Your dental office is an essential aspect of your brand, and it reflects your practice identity, values and reputation. The design, layout and ambiance of your dental office speak to the patient’s experience and trustworthiness. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that your dental office aligns with your brand message, vision and goals.
The first impression that patients have of your dental office is long before they step into your practice. It starts with your website, social media and online reviews. These platforms should be coordinated with your dental office’s design, colours and logo to create a cohesive branding experience. Consistency in branding helps build credibility and boosts patients confidence in choosing the right office.
Your brand needs to be reflected in all patient communication with the office as well. Your phones need to be answered pleasantly and promptly without patients being put on hold before they can even speak. Your patient digital communications need to be answered in a timely manner. Your team should know these expectations and should be held responsible to respect them. Patient’s expectations are usually that emails or texts need an answer almost as soon as they are received. You will want to ensure that you have enough team members to ensure that these expectations can be upheld. I don’t think anyone has ever set out to create their brand of an over worked team being the impression that patients get when contacting the office.
Designing and decorating your dental office involves a lot more than just esthetics; it can influence patient comfort, trust, satisfaction and possibly reduce patient anxiety. An inviting and comfortable reception area with plants that are flourishing (not looking half dead or uncared for) soothing colours, soothing music or television that isn’t set on a news channel can all promote a sense of relaxation before the patient even enters the treatment area. An uncluttered and modern looking treatment room shows that your practice is current and invested in providing quality care.
Your team should represent your branding as well, having office cresting on scrubs that are uniform in colour that fit team members well (you may have different styles but all the same colour) will show pride in the office that they are working in every day. Your team should all be knowledgeable, empathetic, friendly, and respectful when they interact with patients. Patients want their concerns listened to, to feel that they are receiving personalized attention and their care is customized to their needs.
The practice’s tidiness should reflect your brand, there shouldn’t be clutter at the front desk (patients can see what is going on) overflowing trash cans anywhere, clutter in the steri-centre or any open doors to the back areas of your office where patients aren’t meant to go but they could see walking down a hallway.
Take a walk through your office as if you are a patient entering the space. Keep your eyes open for any areas that you could change, we tend not to be able to see what is right in front of our eyes because we look at the same thing every day. You will be surprised at what jumps out at you that may not reflect what you see as your brand.
In conclusion, every part of your dental office from the physical space to the team members are critical aspects to upholding your brand identity. A well thought out plan of office design, ambiance and patient experience can help differentiate your practice from others. Aligning your brand with your desired message will help your practice succeed.