THE WHY: Clinicians’ story
Dr. Mahbod Tabaei built his dream practice “Vita Dentistry” in North York and excitedly opened its doors to serve the community. He owned his first practice in Iran before deciding to move to Canada in 2012 to begin the next chapter of his personal and professional life. He arrived with his family and is now working along side his lovely wife who is also a dentist. He expressed a heartfelt appreciation to have such a strong support synergy working side-by-side together in their office.
THE HOW: Planning & Preparation
Dr. Tabaei expressed that he considered two main factors prior to the design and build. “Before securing a space/location” and “After securing a space/location”. Similarly, to “having an implant restorative plan prior to surgery,” he creatively strategized on where to position his new practice. How visible or easily accessible is it? Will there be ample parking? How large and observable is your allotted signage from the street, and what other businesses are in that location that might draw or even repel traffic to your office? He wanted to be close to frequent hot spots, like grocery stores, convenience stores and restaurants.
THE RESULTS: Technical Design Features
Making his clear “desires list” is what drove the strategic design concept behind Vita Dentistry. Since we live in a cooler climate, Dr. Tabaei wanted to have strong influences of warmer environments. They utilized wood materials to represent roots and trees, incorporated blue tones to represent the ocean, and most importantly, used curved lines instead of sharp edges to mimic nature. These small but important design details are what makes his space unique. The feature wall in the front reception represents a coral reef with flowing lines and custom lighting details. Overall, the atmosphere of the office clearly evokes a feeling of calm and relaxation.
THE IMPACT: Empowered Practice Outcomes
They want each patient to experience a safe feeling of comfort and calm as they walk through the front entrance. As result of the design ambience combined with a strong focus on connecting with each patient; they now have an abundant new patient referral flow. Their belief is that happy team members that enjoy the environment in which they work will also attract happier, more appreciative patients. This internal marketing focus has now become even more valuable to their growth than their external marketing initiatives alone. Patients are constantly thanking them for the warm atmosphere and caring experience they enjoy. Dr. Tabaei feels honoured to be in the profession of dentistry.
Interior Designer: Nilsson Design
Equipment Specialist: Sinclair Dental & K Dental
Construction: Acecon General Contracting Inc.
About the Author
Darcie is an interior design coach and project coordinator specializing in the field of dentistry. Darcie helps dentalpractices achieve their décor and space design needs. Bella Vita Designs also provides dental professionals with a large selection of office furniture solutions. She can be reached at darcie@bellavitadesigns.ca, @bellavitadesignsinc
