If you’re done with your hospital residency (GPR), you’re ready to proceed with private practice. As hustling is good to polish pre-existing skills, you can utilize your extra time working as a dental specialist.
Suppose you hire a general contractor and overlook their lack of experience in building a healthcare facility. Since construction requires extensive on-site presence, you won’t be able to actively keep up with the construction process if you plan to guide the contractor every step of the way. That said, several contractors are noted to perform poorly on project execution for dental office construction in Calgary.
If anything, the construction of a dental facility is a complex process that is impossible to do without the help of specialized healthcare contractors.
Read below for more insights on this.
Dental Office Construction In Calgary: What’s Often Overlooked
It’s not like patients would walk into your dental office and leave within the next hour of receiving the treatment.
Being an active part of dental healthcare, you’re aware that the infrastructure of a facility impacts how it functions. If the design is poor and the execution is good, the facility won’t be of any use. Though if the design is sufficient and the execution is poor— the outcome remains the same.
As a dentist, you need an office that fits your role. Dentistry requires adequate lighting & plumbing— along with the necessary imaging & electrical equipment. In the construction of dental offices, contractors often overlook factors that can disrupt your workflow, leading to increased costs and rework.
Here’s a list of what’s often overlooked by contractors lacking specialization:
- Complex plumbing
- High-powered suction
- Amalgam separators
- High-tech tools
- Decent power supply
- Proper ventilation
- Adequate sterilization
- Staff safety
- Sufficient storage space
- Good workflow design
- Segregated entry & exit
- Larger waiting areas
- Soundproofed treatment rooms
- Layered lighting
- Suitable breakroom
- Regulatory compliance
The list of factors highlights what inexperienced contractors often overlook when building a dental office. If your facility fails to meet the requirements for any of these factors, the infrastructure will not function effectively.
Beyond Walls and Flooring: What Your Clinic Actually Needs
When it comes to construction, people often hold the belief that a good infrastructure primarily has to do with the materials used and the floor plan.
Yes, your contractor for dental office construction in Calgary may recommend Luxury Vinyl Plank for a durable floor— or epoxy coating for a sturdier facility design. However, beyond the flooring plan, drywall, & cabinetry—the success of your facility requires elements that come after the framing stage of construction.
Keeping note of that, the rough-in stage of construction is crucial for dental offices in Calgary. This stage involves installing plumbing, HVAC, and electrical wiring systems.
1. Specialized Plumbing
In your years of practising dentistry, you’ve seen your patients rinse their mouths in the sink countless times after treatment. Suppose any of them have amalgam fillings done to their teeth. The remnants of the amalgam would be released into the sink. As the amalgam is rich in metallic particles—including mercury—it’s irresponsible to allow its remnants to enter the sewer system.
The waste is hazardous and requires efficient filtration to prevent environmental contamination. According to a 2020 study, tubing material of plumbing systems at dental offices is primarily responsible for the contamination of dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) — with bacteria, fungi, protozoa & viruses. If left unattended, it can increase the risk of infections among patients and staff in the facility.
Inexperienced healthcare contractors often treat the plumbing systems in dental offices the same way as standard plumbing in residential or retail settings. But that’s the thing about it. The plumbing systems in dental offices require specialized plumbing with an uninterrupted water supply, efficient suction equipment, and amalgam separators.
If the amalgam separators aren’t installed correctly into the suction lines, they can easily risk regulatory compliance— causing legal issues. To steer clear of this trouble, highly-experienced contractors for dental office construction in Calgary install professional amalgam separators & plumbing systems.
Since suction is another important component of dentistry, copper piping has long been redundant. In its place, PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) offers a viable solution. It’s far more durable than its rigid counterpart— making it cost-effective, flexible, & easier to repair.
2. HVAC
Your patients won’t walk into your clinic to worsen their health. They need a cool environment with sufficient ventilation. For this reason, professional installation of an HVAC system is the second most important factor in controlling infections. Because most dental procedures generate aerosols containing microorganisms, you need an efficient HVAC system to control them.
Considering how the world has grown increasingly cautious of airborne infections and diseases post-COVID, it’s better to proceed with caution. Specialized dental office contractors ensure that the construction process strictly adheres to all compliance codes during the rough-in stage. After all, patients wouldn’t want to walk into an environment with poorly installed HVAC systems.
Besides that, you need to pay attention to the environmental climate and the interior temperature of your facility. Noting how cold Calgary’s climate is, you need a proper ratio for cooling and heating to maintain an optimal indoor temperature. The thing is, if the temperature’s too cold, it’ll essentially freeze the evaporator coils— compromising your indoor air quality.
Restricted airflow and unabsorbed moisture increase the spread of pathogens, allergens, and other toxic compounds. Thus, the contractors for dental office construction in Calgary avoid allowing the evaporator coils to freeze.
Prior to starting the construction process, specialized contractors lay out the plan for all the stages. This process helps align your vision and the contractor’s understanding with the construction process.
3. Electrical Power Load Capacity
Even though it’s your expertise in the field, enabling you to treat your patients, you can’t negate one thing – the electrical power load must supply uninterrupted power to your dental equipment. These include operating lights, curing lights (for hardening fillings & sealants), lasers, sterilization tools, vacuum pumps, compressors, and CAD/CAM units.
Suppose that one day your dental office faces a power outage. You’re in the middle of performing a root canal for a regular patient, and you realize you lack a backup power supply.
So, what would you do in this situation?
Would you leave things as they are?
Or would you risk the procedure’s quality by using a smartphone backlight?
As a dentist, you should know better than to consider makeshift solutions— especially for problems that require a targeted approach. That said, no alternative is better than installing emergency power backups during construction.
By hiring specialized contractors for dental office construction in Calgary, you won’t have to worry about power backup systems.
If a power outage occurs in your area, the dental procedure will remain unaffected. Not only would the power storage provide your equipment with electricity, but it would also help maintain air quality by powering HVAC systems.
Why Workflow Matters More Than Aesthetics
Good design isn’t limited to how a facility looks. Rather, it depends on how well the facility accommodates and supports the workflow.
People often assume aesthetics are more important than a dental facility’s workflow. While both factors are important for enhancing the patient experience, workflow holds more value than interior aesthetics. The stage of finishing trims & fixtures for cabinetry comes later, but before that, you must ensure the design aligns with the facility’s functionality.
Take a look at the table below to know why workflow holds more importance.
Design of a Dental Office | |||
Feature | Workflow-Focused | Aesthetic-Focused | |
| 1. | Functionality | Exceptionally good | Likely compromised |
| 2. | Patient Flow | Ensures a calm and anxiety-free experience. The linear path (check-in → waiting → operatory→ check-out) smoothens the checkup procedure and reduces confusion. | Longer waiting period, crowded waiting areas, and patients accidentally intruding on staff-only areas. |
| 3. | Staff Efficiency | Minimizes the need for excessive cleaning (due to walking) and conveniently places the supplies. | Leads to high staff fatigue, increased turnover, excessive time spent finding appropriate instruments, and a lower rate of productivity. |
| 4. | Sterilization | Highly prioritized with efficient design. | Increased risk of cross-contamination and compliance failure. |
| 5. | Space Clearance | Provides sufficient space for equipment, chair, and staff movement while prioritizing patient comfort. | Cramped operatories, increased risk of collisions, and limited equipment access. |
Patients will attend the next appointment at your facility only if their initial appointment meets their expectations. Yes, the finished work and seemingly clean environment are good for making an impression. However, these factors alone wouldn’t be enough for the patients to establish trust with your dental office.
Build an Efficient Dental Facility Today
A well-built dental facility is always a place that’s meant to do well. By getting Sky Blue Construction onboard, you won’t have to worry about the construction going wrong. In fact, our extensive experience in providing residential, commercial, and dental office construction in Calgary guarantees high-quality contracting work.
With the help of our specialized contractors, you can build an efficient dental office.
FAQs
Does construction quality impact the functionality of my dental office?
Yes, the construction quality of your dental office directly affects its functionality. As dental practices require highly specialized environments, strategic placement and design are needed to ensure workflow & patient comfort.
Can I hire any contractor to build my dental office facility?
While it’s possible to hire any construction contractor to build your dental office facility, it’s preferred to choose the one with sufficient experience in building healthcare facilities. In this manner, they ensure to meet all your requirements.
What are the common mistakes in a dental office construction?
The most common mistakes in dental office construction are:
- Poor space planning
- Inefficient workflow design
- Insufficient storage
- Inadequate lighting
- No room for future changes
What makes a dental office successful?
The success of a dental office facility depends upon patient-centric care and efficient facility design. If you focus on enhancing your patient experience, it’ll only work as an anchor to drive in more clients— guaranteeing your success.
How to tell if a contractor complies with construction regulations in Calgary?
You can always check for the credibility and reputation of a construction contractor by checking their business license, pre-paid contractor status, and insurance coverage.
