Surgery Design – Smile Society elevates patient experience
12 November 2024
The cosmopolitan suburb of Norwood, just outside the Adelaide CBD, is the home of a stylish modern dental practice, Smile Society Dental, operated by Dr Delia Yeak.
Norwood is known for its early Italian culture and more recent Asian influence, expressed through various eateries, together with its iconic colonial architecture seen in grand public buildings, hotels and the Odeon Theatre.
Smile Society is a general dental practice with a focus on aesthetic treatments, especially veneers and other smile enhancement procedures ranging from whitening and restorative treatments to mulit-unit implants.
The newly fitted out practice is ideally located in the Norwood Mall complex with its supermarket, cafes and retail stores, coupled with ample convenient parking right outside.
After working in various other Adelaide dental practices, Dr Yeak sought the advice and assistance of experienced Adelaide dental fit-out company and equipment supplier, Dental Concepts, to help her achieve her dream practice.
Dental Concepts in turn engaged Cheesman Architects to come up with an interior design solution to put the dream into reality. Their designer, Liliana Ramirez followed the brief provided by Dr Yeak, including the basic “donut shaped” layout and a series of photos of interiors which Dr Yeak had researched online to provide a general design direction. With the aid of showing some sample colours, materials and finishes for Dr Yeak to choose from, the designer came up with a modern twist on a classic deco vibe, which probably exceeded the vision in terms of execution thanks to the high-end finishes.
The feeling in the first-floor practice, with its sunny outlook, is “understated luxe”. The mood is created by restrained colours and a “deco” style exuded by shell backed lounge chairs and extensive use of curves throughout the space.
It is immediately apparent from entering the practice that it is going to be an out of the norm experience. Smile Society’s motto: “Experience what it’s like to truly come first” is put into practice by Dr Yeak’s bubbly personality and her attentive staff’s genuine concern for people, together with the use of the latest dental equipment, products and techniques.
Dr Yeak said she wanted the feeling to be more like a nice home than a dental practice. It is more like stepping into a wellness oasis than a dental clinic.
The reception area, with its comfortable tub lounge chairs in bone and contrasting on-trend blue, takes advantage of full-length glazing and light tones to be an inviting and airy space.
The large, curved reception desk features a recessed ceiling with curved edges and inbuilt lighting, illuminating a terrazzo benchtop and Venetian style plaster feature wall.
The practice has sheer curtains for a balance of privacy and filtering out the sunny aspect from the full glazing at the front and sides of the building.
Illuminated shelving with a curved top housing sculptural items and consumer products is set into the wall to the left of the reception desk. Next to this is a section of arched deco style wall panels with curved inbuilt seating which serves as a children’s play area.
The main surgeries are located on the far side of reception behind twin private consult/payments areas located discretely behind heavy curtains and away from the waiting room.
A central galley-style sterilisation room with contrasting charcoal cabinets and bright task lighting connects the two hallways looping through the building, giving ease of access.
At the rear of the building in a suntrap on the northeast side is a fully equipment staff kitchen and meals area with bold rust coloured cabinetry. The space includes refrigerator, microwave and a table with seating for six and doubles as a training room when needed.
The surgeries are individually numbered behind solid sliding doors. Each feature extensive above- and below-bench built-in cabinetry and are equipped with comfortable A-dec 400 dental units with black sewn upholstery.
Dr Yeak said the use of the latest equipment and treatment processes enabled her to deliver the very best for her patients. She specifically chose the A-dec dental units for their reliability and said she opted for the A-dec 400 in particular for patient comfort.
“Some treatments like veneers and implants take a long time and so it’s important that the patient is supported and comfortable during the procedure,” she said.
An added benefit is that Dental Concepts is a local company and offers full support, including staff training and servicing of the equipment that it supplies and installs.
Dr Yeak said the A-dec equipment had lived up to its dependable reputation and was much more stylish, comfortable and reliable than other dental units she had used in the past.
She said some patients have even commented on the comfort of the chairs which feel as comfortable as they look, thanks to the plush, sewn upholstery.
Another feature is the option of an inbuilt ceramic cuspidor for patient rinsing, which Dr Yeak says is far easier for the patients to use than a cup or suction system.
Word of mouth from existing patients has seen the practice flourish and it is likely that it will soon be expanded from the two currently equipped surgeries to a further two surgeries which have services already installed to cater for future expansion.
By David Petrikas