Why the Design of Your Dental Countertops Matters

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When designing your dental office, there are various aspects that you know you need to give a lot of thought to, such as waiting room aesthetics, exam room features and office flow. However, one aspect of your dental office design that you may not have given careful consideration to is your countertops. Countertops perform a key role in your practice, but what you may use a countertop for in an exam room may not be what you use it for in the front office. For this reason, your countertops should coordinate, but they shouldn’t all be made of the same material. When choosing your countertop materials, consider the following:

Use

First and foremost, consider what each countertop is going to be used for. For instance, the office counters will be used for writing, computer work and other office tasks. These countertops don’t need to be extremely durable, so you can save on costs here and opt for laminate. However, in exam rooms and wet areas, you will need a solid surface material that can handle moisture well, which may cost you a bit more up front, but it will be well worth the cost.

 

Aesthetics

In areas where patients frequent the most such as waiting rooms and exam rooms, you may want to spring for countertop materials that are nicer looking than the standard laminate. While laminate is OK for the office and staff break room, if you want your dental office design to be appealing and to send the right message, you should consider placing nicer materials such as granite, quartz or other natural stone at the check-in counter, in the bathrooms and in operatories.

 

Budget

Of course, budget should always be at the forefront of your mind when designing your office. Though it would be nice to spring for granite for every countertop surface, doing so would be frivolous. Spend where necessary, but cut back in areas where you can, such as the office and break rooms.

 

Countertops are a huge aspect of your dental office design plan. When shopping for materials, keep use, aesthetics and budget in mind to find the best materials for your office.