Optimising Workflow Through Dental Clinic Design

Good dental clinic design doesn’t just look fabulous, it’s efficient, functional and safe for patients and staff. Workflow – or how patients and practitioners move through a practice – is key to this.

To achieve a fit-for-purpose space, you need to make workflow a core element of your overall practice design right from the start.

Why is Workflow So Important in Dental Clinic Design?

A well-designed workflow makes for smooth movement of people around the practice. On the other hand, a poorly thought-out workflow can lead to bottlenecks, inefficient use of space, overcrowding and ultimately health and safety issues.

Workflow is of paramount importance, however it is common for workflow to be an afterthought. If you want your dental practice fitout to make the most of the available space and be effective, it’s essential to plan out both patient and staff workflow at the design stage.

Optimising Patient Movement

When designing the flow of patients from the waiting room to treatment room (and back again) you want a smooth and easy journey. It can be helpful to allow enough space for two-way traffic.

A short walk can be beneficial for efficiency, but a longer walk can allow for a degree of small talk between practitioners and patients, which may help put them at ease. Consider what is most important to your business, and plan accordingly.

An Efficient Staff Workflow

Staff workflow is important to maintain a safe workplace and allow your employees to do their jobs as effectively as possible.

When designing your staff workflow, think about movement between waiting room, treatment rooms, sterilisation rooms and the staff break room. Consider whether storage rooms and other areas will be placed in patient accessible areas. Workflow within rooms is also important – position bulky equipment to allow for ease of movement around it.

Finding the right layout to optimise workflow can be a tricky business, especially if you have limited space.

Contact Us

To get tailored advice for your new dental clinic fitout or practice refurbishment, contact Elite. Our in-house design team are specialists in dental fitouts. We will work with you to find the dental clinic workflow for your practice design.