Message Boards
Today's Active Topics Today's Active Cases Browse Forum Categories My Recent Activity My Messages Private Groups My Bookmarks My Subscriptions
Today's Active Images Today's Active Polls Most Active Topics Global Townie Map Advanced Message Board Search Message Board Terms of Use

Back to the Future by Dr. Charles Fischer

Start Discussion
Categories: Office Design;
Back to the Future

A common career trajectory in dentistry often involves the evolution from being an associate dentist to opening one’s own practice. As the practice grows, bringing in a partner to share in patient treatment and help offset overhead can be a prudent business strategy. Each choice, though, typically requires building out a new office space and investing in expensive technology and digital workflow systems. Because of startup expenses and equipment upgrades, the optimal design and the plumbing, electrical, and electronic systems of an office space can understandably be overlooked.

An office that is designed for efficient workflow, staff and patient traffic, and interior environmental safeguards reduces stress, protects our health, contributes to positive attitudes in auxiliaries, plus reduces everyone’s fatigue at day’s end. Furthermore, a functional, well-designed, and professionally decorated space attracts patients and fosters a sense of pride among the treatment team.

Having taught and consulted on dental office design over the years, I felt obliged to build a “trophy” office (I had to walk my talk!) when I outgrew my old suite. It was a significant undertaking, but I learned some valuable lessons that I would like to share. My new office space was a beautifully decorated 5,000-square-foot facility featuring a semi-open floor plan with nine fully equipped operatories, a commercial dental lab, a state-certified dental assisting school, and a one-of-a-kind dedicated patient education area.

To begin the process, I carefully considered the importance of a healthy interior environment. For effective indoor air control and optimal patient and staff comfort, the office had a multi-zone HVAC system that controlled temperature, humidity, and odor in different areas. The system was programmed to replace the office air throughout the day completely. Air was “scrubbed” with electrostatic filters to remove particulate matter and pathogens, followed by activated carbon filtration to address odors and volatile chemical fumes. Additionally, bathrooms, plus treatment areas where nitrous oxide analgesia was used, included separate, silent exhaust fans.

An oft-neglected pollutant, noise, was addressed with a unique system. All background sound was washed using pink and white sound generators, specifically tuned to filter out conversation and the high-pitched sound of air turbine drills. This original application of sonic technology enabled patients and staff to achieve almost complete auditory privacy within our efficient open-space office design.

Of course, all of our fluorescent lights were full-spectrum and color-corrected to deliver the very best cosmetic dentistry. Each treatment room featured a ceiling-to-floor bronze-glass window that looked out onto a tranquil Japanese garden. This augmented our office illumination and created a supportive ambiance for patients.

Particularly during busy practice days, a sophisticated in-house communication system reduces stress and keeps sensitive staff and administrative interactions from patients. At the time my office was designed, Bluetooth was not available, so the majority of my systems had to be hardwired during construction. Each treatment room and patient area was equipped with a hands-free intercom, a light annunciator system (for silent communication and patient management), and individual television screens for patient education and entertainment.

In addition, all treatment areas were equipped with wide-angle lens video cameras so that patients could be observed when a dental assistant or doctor was not present. The front administration area had a bank of video screens that a specific office staff member was responsible for supervising. Patients could also be communicated with using the hands-free intercom if the dental assistant or doctor was not in the room.

Many colleagues had shared stories about patient-safety lapses and after-hour problems that occurred during office closing. I was convinced these issues could be prevented through thoughtful design.

My office was therefore designed so that all staff members would enter and exit through a designated back door in the staff room. This is where they would clock in and out on our electronic timecard system and check announcements on the bulletin board.

The most unique feature of this room was a special control panel that featured an indicator light for each dental chair. All dental treatment chairs had pressure sensors installed that fed information back to the panel so that there was never a danger of leaving the office with someone still seated. In addition, the panel featured a “master switch” that activated solenoids, turning on all office lights and equipment simultaneously. In addition, when the last staff member left at night, this master switch turned off all equipment, electronics, water, and lights, while automatically turning on night lights, activating fire, smoke, security, and water alarms, and indicating whether all exterior doors were locked.

With a single step, the last staff member could completely and safely shut down the entire office. This system was equally helpful when one of our dentists needed to see an emergency patient after hours, allowing them to activate all lights and necessary equipment with a single switch.

One of the most unusual design elements integrated into my office was the patient education space.

Admittedly, this was an expensive use of square footage, but I managed to have it pay for itself with the services it generated. Besides having two fully equipped and dedicated dental hygiene chairs, there were spaces designed for one-on-one (and family) patient education, nutritional counseling, “oral physiotherapy,” and myofunctional therapy. The area was equipped with AVs for patient education and phase microscopes for tissue and plaque analysis. We also performed blood and saliva testing.

Having a fully equipped dental suite can certainly increase overhead costs, despite the benefits of streamlining patient care and efficiency. Our office had a large staff and, as many offices frequently experience, we had a continuing need for qualified people to join our team. We mitigated this challenge with a remarkably simple solution. We opened a dental assistant training school. We held classes at night and used our well-equipped office as a training center, with our interested staff serving as instructors.

Our comprehensive office manual served as the training text. These extensive resources enabled us to obtain a state vocational training certification, allowing us to issue department of education-recognized completion diplomas. We reduced overhead by using the office at night for continuous training classes, which also created a steady pipeline of pre-trained assistants and admin staff while generating additional revenue through tuition.

Hopefully, some of the design features highlighted in this article can be incorporated into your own office planning. Each innovation not only improves operational efficiency but also strengthens patient and staff safety. The real surprise, however, is that I designed and built this office in 1975, more than 50 years ago!

At the time, the practice was considered an outlier in advanced clinical design. While our procedures and equipment were progressive for that era, today’s technology, materials, and treatment protocols have evolved significantly and therefore are of no value to discuss. What has remained relevant, though, are the systems and use of space. Without exception, every design element we implemented improved efficiency and reduced stress throughout the practice.

Finally, I want to emphasize the value of creating spaces that are both inviting and visually memorable; what I like to call “tasteful pizzazz.” As you’ll see in the photos of our office (even from 50 years ago), we balanced bold wall coverings and unique furniture with warmer, more traditional elements to keep the environment welcoming.

Perhaps one of our most original decorating details involved the semi-circular high walls separating each operatory from the main hallway. We obtained photographs from the local historical society of our town’s original settlers from the 1800s. We enlarged them and converted them into custom wallpaper for those walls. The local newspapers loved it, running several features on the office.

The resulting publicity brought in hundreds of new patients, more than covering the project’s costs.

For the most part, patients are unaware of the technologies and systems incorporated into your practice, yet the appearance of your office still influences them. This can create a lasting impression and make a dental visit a positive experience. Décor silently communicates your professionalism and even suggests a perceived level of care. It is an important part of your brand. And for staff who work within the dental office environment, studies have shown measured increases in morale and loyalty associated with the appearance of their workspace.

It’s tempting to trim the décor budget when faced with the high cost of dental technology, but concentrating your design dollars on reception areas, bathrooms, and consultation spaces—and keeping operatories simple and clinical—can create an inviting patient experience without overspending.

As dentists, our focus on technology should be balanced with an appreciation for the importance of the space we work in. There are unique innovations and design concepts that can be “rediscovered” by visiting past successful examples of office design. Confucius wisely advised, “Study the past if you would define the future.”
Author Bio
Dr. Charles Fischer Dr. Charles Fischer owned and managed a successful dental group in the San Francisco Bay Area for a number of years. He left clinical practice and transitioned into the field of health services management consulting and organizational behavior. Fischer has lectured internationally and authored numerous articles and publications on dentistry, practice management, marketing, and organizational development. He graduated from University of California at San Francisco with degrees in dentistry and pharmacology and from Pepperdine University with a doctorate in organizational leadership. He holds fellowships in the American College of Dentists and the Academy of General Dentistry.


More In Office Design
Happy Place(s)
Happy Place(s)
by Erin Blondin
August 2025
Stacking the Tech
Stacking the Tech
Reuben Kamp
CE Credits: 1.5
The Floor Plan is Key to Productivity: Floor Plan Analysis to Ensure Great Results
The Floor Plan is Key to Productivity: Floor Plan Analysis to...
Dr. Mark Tholen
CE Credits: 1.5
Why Modern Dental Offices Are Going Cuspidor-Free
Why Modern Dental Offices Are Going Cuspidor-Free
January 2026
Dentaltown Magazine
January 2026
Dentaltown Magazine January 2026 Read Current Issue Read Archived Issues
Sponsors
Townie Perks
Townie® Poll
Who primarily handles HR responsibilities in your practice?
  
Related Articles
Brushing Up on Branding
Brushing Up on Branding
by Drs. Stevie Roberts and Robert Johnson
February 2025
Poll: Buying, Selling, Remodeling
Poll: Buying, Selling, Remodeling
August 2023
Product Profile: Vanguard Dental Unit
Product Profile: Vanguard Dental Unit
March 2024
Site Menu
Message Boards Magazine Continuing Education Podcasts Blogs Classifieds Dental News Events Townie® Poll Ebooks Townie Choice Awards
Company Info
Contact Us Advertise With Us Howard Farran DDS, MBA Policies and Agreements
Site Help
The Dentaltown Team, Farran Media Support
Phone: +1-480-445-9710
Email: support@dentaltown.com
©2026 Dentaltown, a division of Farran Media • All Rights Reserved
9633 S. 48th Street Suite 200 • Phoenix, AZ 85044 • Phone:+1-480-598-0001 • Fax:+1-480-598-3450