Saco River Dentistry Mission Statement; “To provide the highest quality comprehensive dental care possible, in an ultra-friendly and comfortable environment with as much compassion as the human soul can take” As our mission statement indicates, positive energy is key, but in order to deliver this level of customer service, the ambiance and feeling of safety and comfort has to be second to none. In order to provide this great atmosphere, the building and the décor had to be immaculate, from the front door to the dental hand-piece as it meets the patients' mouth. In order to stay true to our mission, our new facility had to match the energy intended for the people that call it their dental home. Being a rural dental practice, we sought something that held that small-town feel, all-while giving our patients the confidence that they would be receiving the top-notched care usually seen in an urban setting. Achieving this was a tricky balance, and it was critical that we got it right the first time. From our landscape architects to our plumbers and electricians, it was imperative that our visions remained top-of-mind. We wanted to do something different, and everyone involved helped us deliver something different, and great Our patients wanted a dental home that felt like home. Our patients didn’t want to travel far to receive suplemental care. Before designing the new building, we listened to our patients’ needs and wants. After six months in our new space, we have accomplished this goal and many more. At the end of the day, we are most proud that we went from an office housed in an 1812 farmhouse to a state-of-the-art facility, all while staying true to our mission.

Design Criteria: Design Summary

Design Criteria: Dental Technology

From the begininng we wanted to be at the forefront when it came to implementing the latest and greatest dental technologies. Below are some examples of what we implemented. 3-Dimensional x-ray unit (CB/CT scan). In order to provide the best dental care possible, it is imperative to see the “3rd” dimension. From placing implants in the best and safest location, to finding obliterated root canal systems, this is a piece of technology that was a must for us and will eventually become the standard of care for every dental office. We wouldn’t practice another day without it. Centralized Nitrous System. In order to be a leader in sedation dentistry, we had to have an efficient system for delivering nitrous and oxygen to every room. Although this option was on the chopping block several times in the design phase due to cost, we decided it was something that was imperative in delivering the ultimate patient experience and would be difficult to add after the building was complete. The decision to add the system will pay for itself over time with increased efficiency and the ability to provide “relaxation” to any patient, at any time, in any treatment room. Diode lasers. In order to do quality dentistry, the clinician needs the ability to remove cumbersome tissue at times. A diode laser does just that. Outfitted with 3 diode lasers, we don’t let tissue get in the way of efficient dentistry. We thought long and hard about a few pieces of additional dental technology. These “gadgets” included a hard-tissue laser, a CAD/CAM unit for milling crowns to provide same day delivery, and a scanner to replace gag-inducing impression materials. To use a simple analogy, we felt it was more important to “build a nice house first before filling it with nice furniture”. If we had decided on spending our available capital on these “gadgets,” it becomes much more difficult to upgrade from the modest house with nice furniture. It was all about the 30-year plan.

Design Criteria: Dental Equipment

Having the best equipment was critical for us. We travelled to the manufacturing facilities of the three major dental equipment suppliers, Adec, Midmark and Pelton & Crane as well as some smaller outfits, to find the best equipment at the best value. Completing this due diligence prior to ordering equipment allowed us to make sound, informed decisions. Dental Delivery Units: Providing care needs to be done in a dependable manner. For every minute a delivery unit is non-functional, it is a minute with a dollar lost. A business cannot afford this frustration. Therefore, we chose the best dental chair and delivery units in the profession. Our top-of-the-line chairs have been the proven leader for decades, and we know that we have dependable units for years to come. Dental Cabinetry: Having efficient workspace is critical but having it efficient, beautiful and strong enough to hold the test of time can be difficult to find. We searched high and low for our dental cabinetry and we were able to find something inspiring, unique and value priced to outfit not only our treatment rooms but also sterilization, the lab, doctors ‘offices, administration and staff areas as well. Electric Handpieces: A carpenter must have the best drill. The drill should always have a charged battery and a strong, sharp bit. In dentistry, the same holds true for the dental handpiece. With constant torque, electric handpieces allow for drastic improvement over the air-driven predecessor while giving the patient a smooth and superior experience. Future Considerations: The field of dental implants has provided a wide array of technological advances. We are looking forward to adding a 3-D printer (create implant surgical guides), a piezo surgical unit (a tool to cut bone more efficiently), and an endodontic microscope for improved vision during root canal therapy, and because we built the “house” first, we have space to add this nice “furniture” in the near future.

Design Criteria: Ergonomics

Creating a healthy environment for our patients is our first goal, a close second, however, is a healthy environment for our staff. To do this, we needed to focus intently on the design of the workplace as a whole. The Dental Operatory: Long gone are the days of a dentist being hunched over all day. We now have the opportunity to work on ergonomically designed chairs, on patients that are in chairs designed not only for the patient’s ergonomics, but also the patient positioning, allowing for the optimal ergonomics for the clinician. In addition, the rooms are designed precisely to allow for exquisite four-handed dentistry between the doctor and assistant with properly placed cabinetry, storage shelves, and equipment. Sterilization: Creating a sterilization area that was large enough to house the necessary pieces of equipment and personnel required to complete the job but small enough to be efficient was a key design aspect. With a separate entrance and exit on both sides of the room and proper flow in between, our sterilization area functions like a well-oiled machine. Our floor area between the clean and dirty in exactly 48 inches from front to back, allowing for minimal steps for assistants and better ergonomics and efficiancy overall.. Staff Lounge: Our previous staff area was very small, and it did not sufficiently allow for staff to “relax” when needed. Our objective was to create a large staff area that allowed for relaxation, collaboration, connecting with colleagues, and a place where we could all exercise, stretch, or meditate together. With eight foldable nesting tables and stackable chairs, our staff lounge functions as a learning center for continuing education, break room, and yoga studio, interchangeable within minutes

Design Criteria: Aesthetics

One of our mottos during design was, “The façade must match the energy”. In order to stay true to this, we had to create something awe-inspiring. Our previous building was an old farmhouse, aside a beautiful and spacious 1800’s barn. We loved the barn so much that we wanted its memory to be reflected in our new design. The owner of the practice, Dr. Nicholas Roy, is an avid Maine outdoorsman. A goal for the look and feel of the building was to bring the outside in. From the reclaimed wood over the twin fireplaces, the front desk cladded with ledgestone and a waiting room constructed with posts and beams, we carried on the beautiful aesthetics the old barn brought for over a century. Using construction methods from days gone by, our new facility carries on the rustic character and charm of a time when things were built with longevity in mind, just in the same way we view the vision of our practice. Although we were worried that this design was a bit “over the top”, we quickly realized that our dental family appreciated the dedication and investment to something stunning, relaxing, yet contemporary for decades to come. As dental fear was one facet we sought to alleviate through creative design, we knew that the sights, sounds, and smells of “your grandparents dental office” all had to be masked behind an unassuming environment. Superior aesthetics is managed by the beauty of the facility and comfortable interior furnishings. Smells are controlled by a well-ventilated facility bringing in fresh Maine air and a dedication to use modern materials that do not contain compounds used in the previous generation of dentistry that gave a dental office, “that dental office smell”. Lastly, we installed a state-of-the-art sound masking system throughout the entire building. Containing multiples zones, we are able to control music and sound masking simultaneously in multiples areas of the office, giving us the ability to provide privacy and somberness.

Design Advice: Dental Technology

Completing a project of this size is a challenging and time-consuming endeavor but at the end of the day we couldn't be happier with the energy that was spent to create the perfect space to house our thriving practice. One exercise I would recommend is to create a “cardboard” room for the various rooms. At many points during the project, there was great uncertainty in whether certain room dimensions were adequate or too large. Although we are very happy with our design, doing this exercise ahead of time would have alleviated any questioning while preventing any poor outcomes. We would recommend hiring a project manager to run the day-to-day operations and oversee all aspects of the project. Our project manager handled the project from start to finish and was empowered to make the necessary decisions in the absence of the owner to keep the project moving forward. Running a thriving business, seeing patients five days per week and managing the project as a sole owner would have been very difficult, and the project would have taken that much longer to complete. Don’t be afraid to take the time to get it right. Every decision that was made regarding the new building from the width of the hallways, to the number of bathrooms in the facility, to shrubs and trees in the landscape or the manufacturer of the dental cabinets and equipment was done in an informed, well thought out manner. We worked with a myriad of construction and dental professionals to really help us understand what the finished product would look like and how it would serve the needs of our patients and employees. Overall the project was completed in just over two years from start to finish and we couldn't be happier in our new space. New patient flow has increased 428% with an average of 260 new patients joining the practice every month which has tripled our monthy gross production.in the first six months.