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10 SCIENCE & PRACTICE Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition | 4/2017 “Good design will pay off” An interview with Drs Mona Patel and Marcus Riedl Drs Mona Patel and Marcus Riedl in talks with Dental Tribune. Just as in dentistry in general, where aesthetic aspects are be- coming ever more important, den- tists today are pursuing intentional design of their dental practices. With the launch of four new design lines, Dentsply Sirona Treatment Centers presents dentists with the opportunity to enhance workflows and treatment efficacy through clever and cutting-edge solutions while conveying their individual style. Dental Tribune spoke with German dentist Dr Marcus Riedl and Dr Mona Patel from the US, both of whom have ensured careful design of their practice environ- ment based on their needs and preferences with a Dentsply Sirona line, about the role of aesthetics in daily dental practice. Dental Tribune: Design can con vey emotions and distinguish a den tal practice from others. In your opin- ion, what relevance does design have in this regard? Dr Mona Patel: In the US mar- ket, it has not played an important role for a long time. Now, with the newer generation of dentists, de- sign is increasingly significant. I think it is just as important as the type of equip ment that one pur- chases or the insur ance one car- ries, because image is ev erything. In my opinion, the design of the practice is a direct reflection of how one provides care as a dentist. This correlation was not present in previous generations, but it is now. Dr Marcus Riedl: I can speak for Germany and I think design as- pects were mostly neglected in the past. Now, the influence of de- sign in our practices is increasing. One has to consider that we spend almost half of our lives in our practice, so we should feel com- fortable. For example, I love the mountains, skiing and the atmo- sphere of the Alps. Incorporating this love for nature into the design of my practice gives me a holiday feel at work. is the responsibility of the staff. However, a calming atmosphere is a great support, of course. When deciding on a particular de- sign or the overall look of your prac- tice, what did you put special em- phasis on? Patel: Dental anxiety is a huge component of what we have to man age, so we need to create an environ ment that first and fore- most has a calming, spa-like feel and reduces our patients’ anxiety when they walk through the door. Secondly, in my practice, I wanted the design to be ev idently smart, because that reflects my meticu- lous personality. I equipped the whole office with Dentsply Sirona products—in fact, it was the first all-Dentsply Sirona office in the US. I wanted to showcase the high- tech equipment and design a nice, simple office around that—not to compete with the equipment, but to enhance it. Riedl: For many of our pa- tients, the design aspect is just an outer shell, since they come to us for the content. We designed our practice for patients to feel at home. When they come into the office, they do not see any units at first. As for dental pho bia, in my opinion, reducing anxiety mainly Patel: In health care, whole- body awareness and preventative health are becoming ever more important. A practice today is not just about treat ing tooth pain, but about establishing a dental home, creating a place where patients can establish a relationship with their dentist and their hygiene team. Dentsply Sirona has developed four different design worlds: Embel- lished Elegance, Cheerful Patterns, Honest Materials and Pure Shapes. Which one did you decide on and why? Patel: We chose Honest Materi- als because our practice has all this enhanced digital technology, which can be intimidating. I wanted to bal ance this digital as- pect of our prac tice with natural and organic materi als. We have a lot of birch and wood—clean, sleek, simple and balanced ma- terials that hopefully move the focus from the equipment. My design in general is very mono- chromatic, nothing too messy or cluttered. Riedl: We too choose Honest Ma terials, mainly because I like (cid:3)Susanne Schmidinger, Director Product Management Treatment Centers, Dr Mar- cus Riedl and Dr Mona Patel. Impressions from Dr Patel’s practice in Milwaukee in the US. Dr Riedl’s practice in the rural town of Stein in Germany.