Since the inception dentistry, a lot of people have gotten relief from pain and brighter smiles. However visits to the dentist’s office have often been accompanied by tension, anxiety and general fear. The thought of someone yanking out your tooth or the pain of receiving dental care has caused patients a lot of anxiety.
This fear has been backed by data, a study conducted by the North Carolina University, cited close to 20% of Americans have a paralyzing fear of visiting the local dentist. Dental practitioners need to tackle dental phobia since it affects both patient and dentist. Anxious patients tend to skip appointments more others tend to postpone a procedure, thereby increasing its’ severity.
Another problem associated with dental phobia is nervousness (especially after sitting in line and listening to drilling of other patients’ teeth) may cause a patient to give half truths on their condition leading to misdiagnosis. This may lead to complications, and cause the patient more pain as well as hospital bills.
However dental practitioners can alleviate some of this stress by making a series of changes to create a conducive environment at dental office. Here are some great ideas to argument the dentist office décor.
Reception and Waiting Room
The waiting room is probably the most important area in any dentist office. It creates the first impressions. So you’d want the ambience to be a relaxed one, making the client feel at home. The design and overall mantra of your waiting area speaks volumes about your core values as a practitioner.
Color schemes should be cool and calm since the idea here is to get the patient relaxed. A mix of green and blue with shades of white should create a soothing, relaxing atmosphere. You could also go for neutral colors like beige, taupe and some shades of gray to mix with the architectural details of the room. Lime gives off an aura of tranquility, calmness and general well-being. Bright colors like red and orange normally stimulate emotions and anxiety (usually great for fast food joints) should be avoided. The client could be nervous already, no need to add on more stimulus.
Lighting brings in another aspect of visual beauty. A warm, well lit waiting area will brighten the room and create a nice warm feeling to reduce anxiety. Wall fountains in a well lit area helps to bring serenity into the dentist office.
Furniture
Comfort and style should always be paramount when a client makes a visit at the local dentist. When it comes to furniture, stiff uncomfortable seats should be avoided. Try and get trendy seats that are both soft and comfy. There should be a variety of sitting options in the waiting area; not just clustering patients together ― some patients are uncomfortable sitting within close proximity with strangers. Movable chairs are also a great idea, since they offer broader flexibility.
TVs should be strategically placed on the walls or located where not all patients are forced to watch. A good idea could be an extra screen for waiting time alerts. Having some iPads or Tablets with preloaded fun Apps will make waiting times move on a little faster. Reading materials like magazines should also be readily available
Walls and Windows
Walls and Windows play a huge part in creating a tranquil atmosphere. Try incorporating calm color themes, wallpapers, patterns on walls and windows. Have child friendly content on walls will help ease anxiety off toddlers during their visit at the dentist. Try colors that fit in your overall office design.
Related: http://brightondentalsd.com/
