Going to the dentist is never fun, and for many people, it’s a traumatic experience. Some people avoid the dentist until they can’t avoid it any longer. Fear of pain and uninviting dentists’ offices are two contributing factors. Sitting and waiting in a sterile, uncomfortable waiting room while you worry about how much it’s going to hurt means you’re going to be stressed and tense. Over the years, however, dental procedures have become far less painful, and dentists are now acknowledging that they have to woo customers back. One way to do that is to design and build their offices to be more efficient and more inviting.

 

Natural Lighting

Dental offices often used to be dark and depressing. The focus was on the equipment, not on patient comfort. Today, designers like Key Interiors, who specialize in designing and furnishing dental offices focus on creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Natural lighting is relied on to bathe the waiting room in sunlight. In recovery areas and exam rooms, natural light helps keep patients calm and reduces the jittery feeling often caused by fluorescent lighting. Skylights and picture windows are prominent features.

 

Custom Cabinetry and Furniture

Today’s dental practices prefer to collaborate with a designer who can provide them with customized solutions that maximize their efficiency and improve the patient experience. Beautifully sculpted furnishings with clean lines and high-end finishes are more popular. In waiting rooms, ugly fiberglass chairs have given way to comfortable, upholstered furniture and rich colors so waiting patients and family members feel like they’re relaxing at home instead of fidgeting in a stark, metal, and plastic dungeon.

 

Amenities

Large-screen TVs, video games and computers for kids and teens, and beverage centers are prevalent in today’s dental offices. Watching the game or a movie takes patients’ minds off what might happen when they sit in the dentist’s chair. It also makes the time go faster, so you aren’t frustrated by the wait.

Sedation Dentistry Options

The days of having to “tough it out” when you had dental work done are long gone. Many dentists today offer various options to make you more comfortable going into a dental appointment. You may be provided with nitrous oxide before having work done, or you may be given an oral sedative to take the edge off and relax you. Dentists and orthodontists are increasingly providing patients with options that reduce the stress and allow patients to consider having work done with less stress and pain.

 

Take the time to contact a few dentists’ offices in your area to find one that is inviting and comfortable, then ask about whether they offer sedation for any procedures needed. You may be surprised by how stress-free today’s dental offices can be.