In some situations, there is nothing wrong with hiring an architect.
But for a dental startup, it’s crucial each vendor has the right experience. For example, at Ideal Practices, we require a minimum of 100 startup dental practices of experience. That’s right. A minimum of 100 startups. Why? Because even the most skilled architect may not understand how to design a plan that efficiently and effectively aligns with your vision unless he or she has the right amount of startup-specific experience.
What were the results for Dr. David?
First, we focused on recovering the natural lighting in the space.
Then, in less than a day, we redesigned the floorplan to capture the customized patient experience Dr. David imagined for his dental practice.
Finally, the icing on the cake was the creation of a clean, modern design, much like what Dr. David imagined when he first started thinking about his dental practice startup.
In the above video, you will see Dr. David’s office design and hear him say:
“I still say that was one of the things that made it all worth it. If we had gone through with the design we initially had, I don’t think this practice would flow and function nearly as well as it does.”
Do you see the mistake Dr. David made? This mistake is far too common. Vendors, such as architects, will try to give you advice that actually hurts your practice.
Sadly, David isn’t the only doctor who has trusted the wrong person.
Dr. Henry nearly lost an entire operatory because of incorrect advice given by an architect who didn’t have the right experience. Fortunately, we were able to help him too.
Watch Dr. Henry’s story here.
Avoid the Biggest Mistake With Your Vendors:
The Vendors who Give Dangerous “Expert” Opinions
Most vendors are experts in their specialty. For many startup doctors, their biggest mistake is trusting vendors who give advice that hurts the rest of your dental startup.
This would be like you sending a patient to a specialist, only to have the specialist tell your patient why your treatment plan is all wrong. Can you imagine the horror of that experience?!
In Dr. David’s case, the architect nearly eliminated the best part of the floorplan. The architect’s advice would have hurt the rest of the startup!
Vendors—like architects—are experts in their niche. Not the entire startup process. Be careful of vendors who try to sound like experts. They might be experts in their one field, but that doesn’t mean their ideas are good for the future of your practice.
Instead, partner with a startup-specific team who has hundreds of startups of experience in the entire dental startup process.
While an architect might have been relevant later in Dr. David’s process, these planning mistakes would have left his floorplan missing major elements of his vision. Instead, he chose to partner with us.
In Dr. David’s First 12 Months…
In his first 12 months, Dr. David brought in 1000 new patients. This is the power of opening your dental practice the right way, from the beginning.
With all your vendors (dental equipment, architect, etc.), it’s important to understand their influence on your startup.
Ask questions like:
- How many startups has this vendor been a part of?
- How will his or her suggestions affect my costs?
- What equipment options might be limited by the design?
- What opportunities might be lost if the vision isn’t implemented in the floorplan?
When you consider equipment and costs in a dental startup, be sure the floorplans are designed perfectly by a team of advisors with the right experience before bringing in outside vendors.