Ponderings from a Drive In The Country
The day was absolutely gorgeous. In the low ‘80’s with low humidity and abundant sun, just the way I like it. Of course, I had the top down on the car. I was driving along through the countryside this afternoon after visiting a client in a small town and thinking about how life differs in small, rural communities as compared with that in larger towns, cities, and suburbs. Without sounding like a cliché, the pace of life and expectations of businesses is just different in small communities as compared with their larger cousins.
This difference is also true in the dental office design for doctors serving rural communities. The same interior branding message that attracts clients to an upper middle class suburban practice may very well turn off the residents in a small farm community as way too ostentatious. A minimalistic, modern urban office design may strike these same folks as downright strange. This is why it is so critical to understand the tastes of the patients as well as those of the dentist before embarking on a new dental office design and interior branding project.
Beyond the cultural differences created by size are those that arise from geographic location, ethnicity, and religion that must be taken into consideration as part of the dental office design. Separate entrances and operatories may be necessary for men and women, for example, or increased privacy may be necessary to protect a client’s identity. A dental office design that works well in Middle America may be a complete disaster in southern Europe, rural China, or the Middle East.
While I can’t say I’ve worked in all these places, I can say I work very hard to get to know my clients and am always eager to learn as much as I can about them, their patients, and the culture they are operating in. I find it incredibly satisfying to be able to apply what I learn to creating a dental office design that speaks to the unique and varied needs of my clients and the markets they serve.
