Grange Green Dental Practice in Essex recently underwent a refurbishment. Practice manager, Emma Braybrook, sets the scene for the project:
“The practice was established in 1999, but we had retained all the original décor and equipment of the previous business when we took over, which was very dated. The new owner needed to bring the practice up to scratch. The need to update every aspect of the environment and introduce modern technology led to a full refurbishment.”
As with any practice design or refurbishment, it is essential to establish the look and feel you want to achieve from an early stage. For example, are you going for vibrant and family-friendly, or calm and luxurious? For Grange Green, the focus was on creating a modern and fresh space that was welcoming for patients. Emma comments:
“With such a massive change to modernise the entire practice, it was important to us that we could keep the interior as friendly and inviting as possible for our patients. We didn’t want to create an environment that was too clinical.”
Bringing a vision like this to life requires preparation and collaboration. For dental teams looking to maintain a dental service and ensure minimal disruption to their patients, such a project often benefits from the support of experts in the field. Emma discusses who Grange Green chose to work with to build their ideal practice environment:
“I had worked with Clark Dental at my previous practice, so I put the team forward for this project. We were really pleased with how efficient they were in getting back to us and how detailed they were when explaining all the refurbishment details. Clark dental provide a personal touch and the team were always on hand to help.”
Decisions regarding décor, equipment and furniture are just as important for successfully transforming a space. Not only do they ensure functionality of each room, but these elements can also have a significant impact on workflow efficiencies and the experience of both professionals and patients visiting the practice.
“The practice owners have always had A-dec dental units and they wanted to stay with the brand,” Emma continues. “They purchased a new A-dec Performer dental unit for the surgery, which is a great all-rounder. Apex cabinetry was selected to replace the dated yellow units in situ. We wanted a fresh, bright and modern surgery, and these cabinets in white and a smooth finish provide the aesthetic we desired.
“Everyone comments on how amazing the practice looks whenever they visit. The dentists are loving the new equipment, handpieces, electric motors and new LED lighting. All of these features make their lives easier and ensure they can provide excellent care to our patients.
“Clark Dental were great from start to finish. Matt Rowlingson and the team were always on call to discuss anything and regularly followed everything up to keep us on track and ensure there were no issues. The contractor they got to do the work was brilliant and we would highly recommend them too – they were very tidy and consistently turned up when they said they would.”
As can be seen from the photos and on the practice website, Grange Green certainly achieved what they set out to. The interior offers a stunningly peaceful yet modern aesthetic, with the range of cutting-edge technologies supporting delivery of exceptional patient care.
Having been through the experience and now being out the other side with a beautiful practice, Emma offers some advice for others who might be approaching or considering a similar refurbishment of their premises:
“For other practice teams taking on a refurbishment project like this, it’s important to ensure you have plenty of meetings before you start so all team members are aware of what is going to be done at each stage. We carried on working and seeing patients all the way through, keeping half the surgeries open at any one time and swapping rooms accordingly. As long as you plan everything you will be fine!”
Improving the practice design and upgrading equipment is an important investment in patients and the future of the business. The scale of the project will vary between practices, but keeping systems up-to-date is vital to facilitate high-quality dentistry that all professionals strive for.
For more information, call Clark Dental on 01268 733 146, email info@clarkdental.co.uk or visit www.clarkdental.co.uk
