Your Office

Your office is the subject of the third section of our discussion. Here we will talk about the following four areas:
 

• Office Location
• Office Building
• Office Design
• Office Cleanliness
• Office Size
   

Office Location

How essential is the location of your office? In my opinion, its significance is somewhat overrated. I am not saying that location is of no importance at all, just that as long as you are in the neighborhood you want to be in and the area of your office is a warm, inviting area, it should not have a major impact on the amount of business you receive. The factors that attract patients to your office are based more on you and your practice, not the street your office is on.

I have experienced this first hand; as I explained in the Rent section, I moved my office from a shopping center with rather high visibility into a professional building located in a newer area with not as much traffic. I can undoubtedly say that this was one of the best decisions I ever made. The move not only saved me money on rent, but improved the image of the office; I was now among other professionals, rather than next to a drycleaner!

Although the physical location itself is not that important, the city is. For instance, imagine two great dentists with the exact same office and staff, one with a Beverly Hills address and the other with a Westwood address. Both cities are nice areas and home to high-income families, but who do you think a patient would choose if they knew of no differences between the two doctors besides their locations?

Let me ask you another question, what do you think the chances are of a patient from Westwood going to the Beverly Hills doctor as opposed to a patient who lives in Beverly Hills going to the Westwood doctor?

My point is that the name of the city gives some of our colleagues an advantage. Is it fair? Probably not. Is it true? More often than not.

So, if you are a new dentist or are thinking about moving, in equal conditions choosing a city name which is more centralized for your area is definitely a better idea.

Now, should you run and change where you are practicing today? Maybe not, but review our Rent section and keep your eyes open, it may not be a bad idea in the long run.

Office Building

Aside from the city, you want an appealing good, clean and presentable building with nice surroundings. Your building should possess the following characteristics (or as many as possible):

1. Light and bright interior
2. Meticulously well-kept
3. Absolutely no "smell" when you walk in
4. Easily accessible and clean parking lots
5. Preferably some background music inside the building
6. Some plants in the lobby or entryway
7. Nice entrance
8. Wide hallways
9. Clean and operation elevators or stairways

If your office building or shopping center lacks any of the above, actively get involved in improving the situation. You can team up with other merchants or professional neighbors to request a better environment from the landlord/property manager. There are a lot of cases when everyone wants change but they are lacking a good leader or somebody who can organize them. You or your office manager could be that person. You cannot have a multi-million dollar practice in a dark, dirty and smelly building, even if the inside of your office is beautiful!

Some of these changes don't cost much at all (plants, sound systems, etc.) and I would even pay for it myself (with other willing tenants) if I have too. One extra case will pay for it all. Whatever you do, don't disregard this aspect of your practice. This is an integral part of your office's overall image.
 

Office Design
 

The moment patients walk through your door, an immediate impression is shaped as they look at the design of your office. I want you to put yourself in their shoes and see it from their perspective. Go to your office, enter from the door patients enter, put any bias away, and objectively answer these questions about your office's entrance/waiting area.

There are countless other questions that I'd like to ask. But let me get to the point. Like it or not, every detail of your office sends a message to patients about you and the way you practice dentistry. Let me give you a few examples:
 

You don't necessarily need expensive artwork and furniture to leave a positive impression. What you need is to convey to your patients that:

1. You are paying attention to details
2. You like everything clean
3. You appreciate and understand the importance of aesthetics
4. You care about them, so you try to make their few minutes in the waiting room as comfortable as possible
5. They are welcome in your office

Efficient office design does not end in the waiting area. Its goes all the way through the office, from hallways to operatories and bathrooms.
 

Patients may not see the margin of a crown or your finish lines, but they will see the spot on your carpet and that old broken sink in your bathroom!

When it comes to your treatment rooms, you want them to be as warm and serene as possible. The environment should be unthreatening. I personally prefer the back delivery systems for handpieces, as well as ceiling mounted lights. Both aid in preventing the patient from feeling claustrophobic. Since nothing is covering the patient while you are working on them, the dental chair feels more like the big chair they have at home!

Your practice's positive image is not complete without an organized and beautiful office. This doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune on your office either. Hire an interior designer and tell him/her you have a $5,000 budget for improving the look of your office (or whatever amount you desire). then follow their recommendations. It will definitely be a good investment. They usually charge around $60 to $100 an hour, which is money very well spent.
 

Office Cleanliness

As I have said before, your office should always be very clean, but what is even more important is how clean it looks to your patients. There are a few things that further enhance the appearance of cleanliness:

1. An organized office looks cleaner.
2. The paint on the walls should be spotless (frequent touch-ups will help).
3. Lighting is crucial; bright lights are effective in some areas, especially operatories.
4. A "smell" in any area of the office gives the impression of untidiness; find the source and remove it.

For more details check out the Office Cleanliness section

Office Size

How do you determine a good size for you office, and when is it time to expand? A good rule of thumb is that each treatment room should give you at least $25,000 a month in production. If you are making more than $35,000 for each room on a constant basis, you should gradually think about adding a chair. If you are making less than $20,000 a chair and your office feels busy and crowded, then the problem lies in your scheduling System or another area of the office, and should be addressed accordingly.