One of the most important things in a dental clinic is the comfort of patients in the waiting area. As most dentists would tell you, patients can, and most do, change their minds about their appointment in the waiting area. Irrespective of how welcoming your staff is, most patients visiting dental clinics would rather be somewhere else. However, if you take time and create an optimal waiting room, patients will not only feel comfortable but also they will not mind subsequent visits. This article provides information on how to make the waiting area of your dental clinic warm and hospitable.
Place an Aquarium in Patients' Full View -- Today, it's hard to miss an aquarium in a dentist's office. Studies have shown that when one looks at fish in an aquarium for at least 10 minutes, their blood pressure lowers, thereby creating a relaxed feeling. You want the comfortable feeling to be experienced by your patients. However, merely placing an aquarium in any corner of the waiting room will not achieve the desired effect. You need to position the aquarium in such a way that it is in full view of patients, and they do not have to strain their necks to watch the fish. Additionally, you should ensure that there is as little human traffic as possible in front of the aquarium to avoid obstruction.
Bring the Outdoors In -- Some patients travel long distances to attend their dental appointments. As such, their nostrils are used to the smell of nature outside. Therefore, when they come into your waiting area, and the first smell that hits them is dental medicine, they are taken aback. To eliminate this feeling, bring the outdoors inside the waiting area. You can achieve this by adding a few potted plants into the waiting room. For example, if you place two medium sized palm plants at either corner of the waiting room, the plants will bridge the two environments thereby creating a sense of continuity. Additionally, the oxygen given out by the plants will bring more freshness into the room and mask any strange smell from medications. The result is that your patients will be more relaxed.
Make it Technology Friendly -- In the 21st century, people tend to work on the go, and your patients are no different. Therefore, just because your patients want to have their teeth checked do not mean they should put their work on hold for a couple of hours. As such, make your waiting room technologically friendly so that patients can concentrate on other things as they wait for their appointments. For instance, you can provide free Wi-Fi and power banks for those using personal iPad.
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