Owning and operating a dental office means catering to the needs of your patients and having a calming, welcoming atmosphere for them to enjoy. If you want to renovate your dental office or just make it better in small ways, consider these five things to make the dental office more welcoming.
Plaques with dentist info
To make your patients feel at ease with their dental services, have a plaque in the main waiting room that has a picture of each dentist in your practice, followed by a description of their experience and schooling. This helps familiarize patients with your dental staff and makes them less nervous about appointments knowing they're in great hands.
A fish tank
While it may seem cliche, a fish tank is really one of the most calming ways to make your patients feel more welcomed and to keep them distracted as well. A fish tank that can be walked around provides fun for patients and their children, while one in the wall has a more professional allure and acts as both decor and a pleasing addition to the dental office.
A play area
Even if your dental practice revolves more around adult patients, you still want a small play area installed in your dental office to help keep children who come to your practice entertained and distracted. A television set on mute or low can play children's shows (while another television on an opposite wall can display the news or other television for adults) while children play with quiet toys or color in a small but accessible play area.
A scenic window
A scenic window that has a view of the mountains, a man-made pond, beautiful flower gardens, or just a pretty local mural can make any patient feel more at ease in your dental office. A scenic window also gives the impression your practice is very high-end and cared for, which is just the atmosphere many of your patients desire.
Outside seating
If you want your dental practice to be outside the box, consider adding a few outside benches for seating on nice days. Patients who prefer the calm of nature to the man-made calm indoors may appreciate this feature in your dental office above everything else. Outside seating may be more private as well, which can give patients a greater sense of control while they wait for their turn to see the dentist.
You can incorporate all or some of these ideas. You can also come up with some dental office improvement ideas of your own.