Award-Winning Innovation in Dental Office Design: The Bennett Family Dentistry Story

By David Meerman Scott , marketing strategist and bestselling author “I loved all of it!,” Dr. Ross Bennett says of the dental office design project he undertook at Bennett Family Dentistry that won for Large New Build at the 2023 ADA Design Innovation Awards competition. “It was intellectually stimulating because I was learning about concepts. I wasn’t just moving walls.” The competition showcases the best dental practices in esthetic appeal, function, and design with organizers saying of the Bennett Family Dentistry new office: “An open concept with classic exterior features and modern interior amenities makes Bennett Family Dentistry feel timeless.” Dr. Bennett’s journey to creating an award-winning dental office is as unique as it is inspiring. “My two dreams were to be a professional baseball player or a dentist,” he says. “I was drafted by the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals) to be a professional baseball player out of high school.” However, his life changed when an injury shifted his path from the baseball field to Baylor University and eventually to a career in dentistry. This decision led him to not only join his father’s practice but also to lead it through an expansion focused on innovative design. “When I joined my dad, he worked out of a six-operatory practice, three hygiene and three doctor side,” Dr. Bennett says. “We already knew we were going to be tight on space.” They remodeled several times, but soon Dr. Bennett realized he needed to rethink his dental office philosophy and apply it to a new larger office. The epiphany occurred after attending several events and hearing Dr. David Ahearn, CEO of Design Ergonomics speak about a new philosophy of dental office design. The exposure to these ideas shifted Dr. Bennett’s perception of dental office design and equipment from mere tools to an integral part of the office’s holistic organization. For an overview of some of the concepts discussed by Dr. Ahearn, view the Make Your Dental Office a Fun, Easy, and Productive Place to Work Playlist on the Design Ergonomics YouTube channel. Evaluating different dental delivery styles To test the Design Ergonomics approach to dentistry, Dr. Bennett’s innovative approach involved setting up three different operatory systems: one with over-the-head delivery from Design Ergonomics and its sister company, Ergonomics Products, one with side delivery, and one with chair-mounted front delivery. This bold strategy allowed each dentist in the practice, including two left-handed and two right-handed ones, to experience and evaluate each system. “I knew it was going to cost more to do a test this way,” Dr. Bennett says. “But I wanted to give our dentists a chance to work in all three of those systems. All of us decided that Ergonomic Products from Design Ergonomics was our favorite. We all had different reasons why: For some it was positioning, some was flexibility, and some it was just the ergonomic aspects. But having the equipment to test made a unanimous vote.” An office-centic dental office design approach While pursuing his MBA, Dr. Bennett’s exposure to business concepts and lean principles resonated with the practices of Design Ergonomics. This alignment further convinced him of the importance of an overall office design that complements business operations. “At that point I really became open to more of the whole office design idea,” he says. “I bought into the Design Ergonomics concepts and business philosophy. Paul Leonard [Sr. Practice Designer at Design Ergonomics] helped through the design project, and he was fantastic. He was a specialist in that area and understood practice management. Paul gave us a lot of options and with his experience working on many projects, we got to see all kinds of different things. And then we were ready to make the project our own. There are a lot of things we just didn’t know, so having a design professional who does this every day, let us lean on him for the specifics.” Dr. Bennett emphasizes the importance of including staff in the entire design process, particularly in areas where they are experts, like the front desk and dental assisting areas. He believes that staff input leads to a more functional and comfortable workspace, enhancing overall efficiency and satisfaction. Hands-on dental office training to bring the concepts to life Dr. Bennett had Angie Bachman [Director of Training at Design Ergonomics] come to train his staff. “It was so helpful to me,” he says. “Having another professional come in to show us the best way to do this, help us figure all this out. She put in ten plus hour days in our office and she earned the respect of our staff because she was bringing in equipment and that whole time, she was teaching philosophies of how to use it. She showed us how to keep everything centrally located and only restock what we need. I had been telling the team those things for a while, but hearing it come from someone else that they respected, someone they knew was a specialist in this area, it made it come to life for all my staff.” Dr. Bennett’s new office is a testament to thoughtful design, blending esthetics with practicality. The open, bright layout was a deliberate choice, marrying elements from their previous office – an old church – with new, innovative designs. This new space efficiently accommodates both patient comfort and operational needs, even proving exceptionally functional during the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic because they included a separate side entrance which they repurposed for patient screening. “We loved the openness of our last offices, and we knew our patients loved that too,” Dr. Bennett says. “An open feel became a very easy decision to make for the new office, it was just trying to get the functionality right. Now we have very good space everywhere in the office and our rooms are close enough together where we’re not chasing people all over the building all day. It’s set up to maximize our efficiency and maximize our ability to treat patients. which is what we do. Being a business owner and a dentist that’s probably my favorite part, just because everything goes so smoothly, all the time.” Patients love the openness and esthetic appeal. The practice also includes unique features like a separate quiet area for kids and distressed patients, and a weight room for staff wellness. The new office design has significantly influenced staff recruitment. The modern, well-thought-out space attracts high-quality staff because the design’s functionality and esthetic appeal, tied with a strong philosophical underpinning, provide a cohesive and efficient workspace. “New staff are drawn to things that are done well; they want to be a part of a well-oiled machine,” Dr. Bennett says. “When we have staff members from other offices interested in joining our team, I’ll always do their opening interview and I’ll walk them around the building. And it just blows their mind when I’ll explain the concepts. I tell them our bodies are healthier, we have less chiropractic problems because we’re utilizing space as it was meant to be used. We’re not twisting backwards and upside down on our head trying to do something.” Dr. Bennett’s journey underscores the importance of seamlessly integrating an equipment and design philosophy. He advises others considering a redesign to consider every step of the process, from conceptualization to implementation, ensuring each element aligns with the practice’s overall vision and goals. “People ask me all the time, what would you change?” Dr. Bennett says about the new office. “I answer that there’s not anything I wish we would have done space wise, there’s not a single thing I wish we would have done design wise, or flow, or efficiency. You can tell all the thought, all the time and the energy that was put into the project by Design Ergonomics who are specialists in the dental industry. It was done for practicing dentistry. And it’s extremely noticeable to all our dentists and all of our staff members.” The Bennett Family Dentistry ADA Design Innovation Award isn’t just about designing a dental office; it’s about reimagining what a dental practice can be. It’s a tale of innovation, teamwork, and the pursuit of excellence, blending the art of dentistry with the science of ergonomic design to create a space that’s not only functional but also welcoming and efficient. You may also be interested in: