Whether you are starting your first dental practice or moving your established practice into a bigger space, building a new dental practice can seem overwhelming. With careful planning and consideration, you can begin constructing a dental practice that perfectly meets your needs.
Here are some considerations to make as you move forward with the plans and designs for your dental practice.
FIND THE RIGHT LOCATION
Choosing the right location is a crucial decision when building a new dental practice. Before finalizing your practice’s location, it’s important to research the area to understand the local demographics. Your location should be accessible, close to your target patients, and within your budget. Avoid areas that are already saturated with practitioners offering the same services. All these factors can influence your potential patient base and revenue stream.
KNOW YOUR BUDGET AND HAVE FINANCE AVAILABLE
Starting a dental practice will require an investment of money as well as your time
and energy. Knowing your budget and securing a loan is the crucial step. It is
important that your clinic designer draws your new practice construction plan
with your budget in mind.
There are various costs associated with building a dental clinic so here are some things to consider before you plan your budget and secure financing:
- Site acquisition
- Construction costs
- Equipment costs
The best way to evaluate these costs is to get bids from contractors that
understand your local building codes and the demands of a dental practice. Costs
are going up significantly so it’s important that you have updated information.
Estimate as best you can for initial costs to get your office up and running, and to
sustain day-to-day operating expenses for the first few months. Most importantly,
yet also commonly overlooked, anticipate any unexpected costs to ensure there is
money available, just in case. When seeking funding for your practice, consider
the contingency funds. These extra funds can help cover costs you haven’t
thought of or unexpected expenses that arise while you build your new practice.
This, again, is where working with a knowledgeable contractor can help.
WORK WITH THE RIGHT PARTNER
Before choosing a contractor for your clinic design/build process, make sure your contractor has experience working with dental/medical facilities and has done dental office construction projects in the past. You may not think this has a big impact, and the non-specialized or inexperienced contractor may mean well (and may come in the cheapest), but they will hit unexpected delays and costs due to lack of experience in the industry. So many requirements and layout specifications are dental specific that an industry expert is ready for – whereas these could really throw a wrench in the project for an inexperienced contractor.
Choosing a construction company with right team is not only a wise idea but will also lead to more accurate cost estimates. If your designers have lasting, solid
relationships with a range of loyal contractors, they may be able to get you a better, and often set, price. You can also rest assured that the specialist services
being carried out within your space, such as plumbing, flooring and painting, are the most reliable and professional, as they have been hand picked. They have
been chosen for their experience and expertise in undertaking work specific to dental and medical practice fit outs.
FIND THE BEST EQUIPMENT
Furniture, equipment, software, supplies—determining and purchasing all of the
things you need for your practice to function can be a lengthy, costly process.
Make sure to do your research on dental equipment and technology for the best
prices, financing and training. Finding the best provider for all the equipment you need will help a lot with the success of your practice.
WRAPPING IT UP
There you have it. There are lots of other things we might’ve skipped, but if you’re serious about setting up your new dental practice, these tips and guidelines
should help point you in the right direction.
If you are looking for additional help, contact dental clinic experts at Team Medico for a complimentary consultation to discuss your practice construction
needs.