Interview with Dr. Brett Pack – A Themed Office is a Blessing

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Today we’re talking to Dr. Brett Pack and following up with him 2 years after we installed underwater theming in Moses Lake Community Health Center. Find out how the center has benefited from the addition of fun and colorful themed decor.

Watch the video to hear from Dr. Pack and marketing manager Stephanie Melcher and see a tour of their undersea themed health center.

Tour this Underwater Shipwreck Health Center

IDS: Why did you decide to add theming to your space?

Dr. Pack: We decided to add theming to our space because we wanted to do something that would set us apart from the other clinics around us and in town. We really wanted to add theming to make our clinic an inviting place for the kids to want to come and get their dental care. Obviously, dental care can be a scary thing for a lot of people and we really wanted to take some of that fear out of it by making it a fun and inviting atmosphere.

IDS: How has theming helped the Community Health Center?

Dr. Pack: I think it helped give us an identity. A lot of people don’t know about Community Health Centers and a lot of people in our town don’t know that we’re even located here up on the hill. I feel like the theming we’ve done helps people to know that we’re here and put us on the map in Moses Lake.

IDS: Do you find that patients are more relaxed when entering the Community Health Center?

Dr. Pack: Definitely! I think that they are a lot more relaxed. This environment has a lot more color, it’s a lot more inviting, and they come in and they’re just wowed by all of the theming. That makes it easier for them to be relaxed about getting dental care.

IDS: How would you describe the reactions from patients when they come into the office for the first time?

Dr. Pack: The patients are in awe, and not just the kids, the adults also. When they first walk in and they start going up the stairs and they see the whales they just light up. They’re amazed and they can’t stop talking about it. When they come back to the operatory and we let them back in the back they often comment on how amazing it is and how they really love the theming.

IDS: Are you gaining new patients as a direct response to theming?

Dr. Pack: That’s really hard to quantify but I would say that we are. I think that anytime you get good word-of-mouth from current patients that that helps bring in other patients. Our schedules are full at the Moses Lake location and they keep getting fuller. Our dentists are very busy, our hygienists are very busy and we’re getting new patients pretty much every day. In fact, we’re getting so many new patients that sometimes it’s hard to find places on the schedule for them.

IDS: What has the staff’s response been?

Dr. Pack: The staff takes a lot of pride in our clinic. They love our space. They feel blessed to have it. Especially all of us that were here in our old space. Our old space was much darker, lacking in color, it was more stark and sterile. This is definitely something for the staff to be proud of and I think that they are. Everybody works really hard to keep all of our equipment and finishings very nice so it looks new. We’re about two years in and it still looks like the day they put it in.

IDS: How do you personally feel seeing the theming every day?

Dr. Pack: It makes me smile. It makes me happy. I was heavily involved in the planning process, and I’ve been here for many years so I remember what we were like downstairs and even though we had a professional work environment it was just different. Every day I come up here and I’m happy to be here. I feel blessed to have this nice clinic and the theming just really adds to that. I think it just makes it a more professional space.

IDS: What previous issues has theming helped solve?

Dr. Pack: I would say that we have a lot of anxiety. A lot of patients come in for dental emergencies, we see a lot of kids. I would say this has definitely helped reduce their anxiety, give them something to get their mind off the procedures and their fears, and really focus on something fun and upbeat. So I think it has done a good job in helping our patients feel more comfortable in our clinics. And like I said about identity. I feel like it helps give us an identity and sets us apart from the many dental clinics that are around, and other health centers that are around also.

IDS: Would you consider adding more theming to other areas in the future?

Dr. Pack: Definitely! We have talked about adding more theming to other areas. I think it makes the space more professional, more inviting, and I would like to see it continued not only in other spaces here in Moses Lake but at our other clinics as well. We would like to do something in Quincey to make that space very inviting for the kids and for the families. So definitely would want to add more. I would like to add some finishing touches to some of the things that we’ve done here. Maybe add a few more characters in the back office to match with the operatory and murals we have in there.

IDS: What do you think are the most important benefits of theming?

Dr. Pack: The most important benefit of theming is the effect that it has on the families, and especially the kids. They love coming here, they love seeing the characters and they love interacting with the toys. It just makes it a place they want to come to and they want to be. That makes doing dentistry easier because they’re focusing on some things that they think are less scary and that allows us to do the work that’s so important. It helps us to really improve their oral health because this is a place that they want to come to and they want to keep their appointments, they want to come back. The parents don’t have a hard time when their kids want to come to their dental appointment.

IDS: How was your experience working with IDS?

Dr. Pack: IDS was really great to work with. They listened to us, they listened to our concerns, they gave us great ideas. When we were first trying to decide what we wanted to do and they came back with some of the under-the-sea drawings, we had some concerns that maybe it would be too kid-friendly and uninviting for adults. They took that into account and they used that in their design. I think we came up with something that is very inviting for adults and families, not just the kids. They were awesome to work with and they came up with an amazing product.

IDS: What do you think of the quality?

Dr. Pack: The quality is amazing. I initially thought “it’s going to be some kind of foam” and I thought “how is this going to hold up” and I had some concerns, but honestly it looks brand new. We have some areas that the kids really interact with. Our look-out mast that is a round circular sea with the turtle and spyglass – the kids just climb all over it. You would think that it would look kind of beat up after two years but it looks brand new. So the quality is very high, it holds up well, it looks amazing.

IDS: Would you recommend IDS?

Dr. Pack: I would recommend IDS for anybody that was putting some kind of medical clinic together. I would recommend it for anybody that is trying to cater to kids and their needs and their unique personalities. So definitely.

Dr. Brett Pack is the Chief Dental Officer at Moses Lake Community Health Center, a non-profit, community-driven and patient-centered healthcare organization.

See the full underwater office theme here.

Interested in learning more about themed environments? Check out these related resources on IDS customers:

See more examples of underwater theming here.

Hear more great stories of happy IDS customers here.

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your office from a mundane to magical patient experience. Or download our inspiring look book and start imagining the possibilities in your office.

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Top 5 Functional Medical Clinic Decor Ideas for Kids

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1. I Spy Murals for Waiting and Exam Rooms
2. Themed Benches and Stools
3. Wayfinding Signs Around the Office
4. Storytelling Reception Desk to Welcome Guests
5. Height Chart Graphics
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For both big and small medical clinics, utilizing each square foot is a top priority to ensure patient comfort and prevent unnecessary crowding. Knowing how important space is can sometimes make bold theming feel difficult due to floor space restraints, low ceilings, or even just logistics in a very busy clinic – but we have good news! You can have a space-efficient practice AND theme it just as effectively by utilizing functional decor!

What is “functional decor”?

Any decor in your office with an additional purpose beyond being attractive can be considered functional decor. Be it seating that doubles as a themed sculpture, adorable characters that hold wayfinding signage, or a social media photo op that’s great for organic marketing – as long as the item can also be used in more than one way, it can be considered functional decor.

We have assembled 5 of our favorite functional decor ideas to help you re-imagine the potential of your medical office:

1. I Spy Murals for Waiting and Exam Rooms

Wait times can not always be avoided in a medical clinic. But there are ways to make waiting fun – such as using fun a distracting “I Spy” picture find game murals on your walls.

Children’s books are classic waiting activities that help distract children, but in a post-covid world where communal touchpoints have become something to be avoided, having a bright and colourful distraction, like an “I spy with my little eye” wall mural with an activity built right in, is a great alternative.

2. Themed Benches and Stools

Waiting room seating is a necessary item in every office. Providing different sizes of seating – from single seats to long benches – to accommodate single patrons and families, kids, and adults gives people options to make them comfortable.

Seeing as seating is, of course, non-negotiable, why not use it to your advantage by making it the centerpiece of your office theme?

Wrap an incredible tree sculpture in round plush seating…

Add a photo op character (with a relatable bump on the head or a broken bone) to long bench seating…

Or even transform your seating into themed props, like these cute mushrooms fitting in perfectly with this woodland office…

Don’t pass up the option of creating a bookshelf or a bit of storage in your benches as well, adding bonus functionality to your decor…

Themed seating is uniquely suited to immerse guests into your office environment as it is a sculpture they can interact with. It’s an obvious option if you’re looking for a way to transform your office into a fun and welcoming environment.

Love this idea? Us too! Check out some more examples of fun waiting room seating!

3. Wayfinding Signs Around the Office

Walking through the halls of a medical clinic or hospital is already stressful enough without the fear of taking a wrong turn. By having the signage held up by an eye-catching whimsical 2D or 3D character, not only are you allowing a playfulness that will lighten the mood, but it can also seamlessly tie your necessary signs into a theme creating a more immersive environment.

Bonus? The ability to hang from the ceiling is a great space-saving option. You’re really theming every square inch of your space when you take advantage of the ceiling tiles to direct traffic.

Wayfinding can consist of more than just traditional signs. Color-coding areas and decorating exam rooms with different themes is another great way to create an information system that guides people through your physical environment and enhances their understanding and experience of the space.

Patients may end up with a favorite room – will they prefer the orange beach room or the yellow sunken ship room?

4. Storytelling Reception Desk to Welcome Guests

First impressions count. The reception desk is the first thing your patients see when they walk through the door, setting the mood for their visit, so make it welcoming.

A welcome sign, a smiling character, a mural scene that tells a story – what a sterile reception desk can transform into a jungle adventure and tell an exciting story, drawing patients into your practice, while allowing your front desk staff to keep day-to-day operations running smoothly.

5. Height Chart Graphics

A silly height chart in the reception area is a great way to distract kids and their siblings as they wait for their appointments.

Nothing is quite as exciting to a child as growing another inch or 2 in height – comparing themselves to the height of a moose will make that ritual even more exciting.

Your clinic space truly holds endless potential when you begin to factor in the addition of functional decor. Whether your office is big or small, we can theme it all!

IDS theming is not an expense; it is an investment in your business. Valuing your patients and their families sets them up for a lifetime of positive health outcomes. And the environment you create can help you achieve a better patient experience.

Check out these related resources for ideas on theming your office:

How to Theme Your Office on a Budget

Whether Your Office is Big or Small, We Have Options to Theme It All

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Top 5 Functional Pediatric Dental Office Decor Ideas

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1. Brushing Mirrors
2. Themed Seating
3. Wayfinding Signage
4. Storytelling Reception Desk
5. Self Check-In Stations
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For dental offices big or small, using each square foot of your space to its full potential is a top priority to ensure the comfort of your patients (we all want to avoid dental crowding afterall). Knowing just how important efficient use of space is, it can sometimes make bold theming feel difficult due to floor space restraints, low ceilings, or even just logistics of people coming and going – but we have good news! You can have an efficient practice AND have a fun theme by utilizing functional decor to transform your space!

What do we mean by functional decor?

Any piece of decor in your office with a purpose beyond just being a nice decoration is considered functional decor. Functional decor can be a sculpture that doubles as seating, adorable characters that hold wayfinding signage, or a playful reception desk that is a great social media photo op.

Here are 5 functional decor ideas to get you inspired to re-imagine the potential of your office

1. Brushing Mirrors

Brushing mirrors are already a necessary addition in any dental practice (especially pediatric dentists), so why not maximize their impact by sculpting them into wall art? Adorable characters like smiling fish or grinning tigers both contribute to a playful jungle theme while doubling as brushing mirrors to coach kids on their tooth cleaning technique.

2. Themed Seating

Reception area seating is the #1 most bulky and space-consuming item in any office. Seeing as seating is, of course, non-negotiable, why not use it to your advantage by making it the centerpiece of your office theme?

Wrap incredible centerpiece sculpture in round plush seating…

Add a grinning photo op to a long bench seating…

Or even transform your seating into themed props, like these cute mushrooms fitting in perfectly with this woodland office…

You can even add book and toy storage in to your themed benches…

Themed seating is uniquely suited to immerse guests into your decor, making your environment even more impactful. The space would already be taken up by chairs or other seating, so why not transform it?

Love this idea? Us too! Check out some more examples of fun waiting room seating!

3. Wayfinding Signage

Plain signs that aid in direction can often make a practice feel cold and clinical. By having the signage held up by a whimsical character or featuring a cartoon drawing, not only are you creating a playfulness that lightens the mood in a kid-centric practice, but it can also tie your necessary and useful signage into your theme.

Hanging signs for the ceiling is a great space-saving option. You are really theming every square inch of your space when you take advantage of your ceiling tiles to direct traffic.

Wayfinding is more than just a sign or arrow – it can consist of colors and themes to separate areas. Decorating each treatment room with a different theme is a great way to create an information system that guides people through your physical environment. It enhances visitor’s understanding and experience of your space.

4. Storytelling Reception Desk

The reception desk is the first thing your patients see when they walk through the door, so make it work for you. Make it say hello and welcome guests in with signs, a smiling character, or a themed scene telling a story. Kids will know they are about to go on an adventure when a waving elephant or friendly otter is waiting to greet them.

5. Self Check-In Stations

A bit of modern technology can stick out like a sore thumb in a themed office but when it’s built right into a sculpture, bulky screens can be transformed into FUNctional hardware. We love the way these tiki-inspired sculptures blend seamlessly into this jungle theme while still allowing easy self-check-in.

Your office space truly holds endless potential when you begin to factor in the addition of functional decor. Whether your office is big or small, we can theme it all!

Want to learn how? Reach out to us and one of our Creative Consultants will be happy to help you decide the best way to bring some whimsy and fun to your practice.

[1] Big Picture Graphics

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Here, There, and Everywhere! “Parketing” Tips for Your Vehicle

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Be Clear and Concise with Your Contact Info
Stand Out from the Crowd (and Traffic)
Tell a Story with Your Design
Match Your Vehicle to Your Office Theme
Take it to Trade Shows and School Events
Drive it in Local Parades
Finally, Don’t be Afraid to Park
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This guide will review our top tips to maximize your vehicle wrapping so you can take your practice on the road in style!

Studies from 2016 reported that approximately 15.9 million Canadians[1] and 128 million people in the United States[2] commuted daily to work in a personally owned vehicle. According to the AAA, it is estimated that one car advertisement can reach up to 70,000 impressions a day[3]. Wow! With those kinds of numbers and a sizable portion of those commuters spending an hour or more in their car, marketing on the road might just be your best chance at reaching a large audience without spending exorbitant amounts of money on marketing.

But how do you best catch the eye of the average driver? What info do you want to get across to a potential patient in that brief moment? How do you communicate that info effectively when you only have a captive audience for mere seconds?

Be Clear and Concise with The Contact Info Displayed on Your Vehicle

Choosing what info you want to get across in that short time is pivotal. Make sure your logo, phone number, and URL are visible to drivers on all sides so no matter where in traffic you are drivers know where to reach you.

Make Your Vehicle Stand Out from the Crowd (and Traffic)

While there’s nothing wrong with a simple sticker printed of your logo and stuck on your rear-view window, there’s a high chance you may drive past a potential patient before they have time to notice it. Simple stickers are as forgettable as they are understated.

To really maximize the potential effectiveness of vehicle wrapping, you need to think bold! Bright colors from sunroof to wheel well, roof-mounted sculptures, and both URL and phone contact methods all contribute to a far more memorable traveling billboard experience. With such a small window of impact, you gotta go all the way!

Tell a Story with Your Vehicle Wrap Design

You may only have a few seconds in the eyes of a fellow driver unless you’re stuck in a traffic jam, so you want to get noticed and be memorable.

Utilize bold colors and whimsical characters that set a scene. Include a silly joke to really stand out, like this poor octopus and his frightened crab friend, trying to drive with a broken steering wheel.

Match Your Vehicle Graphics and 3D to Your Office Theme

We might be biased, but when you incorporate your practice theme into your wrapped vehicle, it’s a home run – especially if you have external decor already!

If your community is already driving by the curious safari-themed building everyday, when they see a smaller version cruising down the highway, they know exactly where you’re going. It might even remind them that oh yeah, they’ve been wanting to book an appointment for a while!

Take advantage of what you already have and continue to encourage brand awareness by theming your vehicles with just a taste of what they’ll see if they visit in person.

Take Your Wrapped Vehicle to Trade Shows and School Events

Use your vehicle to grab attention at events. Community fairs and markets are a great place to set up a booth and offer advice for parents or brushing demonstrations for kids. Your vehicle can be used as an eye-catching sign or as a fun photo op for families to draw them to your booth.

Drive Your Themed Vehicle in Local Parades

A colorful and fun vehicle is an instant parade float.

Blast some tunes on your radio, find some volunteers to wave enthusiastically from the windows, and have branded toothbrushes or goodie bags to hand out to the crowds as you pass by.

Finally, Don’t be Afraid to Just Park

If you have a quick commute to and from the office or put your gorgeously wrapped vehicle in a covered garage, you may not be utilizing your traveling billboard to its full potential!

We highly recommend choosing a populous community or main city road to park your vehicle during the day. Think of it like a bus bench or lawn sign – but you don’t have to pay for the space!

If your city releases census data, try and find communities with your target demographic to park your car. Not only is it a constant reminder of your practice, but it also reminds them that you’re local and trustworthy.

Bonus items to add include brochure holders which are cheap, easy, and can hang out your windows with info for curious passersby to take.

Pro tip: Run social media contests around your vehicle. Park your traveling billboard, take a photo, and ask people to guess where you are for a chance to win a prize and drum up more social media engagement, likes, and shares!

Want to see more examples of IDS designed car wraps? Check them out here!

If you’re ready to get your vehicle decked out for your practice, reach out to one of our Creative Consultants today! Let’s get this show on the road.

[1] StatCan

[2] Statista

[3] Signs.com The Benefits of Car Advertising

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Say Cheese! Playful Photo Op Inspiration

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What is a photo op?
Why should you add a photo op to your office decor?
Explore Different Types of Themed Photo Ops
Make the Most of Your Photo Op
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The ultimate investment in both marketing and office appeal, a photo op is the perfect way to make a huge impact in your community awareness.

Unique and fun, a photo op combines form and function by injecting instant playfulness into your space while also working 24/7 to market your brand. But what type works best for your practice? And what more can you do with your photo op once you have it? We’ll explore the answers to these questions and more by examining one of IDS’s favorite additions to any office.

But first and most importantly…

What is a photo op?

A photo op is anything that is eye-catching and lends itself to selfies and sharing with friends or family. At IDS, a photo op is a sculpture or wall mural that is designed to encourage photos. Think posing animals, hole cutouts for guests to put their faces through, or murals with signage that advertise a clinic name or logo.

Why should you add a photo op to your office decor?

The first and most obvious reason is the undeniable fun that a photo op brings to an office. If you want your practice to be known for its friendly atmosphere, nothing says ‘playful’ quite like a smiling turtle greeting guests as they approach your front door.

Second, the marketing value found in photo ops is second to none.

Picture this: A young child just finished she dental checkup, and she has no cavities! Smiling and excited, her mom asks to get a picture of her with the surfboarding pug photo op in the reception area. The pug is holding a sign with your practice logo on it – and when that mom proudly posts the picture of her happy daughter all over social media, her network of parents take note.

Photo op for customers to promote your business on social media.

The stress of doctor or dentist appointments is top of mind for all parents, and suddenly they see a solution posted by their trusted friend or family member. Your brand is instantly catapulted in front of an entire audience of potential patients, and they already have the ultimate stamp of approval. A photo of a smiling child post-checkup shared to a network of other parents is the holy grail of social media marketing.

This is the true value of your photo op in action. They are the perfect marketing employee – they never stop working for you, and they work for free!

There’s no one way to do a photo op, so we’ll explore everything from giant sculptures to friendly cartoon animals that’ll have parents begging their kids for just one more picture. Our photo ops are specifically designed to be irresistibly fun to kids, and equally irresistible to parents who can’t wait to snap a photo and share it with the family.

Explore Different Types of Themed Photo Ops

Bench Photo Ops

Casual and comfortable, bench photo ops are a great way to really get your patients shoulder to shoulder with your office mascot.

They can be placed indoors or outdoors, and are a great option for guests with mobility challenges who may not be able to pose beside a free-standing sculpture. Put your arm around a friendly fox and her baby, or read along with a safari flamingo.

“Sit-in” Photo Ops

Photo ops don’t always have to be animals or mascots that you stand with – they can also be interactive play pieces!

“Sit-in” photo ops are created specifically for kids to… you guessed it! Sit inside! Children won’t be able to resist crawling in the driver’s seat of a jeep mid-safari expedition or explore a colorful fair-ground snack stand. These photo ops play right into the imagination of a young child and make both great pictures and play places to pass the time pre-appointment.

Large Scale Photo Ops

Patients will say OMG the moment they see your gigantic (and very photogenic) sculpture!

These are the photo ops that patients and even passersby won’t be able to resist posting on social media. The playfulness is simply unforgettable, and the gargantuan size will be easily communicated through photographs with a smiling child standing beside it for comparison.

Posing Photo Ops

These interactive photo ops bring patients right into the action with immersive environments parents and kids can’t resist!

These sculptures feel more like part of a theme park than a photo feature in a dental office – and what a great shot for the social media feed!

Face Cut-out Photo Ops

Another great and playful photo op option to bring your patients on board with your branding is head hole sculptures or wall cutouts.

Any child (or parent) can proudly announce what an amazing experience they had at your practice while also creating a hilarious memory. Who would’ve thought you could have so much fun at the dentist?

Tip: Use accessories, signs, and social promos to make the most of your photo op.

So, you’ve got the photo op installed. People are loving it and it’s brought new life into your practice. How do you take advantage of it? The possibilities are endless, but here are our top 3 ideas.

1. Create a social media campaign with prizes. For example, when people take photos with your photo op and tag you on the social media channel of your choice, a random winner is chosen and given a free checkup, or perhaps another gift. It’s a free promo all over social media!

2. Include signage with different phrases that suit your practice. Allow kids to proudly advertise Cavity-Free Today!, Had a Great Appointment!, or I was Brave Today!.

For an optometry office, try a sign that says New Glasses Day! or My First Pair of Glasses!.

If you own a medical clinic try, I Was Vaccinated Today!, I Got a Shot Today!, or I’m Feeling Better! for children to pose with.

3. Do cross-promotion with other local businesses. Bring the local health food store staff or neighboring orthodontist in to take photos with your sculpture and create a long-lasting connection in your community.

Want some tips on the best ways to utilize a photo op? Check out 5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Office Photo Op

For more inspiring photos of photos ops in dental and medical offices, check out Themed Photo Opportunities

Ready to get a photo op of your own? Connect with one of our amazing Creative Consultants today to learn how you can get your own unforgettable sculpture!

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6 Tips to Make Your Dental Office More Inviting for Pediatric Patients

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Tip #1: Transform Waiting Time into Fun Time
Tip #2: Building Trust and Rapport
Tip #3: Confidence is Key
Tip #4: Simplifying and Explaining Dental Procedures
Tip #5: Encouraging Curiosity and Questions
Tip #6: End Dental Appointment Visits on a High Note with Prizes
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To become the #1 choice in your community, it is imperative that your dental practice is welcoming to everyone, no matter their age. While appealing to the adult crowd has its own set of essentials, the needs and wants of your pediatric guests require a different, more careful approach that can at times be difficult to navigate.

To ensure that you and your practice are truly creating a comfortable and welcoming place for children, we’ve assembled 6 simple tips to make your practice more inviting for pediatric patients. Parents and kids alike will thank you!

UNDERSTANDING DENTAL VISIT ANXIETY IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS

It could be their first appointment or their tenth; the amount of visits doesn’t really matter. The feeling of anxiety being in an unfamiliar place is a constant reality for kids. This anxiety could stem from a bad experience at a previous office, feeling the nervousness from a parent, or just the apprehension that comes with a new and unfamiliar experience – and this anxiety is a sliding scale. From a bit of hesitancy all the way to downright dread, kids experience it all.

Providing a safe space and rolling out the welcome mat for kids requires sensitivity, kindness, and strategic planning. It’s about creating an environment that everyone will feel relaxed in, and let them know they’re with a trustworthy adult. It’s easier than you think!

Tip #1: Transform Waiting Time into Fun Time at Your Pediatric Dental Office

The hardest part of a dental visit for many families is the minutes before the appointment itself. Since the wait is often unavoidable, use it to your advantage by setting the tone with a wow-worthy reception area. Think helpful, fun, and welcoming!

Distractions are a must. Hands-on activities like gaming stations, books, coloring pages, or I Spy murals are enjoyable and distracting. If you have a designated play area – even better!

Playful colors in the reception area can make the experience feel less daunting by creating a bright space. When paired with a fun sculpture, the decor is a great way to make your practice feel less like a medical office, and more like a fun day at a theme park. (Tip: Check out our blog on ideal dental office color schemes!)

Arrange seating so parents/accompanying adults can stay engaged with their kids. Low seating can keep adults and kids at eye level, encouraging a feeling of security and comfort.

Tip #2: Building Trust and Rapport with Young Dental Patients

From the moment a child walks in, a compassionate front staff member should take on the role of “Kids Concierge” to bring them in on the experience. If the reception staff extends less attention to the child over their accompanying adult, it can sometimes make them feel left out or ignored. The Kids Concierge is a quick fix to this problem.

Encourage your Kids Concierge to step from behind the counter and physically greet pediatric patients. Getting on their level to exchange a fist-bump or handshake is a great way to build rapport and comfort, and make kids feel like they have a friend in the office. This staff member can engage with children from the moment they walk through the door, through the waiting process, and walk them to their chair.
Establish trust by including the child in the conversation about their appointment. If they feel like they are part of the process, it can eliminate some of the fear of the unknown.

Tip #3: Confidence is Key in Pediatric Dentistry

When children are anxious, they may not be overly enthusiastic to comply with directions. Be prepared! The right way to respond to “no” can be the difference between a negative and a positive experience.

Be kind and patient.
Be confident. Children will sense uncertainty and are looking to your team for guidance.

Tip #4: Simplifying and Explaining Dental Procedures for Children

Most children come to an appointment with a preconceived notion of what a visit to the dentist entails. Media, stories from friends, or even anecdotes from parents can really impact a child’s perception negatively, so it is up to you and your team to put them at ease

Provide a clear, easy-to-understand explanation of each step of their appointment.
Avoid clinical dental-speak. For example, call an x-ray image just a “picture of a tooth” or something else that makes sense to them.
Brainstorm with your team various creative words and phrases you can use to describe equipment, treatments, procedures etc.

Tip #5: Encouraging Curiosity and Questions in Child Dental Patients

Giving children the freedom to ask questions is imperative. Kids are curious, and one of the ways they get comfortable in an uncomfortable situation is by asking their own questions and satisfying their curiosity.

Establish permission to ask questions from moment one.
Be curious about each of your pediatric patients. Ask about their hobbies, passions, games, sports – anything they’re interested in to open the conversation to inquiry.
Be prepared! Find a way to get in the “know” with what the youth are into, so you can have engaging conversations and include references they’ll recognize while answering their questions.

Tip #6: End Dental Appointment Visits on a High Note with Prizes

Reward good visits and soothe tougher visits with prizes! Place a visible prize box or toy vending machine near the front desk and have your Kids Concierge mention to the pediatric patient that after their visit they’ll be able to choose whichever prize they’d like. The simple fixation on a small but meaningful item will make the visit go by in a flash.

A tangible reward they can take home is also something they’ll remember long after the visit – creating a positive association with the dentist as opposed to a negative one. Parents can then lead up to their next appointment by reminding them of the awesome toy car or pretty ring they got the last time they saw your team.

Make Visits More Inviting by Creating a Welcoming Environment in Pediatric Dental Practices

An outstanding patient experience for kids may seem difficult, but it’s all about making them feel welcome from the moment they walk through the door to the second they leave. Anxiety-free dental visits are priceless for families and parents, so we hope that these tips will help you create streamlined dental visits for all comfort levels.

Looking for more info? Check out more of our resources!

6 Calming Strategies for Kids Nervous About Healthcare Appointments

And…

Download Our White Paper: Alleviating Patient Anxiety Through Office Theming

Set kids and their parents up for a lifetime of positive health outcomes. Create an environment that:

Reduces patient anxiety and enhances their relaxation
Primes kids and families for their appointments
Promotes positive dental care experiences

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your office into an anxiety-free dental experience for kids.

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3 Styles of Fun Waiting Room Seating Ideas

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Bench Seating
Circular Seating
Stool Seating
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The truth is, no one likes waiting for their appointment. Despite that fact, waiting is an unavoidable part of receiving care, and whether it be for 2 minutes or 20, there are ways to make even those first moments of the appointment more exciting.

To add a bit of fun to a reception area, you can start from the very chairs your patients are sitting on.

Everyone can take advantage of updated seating, whether it be a simple space needing a pop of color, or a fully themed office wanting to immerse their patients even further in their custom decor. Your guests won’t want to sit on a boring office chair when they’re surrounded by an underwater pirate adventure, so why not make patients feel like a part of the action by letting them sit in the scenery?

To help you bring some creativity to an unexpected place like your waiting room chairs, we’ve assembled a collection of our favorite seating projects for dental and medical offices that maximize your seating space and maximize fun!

THEMED BENCH SEATING FOR FAMILIES

Bench seating is both space and patient-efficient and doesn’t require a ton of square footage to fit a whole lot of guests. Plus it allows families or groups to sit together more comfortably than a row of chairs.

In this fun barnyard themed kids’ playroom, we created hay bales benches to transport kids to the farm while they enjoy a movie or play on a wall-mounted gaming station. Subtle rope ties space off the individual seats while still making visitors feel like they’re home on the range.

Adding a photo op character is another great way to make your bench seating fun (and great for some interactive marketing). Patients will love sitting next to this friendly elephant and maybe take a look over his shoulder to see what he’s reading.

Adding a logo or a sign to a seating area with a photo op creates a great opportunity for organic marketing. Parents will want to show off pictures of their “Cavity Free” kids sitting with a friendly octopus to their friends and family and as a result, your logo will be posted all over their social feeds.

Building seating into your themed sculptures is a must for any fully themed office. This bench seating looks right at home with matching log supports and a cute sculpted leopard head peeking out of the trunk. Kids can make themselves comfortable and play on the mounted gaming stations while sitting right next to their parents.

For a larger space, bench seating can take on a life of its own as the centerpiece of your office. This client incorporated both an exciting jungle adventure scene and a live fish tank into their bench seating. It’s like peering through a rushing waterfall. Practical and entertaining!

THEMED CIRCULAR SEATING FOR CENTERPIECES

Circular benches are a beautiful and immersive way to incorporate your theme into your seating while creating a memorable centerpiece. Adding centerpiece seating to an existing area invigorates the space effortlessly.

There is a reason the tree is a classic centerpiece to circular seating. They evoke feelings of calm and relaxation. Who hasn’t lounged under lush tree cover in a park or a forest? Your patients have it made in the shade while in your waiting room. One focal point tree is a great and simple way to keep up the illusion of the forest without sacrificing practical seating area if you are low on floor space.

For an extra interactive bonus, you can add a tunnel feature for kids to keep themselves busy while they wait for their appointment.

But it’s not all about trees. There are so many ways to incorporate other themes, like ocean or beach, into your seating area! Whether it be a breezy beachside scene with a lighthouse centerpiece or an elaborate deep-sea coral sculpture, you can incorporate the ocean easily into your circular seating.

Above or below the waves, patients will be able to enjoy a day at the beach right in your waiting room.

If you have high ceilings, circular centerpiece seating is one of the best options to accentuate that open area. Seating doesn’t have to be a huge statement piece to be impressive, a small touch can be just as impactful, like this adorable squirrel corner bench.

Create that wow piece that takes your reception area from just a waiting room to a “wow” room!

THEMED STOOLS FOR KIDS

Stools are the perfect seating addition for children waiting in your reception area. Easy to move around and incredibly space-efficient, stools are a simple and cost-effective way to dress up your office.

Log sculpted stools fit in woodland settings with their simple, rustic design – they’re certainly a favorite of ours.

Stools are also an incredible asset when immersing guests in a fully themed space. These colorful aliens look like they’re popping right out of craters in an asteroid while offering comfort and support for each kid’s gaming station. What a blast!

Talk about functional decor! Stools are perfect for any gaming area where you want children to sit back and relax while they are waiting.

Who knew stools could have so much character? This springtime waiting area utilized their rolly polly worm character as comfortable seating that blends in perfectly with their theme.

Updating your office can be as easy as bringing in new and fun seating for your patients to enjoy. Whether it be a simple sculpted bench or a custom centerpiece with surrounding circular seating, updated seating can transform your existing office decor or immerse your guests in an overall theme.

Check out more inspiring seating and decor ideas for your office:

Unique Bench and Stool Seating Ideas for Dental and Medical Offices

Dental Office Interior Design and Decor Tips

Ready to stand out from the competition? Don’t hesitate to reach out and one of our Creative Consultants will be happy to help you choose the most eye-catching seating that works with your unique space!

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Our Top 4 Attention Grabbing Building Exterior Ideas

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Be honest – would you rather your patients say they booked with your practice just because it’s closest to their house or because their kids can’t stop talking about the giant octopus on the roof and they had to come? The answer is obvious.

Transforming your office from a regular building to a legendary local landmark can be as simple as adding incredible external decor that parents and kids won’t be able to drive past without stopping for photos.

Whether it be subtle window decals that make your office seem like it’s hidden deep in the jungle, or a 20-foot tall elephant busting through the wall and into the street, nothing says “fun” quite like well themed exterior signage.

Our clients can’t stop talking about how their external creations changed their practice for the better, so we wanted to showcase a few of our favorite examples to get your ideas flowing!

Why Add External Signage to Your Building?

It’s the ultimate tried and true advertising technique.

If you want to attract new business and become the #1 choice in your community, your community needs to know about you first! Sure, a sign is fine but to stand out from the competition and truly use your brand as a tool, you need to think outside the box.

Think of your exterior design as a silent salesperson. Themed windows or photo op sculptures are constantly working day and night to differentiate your practice from others, letting everyone know that what you’re doing is new and exciting.

Not only is it making your commitment to fun and high-quality obvious to anyone driving by, but it also helps potential patients locate your business.

“Telling patients it is the clinic with the giraffe and alligator is an easy visual landmark to help them find us. This has helped get new patients through the doors.”
– Sheryl Wright, family nurse practitioner

A strong impression will stick like glue, and with the right amount of intrigue in your design, a new guest might not even need to navigate on their phone to your location. They already know where your office is since they’ve passed by your adorable bear sculpture a hundred times, and maybe even stopped to take a picture.

There’s no other way to say it: Attention-grabbing exterior decor makes your business stand out!

ROOFTOP LANDMARK CHARACTERS

The ultimate in external decor, your practice will be seen for miles around with a powerful and fun rooftop landmark! If you have the space (meaning no upstairs neighbors) or your building-mates are ready to be injected with some professional whimsy too, there is no better choice than a rooftop landmark to stand apart from the competition.

Creative multi-character sculptures can stay on theme, like this adorable cast of jungle characters helping each other brush and floss:

Smiling faces peering down from the rooftops are both fun and also more inviting for nervous kids on their way to the dentist:

“I had my staff track every new customer for six months by asking them what it was that brought them to our practice. At the time, I had been spending as much as six thousand dollars per month on newspaper ads, TV commercials and even radio spots. I would have been happy had my new investment been responsible for 50% of the new patients tracked. You could have knocked me over with a feather when the results came in… a full 94% cited the theming above my entrance!”
– Dr. Chuck Hughes, dentist

Or what about this eye-catching octopus that is easy to see from miles around? Both the interior and exterior are underwater themed in this show-stopping clinic, and the cherry on top is no doubt their curious rooftop cephalopod.

“When we opened after installing the octopus on our roof we were seeing up to 59 new patients a day.”
– Dr. Derek Thompson, dentist and owner of 7 themed iffices

GROUND LEVEL LANDMARK CHARACTERS

Like rooftop landmarks, ground level landmarks can be seen for miles around and really define your practice in the community. They also act as a great way to bring your guests in on the action, encouraging them to take photos with incredible sculptures they can reach and pose with.

Ground level landmarks can be built right into the wall, alluding to the theme inside or placed close to the road to draw potential patients. Create a visual story like this high-octane barnyard chase:

Or a smashing vignette like this jungle trio in a Jeep:

See more showstopping decor, inside and out, in this undersea office.

EXTERIOR PHOTO OPS

Fun meets function in any photo op! Not only is a photo op sculpture perfect as a centerpiece to your external decor, it’s a great way for your guests to do the marketing for you. Encourage online photo competitions by giving incentives to patients for posing with your sculpture. Or, take advantage of social media obsessed parents who would love a cute shot of their kid smiling and cavity free after their check up, arm and arm with a grinning turtle.

Photo ops can be placed at the front door of your office as a friendly greeting:

Or a whimsical addition to practical outdoor bench seating:

Show off your theme before guests walk through the door with a fun exterior photo op!

EXTERIOR WINDOW DECALS

If you’ve decided to theme your office interior, exterior window decals are the perfect finishing touch to really bring the environment together. You’re literally wrapping your office in your theme! It’s also a sneaky way to create some intrigue in the minds of potential patients. If the outside looks like a sunny day at the beach:

Or a safari adventure:

– it’s literally a window into another world.

Window decals on their own are great as an exciting and eye-catching addition, advertising to anyone driving by that there’s tons of fun to be had inside.

THE BENEFITS OF Exterior Office Decor

External office decor is the perfect way to start telling your brand story before your patients even walk through the door. It’s eye-catching, innovative, and memorable in a way that few other marketing tactics are.

As they say, “if it ain’t broke – don’t fix it” and businesses have been utilizing fun signage and external decor as long as business has existed. It works for a reason! Externally theming your practice with playful and fun characters is a striking and effective way to tell onlookers just how special and incredible your office is. Needless to say, it was hard to choose our favorites. Which one is yours?

Ready to become a local legend in your community? Landmarks are a great part of an IDS Environment™. One of our Creative Consultants would love to help you transform your environment. Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started.

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5 Ideas to Add Creativity to Your Dental Practice Digital Marketing

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The secret to successful dental practice marketing is more than just the flash and fanfare of one single eye-catching campaign. Yes, bright colors and bold text are vital to grabbing people’s attention, but a truly great dental practice marketing campaign requires more than just a few social media posts.

Common Mistakes

Take a look at most dental practice marketing content and familiarize yourself with the competition. You might notice a few repeated things if you look with a critical eye.

It’s feature-heavy, meaning it suffers from “-est syndrome” (think greatest, latest, best, etc.)
It’s often loaded with dental jargon. Your colleagues will love it, but the public? Not so much!
It’s crowd focused, not individual focused. The text reads like you’re speaking to the masses instead of being too “you” – writing to the reader.

Those three observations alone are the relative norm for dental practice marketing. While this may not be the case for all practices, most could improve their marketing with a focus on:

Benefits over features.
Content that’s conversational.
Speaking to “one” person, making the text feel more personal.

Rethink Your Creativity

What ties together these three fixes? A focus on being yourself! The key is positioning your dental practice marketing in a way that feels unique and personal.

While it may seem like common sense, it takes some major courage to step away from the crowd and try something new and different. Sure, it’s easy to use templated marketing strategies and follow how-to guides line by line but if you want long-lasting results you need to get personal. These are for the offices that want more than one-and-done visits. You want long-term referrals from devoted patients!

There’s so much dental practice marketing “noise” out there, that it is essential to carve out your niche in the industry with personal touches. This need is also incredibly timely.

COVID-19 changed the marketing game for us all over the last year and a half, as well as the way dentistry is done. Stop us if you’ve had these conversations with your team this year.

“We have to start doing dentistry differently.”
“We need to find new ways to engage with our patients.”

Sound familiar? Not only have you had to make major changes over the last few months, but you’ve also had to evaluate the best way to appeal to the public need and desire for dental services. With all these changes in the marketing sphere and our world at large, it’s safe to say we’re in a new era of dentistry.

How do you use that to your advantage? Let’s focus on a few core ideas!

SOME BASIC YET CREATIVE DENTAL PRACTICE MARKETING IDEAS

Idea #1: Add Some SEO Muscle to Your Dental Practice Website

It’s not an over-exaggeration to say that your practice’s website is perhaps the most important tool in your marketing toolbox. Now more than ever, your website is the first thing a potential patient will ever see or know about your team – however, setting up a website is more than just purchasing your domain (as much as we wish it was that easy).

You have to optimize! If you’ve heard the term SEO (search engine optimization) before, then you know the tip of this marketing iceberg. It’s part – but not all of a healthy website.

Optimizing your site requires some serious creative thinking.

See your website as an entire usable platform rather than a simple IP address on the internet.
Maximize your website environment just as much as your office environment. Just like your in-person space, your website is where people and patients connect, interact, and engage with your services. Take the same time and care with your website as you do with your office.
Offer free downloadable content and resources to your website for your existing and potential patients, just as you would have brochures in your office. Name the content after key search words that patients would be searching for online.
Have a FAQ or question and answer area that you can fill with SEO-friendly keywords along with helpful info for your patients.
Write a blog full of useful knowledge and keywords to help your website rank higher in searches.

Idea #2: Constantly Evaluate Your Web Design

Evaluating your site is where your creativity can be applied!

Design your website around visitor appeal. 90% of web based users form their opinion about a website based on design, so this step is critical[1].
Make sure your site is uncluttered and easy to navigate. Is the phone number and address easy to find? Is there a big call to action directing patients to book an appointment? Make the most important info the most obvious and easy to find.
Confirm that your site is up to date with both desktop and mobile capabilities. Google will penalize a website that is not optimized for mobile and you will not rank highly in searches.

Remember! 38% of site visitors will click away if the website design is difficult to navigate or looks unappealing[2].

Idea #3: Engage Your Site Visitors and Current Patients with Patient-relevant Solutions

Before you create and publish content, ask yourself: is this useful to my patients? This will help you answer real questions and solve common problems a regular visitor may have about their oral health.
Add an online scheduling portal. This addition is time-saving and convenient and will make appointment requests easier than ever. Eliminate all the barriers you can!
Give your readers a reason to care about oral health benefits with attractive images and fun video content. Visual media is powerful so be sure to use it to your advantage!
Provide patients the opportunity to securely make payments, request prescriptions, and complete necessary appointment forms online.
Increase visitor and patient communication access with real-time chat and messaging apps built into your site.
Add or update your Google My Business profile to give the public and patients another online access point.

Idea #4: Define Yourself as an Industry Leader with a Dental Blog

Fresh, useful content published on a routine schedule will set your dental practice website and marketing apart from your competition.

Why?

Creating original content takes time that many other practices are unwilling to invest. While it may seem daunting, the long-term payoff is worth your investment! Coming up with topics to write about is the biggest roadblock for many practices. Be creative and leverage these blog content ideas:

Confront current events, myths, inaccurate data, and the numerous assumptions about dental care. Search newsfeeds, popular opinion articles, etc while bringing your own expertise to the narrative. People love relevant content – so keep on top of the news!
Share tips on routine dental topics like whitening, brushing, or flossing. Look for a fresh angle or technique on each and give your website visitors something they can use to improve their health or lifestyle.
You’re the expert, so make a FAQ section! Answer common and routine questions that the public and your patients are often searching for or asking about.

Idea #5: Make Friends with Your Community on Social Media

Social media is the modern day gathering place. Not a moment goes by that your “audience” (you included) isn’t checking one or many social media channels.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok, Youtube, Reddit… The list goes on! It’s where people go to hang out, read their news, form opinions, show off their skills, communicate, comment, and generally interact with each other in our modern world.

Using social media in a creative way needs to be a major factor in your dental practice marketing. Your patients are online, so you need to be too if you want to maintain a lasting, relevant connection.

Use your fresh blog content (or a newsletter) and provide teasers on your practice’s social media feed. This will draw your community back to your website.
Post attention-grabbing statistics, visuals, infographics, or short videos. We are a visual species, so take advantage of it!
Tell a compelling dental success story using “before and after” images of a client.
Encourage more dental reviews for your practice by sharing recent positive testimonials.
Host Facebook “live” events on specific dental topics.
Show your local community vibe by sharing local milestones, events, and more. Remind your patients that you’re a part of their community.
Let your social media community see the real you by posting team pictures and videos.
… And that’s just a start!

As you create, never forget:

Your desire for long-term patient loyalty should be the engine that powers your dental practice marketing creativity.

Check out these related resources to generate ideas and create a dental marketing strategy for your practice:

3 Reasons Why Your Dental Practice Should Pivot to Digital Marketing

The Best Dental Marketing Tactics and Strategy

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your office from a mundane to a magical patient experience.

[1] Statistics on User Experience

[2] Web Design Statistics

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Top 11 Creative Reception Desks

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1. Frigid and Fun Front Reception
2. Under the Sea Welcome Desk
3. Zoom Around the World Reception Desk
4. A Sophisticated Woodland Scene
5. A Simple Seaside Desk
6. A Fantastical Castle Adventure
7. Pirates in the Bayou Desk
8. Tropical and Technicolor Desks
9. Explore Shipwreck Cove Desk and Play Area
10. Welcome to the Savannah Desk
11. A Dino-mite Desk
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It’s the first and last thing your patients see when they walk through the door of your office, so why not make it exciting? Your reception desk is the first point of contact for any visitor to your practice, new and returning. It acts as the focal point of your office space, drawing the eye to the administration team and guiding anxious new patients who may not know where to check-in.

For these reasons, if you want to bring some fresh new excitement to your office, the obvious first place to start is the reception desk! We’ve created hundreds over the years, but let’s narrow down some of our favorites.

OUR TOP 11 PICKS FOR THE MOST FUN RECEPTION DESKS TO LIVEN UP YOUR SPACE

1. Frigid and Fun Front Reception

The immersive sculptures and murals in this desk design will make you feel like you’re part of the action! By utilizing the desk space itself, it looks like the reception was carved right out of a glacier with snowy overhang still intact. Even the floor is exciting, allowing guests to follow the bear paw prints and penguin flippers directly from check-in to their appointment. Not only is it fun, but also a great distraction for kids who may be nervous.

The treatment area in this office is as cool as the desk.

2. Under the Sea Whale Welcome Desk

This reception desk is the ultimate example of a show-stopping entrance to your office. From the vibrant colors to the life-sized whale, be prepared to have pictures of your front desk plastered all over social media!

Immersive, colorful, and fun, this beautiful front desk has it all. Sculpted seaweed pillars are built right into a beautiful coral reef desk that incorporates both custom 3D fish and vibrant mural work – never mind the giant 3D whale suspended from the ceiling! While not only acting as a dazzling greeting to patients, nervous children will instantly forget their fears of the doctor or dentist the moment they see the friendly whale smiling at them when they come inside.

There’s a lot more underwater decor to see in this office.

3. Zoom Around the World Reception Desk

This globetrotting reception desk has no lack of exciting features to look at! Remember at the beginning how we discussed the front desk as the focal point that sets up the entire office experience?

This jet-setting design sets the theme for the rest of the office, which features a wide variety of exotic environments – will patients prefer the treatment room set in the pyramids of Egypt or the busy streets of London? What a great way to theme your space! This unique build incorporates 3D sculptures on a 2D mural, making each piece stand out even more.

Explore the rest of the world in this dental office.

4. A Sophisticated Woodland Mural Desk

What could be better than walking through the door of your local doctor’s office and being greeted with a serene forest setting? This sophisticated silhouette combines soft greens and browns to create a beautiful and soothing environment while still feeling fun. Done entirely in a 2D mural, the depth of this inviting forest will have patients coming back again and again.

We love this reception desk mural for more teen and adult-oriented environments that still want a unique design.

5. A Simple Seaside Check-in Desk

You don’t have to dive too deep with theming to make a huge impact! The adorable dolphin mural covers the entire front wall, and 3D sculpted dock supports transport any guest to a beachy seaside vacation upon arrival.

Check out the rest of this beach themed reception area.

6. A Fantastical Castle Adventure Reception Desk

This reception desk is like entering a portal into a magical world! From floor to ceiling, the inquisitive dragon and stacks of books will keep kids entertained while their parents schedule their next appointment. For this build, we incorporated 3D characters everywhere possible, utilizing not only desk and wall space, but ceiling tiles as well! The extra book sculpts on the counter really bring the theme to life, allowing staff and patients alike to get in on the adventure.

Tip: can you find the Dental Care for Dragons book?

Like this desk? Check out the entire magical office here.

7. Pirates in the Bayou Welcome Desk

Visual storytelling is a great way to decorate your front reception. In this exciting pirate themed example, kids and parents alike will love the eager crocodile gazing at the eye-patch clad turtle – a great character to grab a photo with while waiting for their appointment. In the background mural, we see a pirate ship silhouette. Is it a pirate ship full of pirate turtles? Who knows! It leaves enough to the imagination to excite any child waiting for their checkup.

Not only is this desk ideal for storytelling, the incorporation of 3D characters both to the side and on the desk itself really brings it to life. Plus, a convenient “welcome” sign guides new patients effortlessly!

There’s more to see in this bayou office.

8. Tropical and Technicolor Reception Desks

Ocean themed desks are one of our most popular designs, and it’s easy to see why! This bright and fun reception desk area is filled with fantastical 2D murals and 3D elements that liven the space instantly. We even themed the dividing walls to look like ocean waves! Can you spot the baby fish?

Explore the rest of this deep sea office decor here.

9. Explore Shipwreck Cove Desk and Bonus Play Area

This bright and colorful reception desk also doubles as the entrance to the kids play area, the perfect example of an IDS Space™! Utilizing the combined reception desk and play area spaces, this entirely 3D shipwreck themed archway makes it feel like you’re entering a whole new world of undersea adventure, while keeping the rest of the waiting area geared towards adults. Not only is this fun for your guests, but your staff will also love feeling like they’re part of the undersea action too.

10. Welcome to the Savannah Desk

We love the way playful animals are used as functional supports in this safari themed reception area. It also acts as a great example that not all custom theming has to be an entire overhaul – the original tile design on the front of the desk was kept while the new design elements were created to surround it. The tall giraffe also acts as a playful photo op, while the thatched roof makes the entire experience feel more immersive.

Click here to tour the rest of this safari office.

11. A Dino-mite Dinosaur Themed Desk

This desk will make your guests feel like they’re part of an exciting archaeological dig! Dinosaurs are a favorite for young and old, so the combination of partially excavated fossils and hanging pterodactyls are both fun and visually engaging. Bonus! The 3D fossils create an exciting sensory experience for children to touch while they wait. This client opted to incorporate their business name into their front desk, and this was seamlessly done by painting each letter to look like the ancient rocks surrounding it.

There’s more to uncover at this dino dig, check out the rest of the dinosaur-themed office here.

Transforming your space is as easy as theming your front desk with a magically creative touch. New patients will instantly know they made the right choice when they see the effort that you have put into your office, while existing patients will recommend your practice to all their friends. Before you know it, referrals will sound like “I go to the doctor with the giraffe at the front desk”!

Interested in more decor and interior design ideas for your office? Check out these resources:

Amazing Reception Desks by IDS

Create a Memorable Patient Experience through Dental Office Interior Design and Decor

Alleviating Patient Anxiety Through Office Theming