A well-designed dental practice plays a pivotal role in the success of your dental facility. The visual appearance and design layout can significantly affect the overall experience of your patients and the efficiency of the staff. However, many dental practice owners make some common mistakes when creating a dental facility.
In this blog, we will explore some common mistakes made during dental practice fit out in Sydney along with the practical solutions on how to avoid them. Whether you’re starting from scratch or renovating an existing space, this guide will help you create a visually beautiful and functional dental practice.
Not Designing Effectively
The layout design is one the most essential things to consider during dental practice fit out as it can have a major impact on the overall appearance and functionality of your space. However, many property owners often avoid hiring a professional to save costs and end up creating a poorly designed practice that not only looks unappealing but also results in improper use of space.
When designing for a dental practice fit out, you need to take care of a few things. So when choosing the design layout of your dental practice, consider the number of staff you will hire. Moreover, you should also be clear about the expected number of visitors. Next, consider how your patients will move during their visits (for example from the reception desk to the check-up and treatment area).
Apart from this, you also need to consider the size of equipment and furniture you will need. This will give you an idea of space utilisation and ensure an effective layout of your dental practice.
You should consider hiring an experienced dental fit out specialist in Sydney to ensure an efficient design layout. Professionals have years of experience in creating custom fit outs. They can help you create a dental practice that is visually attractive and ensure optimum use of the available space.
Ignoring Importance of Lighting
Poor lighting is another common mistake that is usually made during dental practice fit-outs. Lighting of your dental practice affects the overall appearance and functionality of your space. Moreover, inadequate lights can also negatively affect the mood of your employees and patients, resulting in a poor experience.
Poor lights with lower power wattage can result in insufficient illumination and also cause the problem of excessive eye stress in your staff. Moreover, it can also result in issues in accessibility. Make sure to invest in high quality lighting adequate for different areas in your dental practice.
First of all, pay attention to the maximum utilisation of natural light. With strategic placement of windows, you can ensure optimum natural light utilisation. You should opt for lighting fixtures that ensure sufficient illumination and meet the interior decor of your dental practice. You can make a combination of different lighting fixtures that complement each other.
You can also opt for energy-saving and smart lights that can save you money on energy bills. LED lights are one of the popular choices as they offer uniform and bright illumination and consume less electricity. Proper lights can also help in increasing the visual appeal of your dental facility.
Only Prioritising Aesthetics
Many people think that the only goal of dental practice fit out is to make your dental facility look appealing to visitors. That’s why they end up making the mistake of prioritising aesthetics over functionality and creating a dental practice that lacks basic layouts and creates a poor experience for your patients and staff.
While aesthetics and visual appearance are essential, you must also focus on the functionality of the space. With careful consideration, make sure that all areas (including waiting areas and treatment rooms) have comfortable spaces for your patients and staff.
Moreover, understand the use of different areas and create a layout that ensures seamless movement of your staff and patients while avoiding space constraints. As mentioned earlier, opt for a layout that improves the visual appeal and functionality of your space, while ensuring the optimum utilisation of the available space.
In case you have a smaller area, you can consider some smart strategies. First of all, avoid using any unwanted decorative pieces that consume space. Use multipurpose furniture that can be folded and unfolded whenever you need. For decorative purposes, you can use the vertical space.
Neglecting Local Building Codes
Sydney has some strict regulations and building codes for creating a medical facility such as dental practice. These regulations and building codes ensure that your dental facility complies with the safety and hygiene standards, avoiding any inconvenience for your patients.
Still, some dental practice owners start the fit out work without following these codes. This might lead to major issues such as stop work orders, penalties, and even legal actions in the future. This makes it crucial to ensure that your dental practice follows all the necessary building and safety codes.
So before you start the fit out work, it is essential to be aware of all the building codes and health-related regulations and take all the necessary approvals and permissions before you begin the fit out work. You can visit the online NSW portal to understand the guidelines for health facilities in Sydney.
Hiring a local commercial builder in Sydney specialising in dental fit out can help you understand the approval process and get the required permits and approvals without any hassle. Compliance with the local codes helps in hassle-free completion of your fit out project.
Choosing Low-Quality Materials
Another common mistake dental practice owners frequently commit to lowering the fit out cost, is utilising poor quality materials and finishes. From building materials to furniture and fixtures, you will need different materials throughout the fit out process that are available in different quality and costs.
In high traffic places like a dental facility, experiencing excessive wear and tear leads to early deterioration of the space. This demands frequent maintenance and expensive repairs in your dental practice. This happens when you opt for poor quality materials and finishes.
From construction supplies to finishes, and lighting and plumbing fixtures, you must invest in high quality materials from leading manufacturers. This does not mean you need to overspend. You can obtain quotes from multiple suppliers and compare the prices of different materials. By discussing with your commercial builder, you can opt for quality materials that fit in your budget.
You can consider the material cost as an investment that will ensure that your dental practice withstands daily wear and tear and remains in its best condition for a long time.
Compromising on Patient Comfort
Dental practice owners often neglect the comfort of their patients. Crowded waiting areas, uncomfortable seating, congested treatment rooms, and improper lighting and ventilation are common issues that patients face in dental facilities. This can create a negative experience and result in a reduced number of patients.
Make sure to prioritise your patient’s comfort when creating a dental practice. Start by creating an inviting ambience for your patients. Use calming colours for the interior of your practice. Moreover, invest in ergonomic furniture that allows comfortable seating. The use of plants and similar decorative items can also help improve the aesthetic appeal of your space.
You can consider keeping books, magazines, or a TV for the patients waiting for their turn. For smaller practices, you can avoid using unwanted furniture and decorative pieces to make the area spacious. Furthermore, pay extra attention to the proper lighting and ventilation of the space. Make sure the windows and door allow natural light and fresh air.
Moreover, prioritise patients’ privacy in your dental practice. People don’t feel comfortable facing strangers, especially after the treatment. So make sure you provide a sense of privacy to your patients during and after the treatment.
Not Considering Future-Proofing
When you start a dental practice fit out project, you invest a considerable amount of time and money. This makes it super important to make sure that your dental practice is compatible to adopt changes and meet the future needs of your business.
Whether you increase the number of staff, expand your services, or consider simply using modern equipment in the future, your dental practice should seamlessly integrate with future modifications. So make sure you take care of such considerations before starting the fit out work.
Communicate clearly about your future goals and requirements with your commercial fit out builder. They can help you with creating an effective layout that will help you adapt the future modifications without much hassle.
Choosing Wrong Professionals
Lastly, people might commit the mistake of choosing the wrong fit out professionals. Some dental practice fit out contractors in Sydney might offer cheaper services but might end up with poor quality work or unnecessary delays. So it is essential to hire experienced professionals who provide quality services.
At Edyco Building & Construction, we are a team of experienced dental practice fit out specialists in Sydney, offering top-quality services. We have a team of highly skilled professionals specialising in designing and building custom dental practices that meet your specific requirements.