Pediatric Dental Office Design: Don’t Dumb it Down

I believe that there is a misconception that we need to dumb-down professional office interiors that cater to kids and teens, that we need to resort to “thematic design” that utilizes cartoon characters to capture and maintain their attention.  While themes can be a fun and effective way to engage younger kids, they tend to have a limited audience and shelf life:

• Teens can feel alienated
• Parents and guardians can feel out of place in the environment (and they’re the ones signing the check)
• The theme can get old fast as the kids age and the popular culture evolves

In my experience, it is possible to provide pediatric dental office design that is fun and engaging for the entire family without being condescending or trite.  Below you will find several images of pediatric dental and orthodontic offices designed by JoeArchitect.  As you can see, the visual interest is created through the abstract use of color, form, pattern and texture rather than literal representation.  This approach also allows the practice to update the finishes over time without starting from scratch.  Whether it’s the kids or parents walking through the front door of these offices the response will probably be the same, “Wow, this is cool”!  Approaching the design in this manner allows you to provide your patients with an environment that appeals to all ages and endures over time.