A dentist is one of the first people many kids learn to fear. The thought of going to the dentist’s office can elicit difficult responses such as tantrums and crying fits. Parents have to try very hard to ease their children into visiting doctors. To make the whole process easier for your clients and their parents, here are some ways you can make your practice welcoming to children:
Get professional fit-out
Before starting a dental surgery or practice in Australia, it is always a good idea to get fit-out done by a professional fit-out service. They will help you plan the appropriate office layout, along with other infrastructure requirements. When getting dental office fit-out in Brisbane, it is important to let them know that it is going to be a paediatric dentistry practice so that they can plan for it accordingly. They will provide you with suggestions for appropriate furniture and equipment for children. They will also be able to include a play area in the design, which will keep your tiny patients entertained.
Decorate with bright colours
Usually, dental offices gravitate toward monochromatic colour schemes such as whites and greys. However, if you are going to have children coming in, you will want to infuse it with bright colours. You can do this by having brightly coloured furniture for the children’s sitting area or having the doors painted in different colours. Colourful toys against a white backdrop can help instil a sense of peace while maintaining the hygienic look.
Hire friendly staff
The first thing that children will notice when they walk into your practice is the reception area. Your reception staff should be friendly and cheerful so that kids automatically feel at ease. You can have candy on the reception desk that you can offer to kids as soon as they walk in. Your staff should acknowledge kids by greeting them and talk to them in an age-appropriate way.
Explain the procedures
Your jobs as the doctor will be to talk to your patients and help them feel comfortable. You can arouse their curiosity by explaining to them how various things around the room work. If they are scared of machines that make noises, such as during scaling, explain to them that it is just water, instead of letting their imagination take hold. Crack jokes, and try to keep the atmosphere as casual as possible.
Have interesting displays
You should try to reduce wait times as much as possible. But sometimes they are unavoidable. For times like this, make sure that you have interesting displays and posters that can capture the attention of impatient young kids. A fish tank is a great idea, along with posters with cartoons, or a television tuned to a kid’s channel.
Making your business child-friendly can boost your business in many ways. It will help you retain loyal customers as patients will be sure to choose your brightly decorated office over other grim-looking ones. It will also reduce stress or distractions for yourself and your employees by keeping the office environment relatively pleasant.
