about the interior design of Synergi Orthodontics in Insical Edge Magazine.

LIGHTING, GLASS WALLS

“Artwork, specific furniture pieces, and even lighting can act as ‘wow’ elements. It’s all in what the doctor wants to highlight,” said Emily Pieshefski.

Glass wall and unique lighting are featured among the award-winning interior design elements at Cornerstone Dental Group in Harrisburg, North Carolina, shown above and below. The practice of Dr. Tin D. Lam recently earned a 2022 Incisal Edge Design Competition Award in the New Construction category.

ACCENT WALLS

Dental professionals spend their entire careers dedicated to one recognized receptor with significant first-impression impact: the smile. Who better, then, to translate that sensibility to improve patients’ initial experience at the dental office?

An accent wall in a reception area accomplishes that and more.

“A beautiful accent wall creates an impact without distraction. Welcoming, soft and warm, it uses trim pieces to create a geometric pattern.” said Sucharita Ray, design manager for Benco Dental.

In this case, she’s referencing the accent wall in the reception area of Brand Dental in Kingston, Pennsylvania, shown above.

“Patients comment on how comfortable our reception [area] made them feel, how their anxiety went down,” said Dr. Stephen Brand.

Like this first impression? See additional images and floor plans of the interior design of Brand Dental in Incisal Edge.

On the topic of brands….

Define Your Dental Brand and Logo to Guide Other Design Decisions

Many dental practice owners are intimidated by the idea of commissioning and selecting a logo. After all, as the primary visual representation of your brand, it needs to communicate a lot of things about you—at a glance. No wonder so many put it off, and off, and off . . . while, in the meantime, their marketing and public image suffers.

But you don’t necessarily need to enter the process with strong ideas to achieve a great result you’ll be confident about.

How Benco’s Build Your Brand and Interior Design teams help transform doctors’ initial ideas into eye-popping dental-practice reality.

“Build Your Brand and Interior Design help tell a story of each individual office and create a well-rounded office design,” Benco DentalSenior Interior Designer Amanda Griffith

“The collaboration is what makes this program unique, powerful and comprehensive,” said Multimedia Designer for Benco Dental Allison Simenkiewicz.

For Dr. Archana Dhawan, that meant entrusting the gut renovation in Troy, Michigan that would become Oakland Orthodontics to Simenkiewicz and Griffith of Benco Dental’s Build Your Brand and Interior Design teams.

Starting with the simplest possible shape—the circle—Dr. Dhawan developed an entire unique practice aesthetic for her new ortho office near Detroit. Benco Dental’s Build Your Brand and Interior Design experts helped hone the doctor’s sensibility into a unified whole.

“Dr. Dhawan knew from the start that she wanted the office to feel sophisticated, with color adding a layer of whimsy and fun,” Griffith says.

“Using different colors for the dental chairs helped contribute to the overall feel. As the palette came together, Dr. Dhawan gravitated toward the berry color for her main logo. That helped drive additional material selections and became the heart of the design.”

That logo, incorporating the circles Dr. Dhawan favors, informed the spirit of the rest of the practice’s look down to the smallest details, such as the links in the pendant lighting in the hallways and the light fixtures over the brushing stations.

Most importantly, the practice logo features prominently in the reception area, shown above, and etched into the operatory windows, shown below.

Interiors expert Sucharita Ray shares this insider tip regarding the use of logos and branding at your dental practice: “Feature your logo where it will be seen upon entry. If a new patient has noticed your logo on your website or outdoor signage and recognizes it when they walk in, it reinforces that they’re in the right place.”

See more images and the floor plan from the 5,000 square-foot-office here.

Want Help Creating a Cohesive Brand and Finding New Ways to Add “Wow” Elements Into Interior Design at a Dental Practice?

For details on how to create a dental office brand and interior design that inspires dental patients and the entire dental team, connect with the expert Build Your Brand and Practice Design teams: Email design@benco.com

Ready for additional design guidance?

Begin an online master class where dentists can work at their own pace: Build Your Future® On-Demand. Available at the online learning platform of the virtual Build Your Future:

• over a dozen design-centric content modules.
• a range of experts who can answer your questions and offer valuable advice across applicable specialties, including Dr. Tristan Hamilton, one of America’s leading experts in dentistry and architecture, and Melissa Sprau, NCIDQ, Benco Dental Director of Design.