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Let\’92s be real.  Dental visits are often associated with apprehension and discomfort.  Since there tends to be an aversion to dentistry, it is crucial to create a feeling of warmth and welcome in your dental practice.  One of the best ways to do this is through your dental office design ergonomics.  Ergonomics includes design factors, as for the workplace, intended to maximize productivity by minimizing operator fatigue or discomfort. 

The goal is to make your patient\’92s entire experience from the reception area to the dental chair a calming, inviting and comfortable one.   They should feel at home right off the bat when stepping through your front door. 

Have your patients ever walked out of your dental office saying, \’93WOW!\’94?  Read this blog post to learn how to make your dental patients feel right at home and to create the ultimate patient experience!

Here are 6 things to consider when creating the best dental office design ergonomics to make your patients feel comfortable and right at home. 

Seating.  Dental chairs are a big part of your dental office design ergonomics.  Dental patient chairs should be comfortable, ergonomic, adjustable and durable.  The chair should be constructed of high quality materials and provide ultimate comfort and control.   Here are some ergonomic guidelines for selecting dental patient chairs

Colors.  Choose colors throughout the office that soothe and help relieve your patient\’92s fear or tension.  Here are some quick color tips to consider:

  • Blue: color of trust and intelligence
  • White: peaceful and honest
  • Brown: warm and inviting
  • Green: soothing and natural
  • Red: good for accents and to add a little pop, but too much red conveys the message of danger, pain and anger

Lighting.  Have light in several different directions to brighten the room\’97not just overhead fluorescent lighting.  Use windows if available for natural lighting to make the room seem airy and restful. 

Smell.  Bleach and anything that resembles an anesthetic smell should be avoided\’97it\’92s a clinical smell.  Avoid strong-smelling disinfectants and choose a neutral, pleasant smell. 

Sound.  Choose reception music carefully.  You want it to be quiet and fit the taste of the majority of your patients.  Generally a good go-to is classical chamber music. 

Keep the elderly in mind.  You may need to make some adjustments for your older patients.  Make sure your floors aren\’92t slippery and provide standard-height chairs that are firm and comfortable.

Having a pretty office isn\’92t enough.  Dental office design ergonomics should be geared to the comfort of your patients to make them feel at ease and entice them to come back again and again. 

Providing your patients with a goodie bag at the end of each visit shows your appreciation and furthers the conversation of preventative dental hygiene.  Here are 16 goodie bag ideas that you can give to your patients during a visit to your dental practice. 

 

 

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