Listen To Your Professionals
When you recommend a procedure to your dental patients, do you do so just because it is a “nice thing to do” or because you believe it is the right thing for them? If you are like the dentists that I know you make recommendations based on what you feel is the right course of action for their particular circumstances.
If they tell you that the recommended procedure is out of their budget, do you offer alternatives that still fit within the scope of the desired outcome if possible? Again, the dentists that I know work hard to find the best fit for their patients that satisfy both their dental health needs and their budgets.
Why, then is it hard to believe that other professionals won’t do the same? If a team of professionals are hired to do a project, why do so many dentists feel compelled to second guess and question every move that the professional makes? I am fortunate that I have not been subjected to this treatment very often in my career, but I have witnessed it enough times, especially with contractors. Just because one does not need years of special schooling to learn to hang and spackle drywall, for instance; this is a definite skill that takes years to master. I am certain the same dentists that I have seen trying to tell their drywaller the best way to do their job during their dental office design project would be quite offended if the shoe were on the other foot and the drywaller tried to tell the dentist how to cap a tooth.
In my own case on dental office design projects where I seem to not be listened to is when the project gets to the furniture and artwork stage. Yes, these are very personal choices, but they must also be chosen with thought and care if an overall interior branding message is going to be successful. Additionally, not all furniture is created equal, and one must choose carefully to get the best quality and warranty for the price. I don’t know how often I can say this, but buying residential furniture for a dental office is never a good idea.
Also, saying, “My spouse can pick these out,” doesn’t cut it either. Yes, your spouse may have a good idea, but has he or she been involved with the dental office design project from the beginning? Has he or she sat in on all discussions that shaped and formulated the overall interior branding strategy for the office? Does he or she fully grasp how the furniture interacts with the other design elements to promote the branding message? Lastly, does he or she have access to all of the commercial furniture manufacturers that are available and the ability to negotiate the best combination of price, warranty, and delivery for the project? Again, this is akin to my trying to tell my dentist how to best mix the colors so my new cap looks just right in my mouth, or how to best perform a new gum graft. Or, worse yet, telling my dentist that now that she’s cut the tissue from the roof of my mouth, I’ll just have my spouse stitch that to my gum because he or she’s really handy with a needle and thread. Think about it.
