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Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa No. 4, 2017

Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa Edition | 4/2017 PRACTICE 33 ◊Page 32 rials, mainly because I like nature. In our previous office design, we used the colours white, grey and green. In order to preserve our corporate identity, we wanted to keep these and combined them with a lot of wood and glass, because we wanted to convey the nature aspect to our patients. Technology is cold and pa- tients do not want to be confronted with it directly, so we created the look of a mountain lodge. Our floors are even called “valley station”, “mid- dle station” and “mountain station”, for example. Do you feel that patients ap- preciate the effort? Riedl: Some do; some do not. Pa- tients who share the same values as we do feel more comfortable than those who think than those who think the design is unnecessary for dentistry or think it makes the cost of their care more expensive. Patel: Good design does not have to be expensive. Nevertheless, for some reason, if one puts a great deal of ef- fort into the design of one’s practice, it is perceived as though one put a lot of money into it, which is not always the case. Would you say that the in- vestment in the design is also reflected in the success of the practice? Patel: In the US, many things are based on return on investment. It is easier to convince oneself to invest in a CEREC or CBCT device, because one sees an immediate return on investment. However, trying to con- vince oneself to invest in the design with nicer cabinetry or floorplans, where there is not a direct return on investment, is more difficult. But, I am a firm believer that if one works in a beautiful and happy place, it reflects one’s standards and that is the greatest return on investment. Patients see that. If one sees that love is in every detail, the financial as- pect fades in importance; the design fulfils one as a person and one’s pa- tients appreciate the resulting work. Riedl: Sometimes, it is about the little things. For example, my wife puts fresh flowers in every corner of the practice, which I love. How- ever, design polarises. It divides our patients into at least two groups. Those who are interested in and impressed by our design appreciate it, of course. Others do not. I believe that treatment units and high-end equipment establish a sense of pro- fessionalism, quality and exclusivity. No patient can judge a dentist’s qual- ity and knowledge at first sight, but, in the eyes of the patient, design and technology often are equivalents for quality, so good design will pay off. There are countless treat- ment units on the market and they differ a great deal. What did you consider when deciding on a system? Riedl: The treatment units are our workbenches—very expensive ones (laughs), but workbenches nonethe- less. It has to be stable, easy to use, intuitive, ergonomic and comfort- able for the patient, as well as for the dentist and the assistants—and, of course, easy to clean. It has to aid our treatment and therefore our daily work as a dentist. It is like the assis- tance systems in one’s car or a smart- phone. A good design, of course, is welcome too. That is why the Teneo was our system of choice. You both use Teneo. What sets the unit apart from those you have used before? Riedl: As a dentist, I have always worked with Sirona, now Dentsply Sirona. Therefore, there was no ques- tion of the brand I would choose. In our previous office, we used the M1 for almost 30 years—I, of course, used it only for about ten years—and I did not want to change my habits and movements during treatment Comparing the M1 with the Teneo is like comparing an old Mercedes- Benz with a new one. It is the same quality. The Teneo might be not as solid as the good old M1, but has more features that are useful. Patel: I was designing a new office, so I had a clean slate to work with. I did a great deal of research and com- parisons. For me, the look and the design were important, as were func- tionality, integration, longevity and being able to sanitise it easily. I was instantly drawn to Teneo, because, as I said, I do not like clutter. The fact that everything was integrated was an instant attraction to me. I found solutions to all my wishes in the Teneo. It was an easy decision to make and we designed the office around the units. Thank you very much for the inter- view. “The design of the practice is a direct reflection of how one provides care as a dentist.” International Dental Exhibition Africa 3RD INTERNATIONAL TRADE SHOW FOR THE DENTAL SECTOR IN AFRICA! 14TH-16TH DECEMBER 2017 UNECA CONGRESS CENTER ADDIS ABABA ETHIOPIA www.idea-africa.com

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