We create unique and exclusive dental office designs that enhance your dental practice in 4 important ways ...
Innovative - you will stand out from the rest with a unique and beautiful dental office design that surrounds your patients with a feeling of comfort and inspires a sense of trust and confidence.
Efficient - you'll appreciate an efficiently designed space layout that will significantly improve your productivity and make your dental practice a joy to operate.
Painless - we ensure that you avoid the many complex code, zoning and regulatory pitfalls saving you thousands of dollars and mountains of grief.
Unique - we offer unparalleled service from the beginning to end of your project. No other design firm delivers the level of service we provide.
Smart dental office design is important to your bottom line but building a new dental office today has become a tangle of complexities and pitfalls and many doctors are unaware of the potential problems.
Being in the unique position as an expert in dental office design and with many years experience dealing with city planners, I can help resolve issues that may save you thousands of dollars.
As a Certified Interior Designer with over 1,300 dental offices to my credit, I use a an exclusive customized pre-planning approach that ensures we address the potential issues and design your office to fit your needs, guaranteeing your plans will go through plancheck.
To find out more, be sure to signup for our report "Ten Common Assumptions That Will Undermine a Dental Office Design Project Every Time"! You won't believe how much valuable information we give away for FREE! Get instance access to the report right now, see the sign-up box on the right.
Oct 12
29
Dental Office Design – Don’t Assume You Don’t Need A Real Estate Lawyer or Lease Negotiator
When you enter into a lease arrangement for your new dental office don’t make the mistake of giving away your negotiating leverage before you have a qualified interior designer review your dental office design. Here’s a real world example of what I’m talking about.
Dr. D had already signed his lease by the time I met him at the shopping center site where his new dental office was to be located.
We met to review the space allocation that I prepare with clients to advise them how to best maximize the square footage within their suite and still meet disabled access codes.
As a Certified Interior Designer, one of my design services is to check the path of travel from the public way to the suite entrance for disable access deficiencies. It is necessary for the path of travel to be barrier free in order to pass city code requirements.
Disable Access is a key Dental Office Design Factor
As disable access is one of my areas of expertise it was obvious to me that the path of travel would not meet the code requirements. I suggested that Dr. D. make his landlord aware that, as the landlord, he would be responsible to update the path of travel to meet codes.
I was amazed to hear that Dr. D. had already signed the dental office lease and therefore had no negotiation options. To make matters worse his lease made it clear that the lessee would be responsible for making the upgrades. A proper dental office design and plan addresses these factors up front. In this case, I knew the upgrades costs would be substantial. Unfortunately for Dr. D., in his case it was a whopping $40,000!
It is the pulling of permits that triggers the city to require the handicap deficiencies to be repaired. However sometimes the city doesn’t catch the deficiency which is what happened with this dental office property. Two restaurants had already been built on the property within the last six months and the permits did not trigger the requirements. Unfortunately for Dr. D, the city caught their previous oversight this time and he was responsible for the repairs.
Luckily for Dr. D., the city and the two restaurants agreed that each tenant would share equally in the cost for repairs. To avoid paying for unexpected costly repairs I highly recommend that before you sign the lease be sure to have someone who has a strong knowledge of handicapped codes check the path of travel to your suite and an attorney or lease negotiator review your lease before you sign.
A Few more more dental office design case histories you may have missed …
- Dental Office Design – Don’t Assume Your New Suite Doesn’t Require Some Remodeling
- Dental Office Design – Don’t Assume Having Your Space Designed And Built By Your Landlord Will Be To Your Advantage
- Dental Office Design – Don’t Assume That All Interior Designers Are The Same
- Dental Office Design – Don’t Assume You Have Enough Square Footage For Your Dental Office Needs
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Update, we have rescheduled the Webinar for July 31st, at 6:30pm PDT.
Please join us for our next dental office design webinar on July 31st, at 6:30pm PDT.
Your Ideal Dental Office And How To Achieve It
The Key Essentials You Need to Think About From The Start.
Hi, I’m George Fedyna, Certified Interior Designer. I’ve been helping dentists create their ideal offices with expert dental office design solutions since 1980. In this next in a series of dental office design educational webinars, we’ll be covering some of the major areas that go into the creation of your ideal dental office and how it affects a proper dental office design.
There are more obstacles and challenges than you can imagine creating today’s modern dental offices. I want to help you achieve your ideal dental office and avoid these common pitfalls and obstacles that cause so much frustration (and can cost you a lot of money too!)
In this webinar, we’ll cover the essential aspects that go into a proper dental office design.
- Finding the right location, what may be wrong this location?
- Finding the right financing, are you really getting the most for your money?
- Finding the right contractor, will they really do a good job for you?
- Technology and design for today and tomorrow?
- Can I fit the equipment I want into my design?
This one hour webinar, offered at no charge, is scheduled for July 17th, at 6:30pm Pacific time. We will include a ten minute section at the end of the webinar to take and answer your questions as well.
And we will be granting CEU credits to all webinar attendees at no charge!
So save the date and mark your calendar. You don’t want to miss this FREE upcoming dental office design webinar “Your Ideal Dental Office And How To Achieve It“, July 17th, at 6:30pm PDT. And don’t forget, all attendees of the webinar will receive CEU credits at no charge!
Please register for “Your Ideal Dental Office And How To Achieve It” on 7/31/12 6:30 PM at:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/4wg79/register/2205667947609693440
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
And if you’re not already on our email list, please be sure and subscribe so we can keep you up to date about our webinar series and schedules. See the sign-up box on the top-right.
We’re looking forward to seeing you at our next webinar,
George Fedyna
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In this next dental office design installment, I want to talk about a situation that I run into from time to time. Occasionally I come across a dentist that plans on assuming the role of owner/builder and general contractor all rolled up into one as an attempt to save some money on their new dental office build out.
Usually, by the time I get involved, I’ve been asked to come in and pick up the pieces and solve some real problems that can occur.
The dental office design project where the dentist also plays the role of owner/builder goes something like this …
In addition to establishing your successful dental practice with all the schooling, training, knowledge and expertise that you’ve acquired, let’s also assume for the moment that you also have some prior experience as a builder and general contractor.
In this case, it might appear to make sense that you could save money by cutting out the general building contractor and performing these tasks and project responsibilities yourself.
Let me give you a case study why assuming the role of owner/builder for your next dental office build-out might not work out as ideally as you expect.
Dental Office Design Owner/Builder Case Study
Dr. B. got a good deal on a commercial condo and thought it was perfect for building his new dental office. He had been involved in constructing a dental office ten years prior and decided he knew enough about building a new office to be the Owner/Builder.
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Get ready for our new Dental Office Design Webinar Series entitled …
“Your Uniquely Designed Dental Office and How To Achieve It”
Beginning June 2012 we will be offering our new series of dental office design webinars that will help you avoid the common pitfalls you may encounter when setting up a new dental office. In this series of webinars we’ll be covering many critical aspects of dental office design from finding the right location and lease negotiations to design and decorating issues.
Along with myself, George Fedyna, Certified Interior Designer, we will be featuring a guest speaker at each webinar in the series offering expert advice on the various topics that we’ll be covering. You’ll also have an opportunity to submit any questions you have and get the answers to your most pressing dental office design challenges.
In addition I will be granting CEU credits to the webinar attendees at no charge.
We’ll be sending out the webinar signup forms and registration information by email. As long as you are subscribed to our email list you will automatically receive the webinar registration notices. If you’re not already a subscriber, see the signup form in the upper right on our website.
So keep an eye out, you won’t want to miss our upcoming webinar series!
CDA Anaheim Convention 2012
If you are coming to the CDA Anaheim Convention this year (May 3rd), please be sure to stop by Booth #1587 and say hello.
You can sign up for our series of free webinars at our booth.
Posted in Dental Office Design by .
If you’re looking for a little dental office design inspiration, have a look at “10 Jaw-Dropping Dental Office Concepts” featured recently at Web Urbanist. We’re very happy to have been included in this dental office design showcase, you’ll see our “Pediatric Dental Practice with an Outer Space Theme” toward the bottom.
The Web Urbanist showcases this under water submarine theme inspired by Dentist Haress Rahim’s love of scuba diving. This water inspired design brings a soothing and relaxing feel of tranquility to the dental office surroundings.
At Unique Interior Designs, we agree that a successful dental office design should reflect the special and unique vision of the dentist.
These dental office design examples showcased at the Web Urbanist demonstrate a variety of creative approaches that break the more familiar and conservative mold that dentists often pursue.
We’re very pleased and honored to be included in the showcase of jaw-dropping dental office designs featured by Web Urbanist.
Our Pediatric Dental Office with an Outer Space Theme, as shown to the left, has captured a lot of interest online since we published this project on our website about a year ago.
We’d like to thank Web Urbanist for picking this up and including in their dental office design showcase!
A successful dental office design project should always be a combination of form and function. And at Unique Interior Designs, we also combine our substantial experience in solving the many hidden constraints and real-world obstacles that can arise as you transform your vision into a finished dental office design.
Contact Unique Interior Designs today and let us help you achieve your unique dental office design vision!
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For a change of pace in our ongoing series of dental office design case histories, I would like to respond to a question I am frequently asked by my out-of-state clients: “Can you design my dental office remotely?”
I began designing offices remotely in 1992. Around that time Associate Editor Ron Combs began featuring the “Office of the Month” series in the national magazine Dental Economics. An article appeared about an office I designed entitled the “Talk of Temecula.” That article along with some advertising I did, prompted doctors from various areas of the country to contact me to design their dental offices.
Over the years I have designed scores of dental offices remotely and when asked “can you design my dental office remotely?” The simple answer is a resounding “Yes.”
Dental Office Design Begins with Accurate Measurements
Accurate measurements are the key ingredient to accurate design. Once I have the footprint, I consult with the doctor to review his or her needs and make suggestions on how to best reach their goals. I contact the local government agencies to determine how the local code requirements may affect the design, then provide the doctor with the space plan for approval.
Once the space plan is approved we move on to the crucial specifications stage which includes plumbing, electrical, reflected ceiling and lighting, cabinetry design, etc. These specifications are necessary to get accurate contractor bids. Since the specifications are the same whether the office is right next door or 2,000 miles from me there is no need to visit the site.
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When you move your existing dental office to a new suite, your dental office design may want to incorporate some level of remodeling as well to best optimize the new space for a dental practice. The best way I can explain how this aspect of dental office design and remodeling works is through a case-history involving a dentist client of mine who moved his dental office to the floor below his current office.
I was recently contacted by Dr. S. who decided to move his dental office to the suite on the floor below his current suite. Dr. S. occupied a suite on the second floor of a two-story building that had no elevator. His current dental suite was too small and didn’t function well for him. But the main reason for the move was that his elderly patients complained about having to climb the stairs. The doctor also wanted to accommodate disabled patients.
Dr. S. was ready to lease the ground floor suite that had been a medical office. He advised me that he did not want to incur the cost of major changes but was seeking some help with a dental office design. He wanted to keep the existing walls as is and just wanted me to prepare the dental office design plans for the needed plumbing and electrical upgrades.
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Working through the many gotchas in a dental office design is trickier than it looks. One of the best ways I can illustrate the critical benefit of using a qualified dental office interior design professional is to share with you actual “real-world” case histories from working with some of our clients.
In this dental office design case history we’ll focus on the pitfalls and problems that can occur when you’re forced to rely on the landlord’s office designer, building architect or general contractor.
Are You Forced To Use The Landlord’s Building Architect or General Contractor For Your Dental Office Design?
Dr. L. signed a lease for a space in a Medical/Dental office building. To complete the dental office design, the lease required that he use the building architect and general contractor. Dr. L. assumed it would save him time as he wouldn’t have to find an outside professional to do the design or build-out. Using the landlord’s resources, he believed he would be able to move in quickly with the least amount of effort.
Unfortunately for the doctor, he was very disappointed in the space plan provided by the landlord’s building architect. The Business Area was so small it was virtually useless. When Dr. L. complained about the inadequate dental office design, the architect said that was the only possible design based on the configuration of the suite. Dr. L. was very upset and spoke with his equipment supplier who suggested that Dr. L. give me a call.
Upon inspecting the configuration of the dental office suite, I quickly realized that by moving the interior entry door three feet to the left, the Business Area would gain the needed space to function properly. I knew there were no accessibility code issues and moving the door would be a simple matter. But the landlord refused offering only vague excuses. I encouraged the doctor to pursue the matter and soon the landlord relented, giving him the space he needed for a very workable Business Area.
The doctor was happy with the outcome. However, moving to the next step with his dental office design project, we began talking about the build-out process and I asked the doctor if he got competitive bids from other general contractors. I explained to Dr. L. that in my experience, doctors who did not get competitive bids generally have paid more for the construction. Sure enough, after receiving competitive bids, Dr. L. showed the landlord that three other competent general contractors would cost less money by anywhere from $30.00 to $40.00 a square foot. The landlord agreed to deduct $30.00 per square foot from the doctor’s bid. Dr. L. was very happy.
When choosing a dental office location, it’s best to keep your options open when signing your lease. If you eliminate your opportunity to get competitive bids, you may be putting yourself in a position where you can be taken advantage of.
I hope you’re enjoying these case-histories based on my many years of experience dealing with dental office design. I’m sure many of you have had interesting experiences regarding your own dental office design projects, lease negotiations, general contractor dealings, etc. If you would like to share, I would love to hear about your experiences. Feel free to post your comments and feedback below, or contact me and I’ll be more than happy to answer any of your dental office design questions.
For more dental office design case histories, see these previous “Don’t Assume Anything” dental office design articles that you might have missed …
- Dental Office Design – Don’t Assume That All Interior Designers Are The Same
- Dental Office Design – Don’t Assume You Have Enough Square Footage For Your Dental Office Needs
- Dental Office Design – Don’t Assume A New Property Has The Necessary Underground Requirements
- Dental Office Design – Don’t Assume Your Build-out Fees Are Correct
- Dental Office Design – Don’t Assume A Low Price Is Your Best Deal
- Dental Office Design – Don’t Assume You Can Build At The Location You Select
- Dental Office Design – Don’t Assume Your Landlord Knows The Disable Access Regulations
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This installment in our series of dental office design case histories focuses on the importance of selecting the right dental office designer. I’d like to start off with a testimonial from one of my clients that highlights the issue precisely (it really is much more compelling when if comes directly from a dentist that I’ve worked with).
“Dear George,
I wanted to thank you for a job well done. As you know I started the design process of my office about a month prior to contacting you. I started working with a company that had an ‘in house’ architect and was well into the bidding and planning when we ran into some issues that in my opinion should have been apparent from the beginning! That’s when I hesitantly contacted you and asked for help – I was hesitant because I did not want to spend the extra money. But I have to admit that I was wrong and that this was the best money I spent.”
The above is an excerpt from a testimonial I received from one of my dental office design clients, Dr. Mahallati. Unfortunately the situation he experienced happens too frequently. Selecting the right dental office designer is as important as selecting the right location to do your dentistry.
A dental office is one of the most complex offices to design. It has more of everything including plumbing, electrical, lighting, etc. Not only does the dental office designer need to know the specifications of the dental equipment to be installed, but they need to know how it will fit into the design and meet the building codes.
Every doctor is an individual and an interior designer must determine that dentist’s particular needs. As an example, one of the first questions that I ask my clients is: “What don’t you like about your existing office?”
For some doctors the answers come quickly. Other dentists, after giving it some thought, realize they have been living with an uncomfortable work environment and their workday could be made easier in the new dental office design.
In addition to getting references and seeing some completed dental office design projects in person, listed below are questions you should ask when considering an interior designer for your dental office.
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This next installment in our series of dental office design case histories talks about upgrading computer equipment in your dental office. We’ll highlite some of the challenges you can encounter when you integrate computers into your dental office design.
It’s almost impossible to go to a movie or bank or any place of business today without seeing a computer happily humming away. And how many desktops, laptops, tablets and all other forms of computers do you have in your home? Computers are ubiquitous, and once you get used to having them it’s hard to live without them.
Up until recent times a dental office could function extremely well without a computer and many offices still do. But as the 21st century speeds forward, more and more dental offices are adding computers and most new dental offices plan for them.
It would seem pretty easy to incorporate computers into your dental office design. Just go to your local electronics store and pick up some computers and monitors, plug them in and you’re set to go.
Unfortunately it’s generally not that easy. At least that’s what a customer of mine, Dr. S. found out when he purchased some computers for his new office.
When Dr. S. hired me to work on his dental office design he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do about his computers. I suggested he contact an Information Technology (IT) specialist so that his office would function smoothly from a computer standpoint. This was the second dental office for Dr. S., and he said it wouldn’t be necessary since he had done this before. He felt confident he could make the right computer decisions.
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