Emma Swindells is practice principal at Park Dental Practice in Prestwich, Manchester, having purchased it in November 2012. She commented: “I really wanted a practice that was accessible to the city centre. We are just three minutes’ walk from the station and free parking was a must. This practice ticked all the boxes. I really wanted something I could put my own stamp on and this was definitely a work in progress.”
The practice had been established for some 20 years, so there were immediate cosmetic improvements needed when Emma moved in. In October this year, she embarked on a refurbishment, installing a new separate decontamination room, a new patient/ staff cloakroom and an innovative new surgery. Practice manager, Sally Hartsthorn, had a wealth of experience in refurbishments, so the pair sat down to go through options regarding space and function; their main priority to make patients’ experience more comfortable and relaxing.
Lightbulb moment
Emma said: “We also wanted something that was different from the usual run-of-the-mill surgeries - something to make us stand out, something with the wow factor.”
Having fallen in love with a Takara Belmont sorbet pink chair with the 900 LED, Emma and Sally were toying with the idea of having one or two of the cabinet doors or drawers in the same colour.
It was Simon Pearce, at Mckillop Dental, that undertook the refurbishment, he hit upon the idea of installing LED lights under the cabinets. But then he had his lightbulb moment, and suggested LED mood change lights as a bit of an experiment. They decided to give it a go.
Emma says of the planning stage: “Although the room looks pretty regular, the walls are not straight and tend to bow in places so this was not going to be an easy task. Simon took this in his stride and, together, we came up with a great design, incorporating lots of additional storage.
“We were given brochures from various manufacturers, and Simon went through the different options. He also left us colour swatches, samples of work tops, floors and fixtures.”
Emma also ensured she visited the Takara Belmont showroom to try out various models and designs, commenting: “you are making a big purchase, not only for your patients’ comfort but also for you and your nurse. It has to be the right choice.”
Practice manager Sally has worked with various companies over the years, and Mckillop Dental came highly recommended. Simon emailed images of his work before the pair agreed to commence with his services.
The work was rapid but Emma joked: “We did put Simon and his guys under pressure as Sally likes things done now. We also tried to avoid having the surgery closed for too long so we had a new surgery, the decontamination room and the cloakroom completed all in a week. I took full advantage of the refurbishment and went away, leaving the project management to Sally.”
Light up their lives
Patient feedback has been excellent. Emma added: “Patients have commented on how bright and spacious the room looks. The sorbet chair has been a big hit and everyone loves the lights. We have some children understandably apprehensive but the mood change lights soon take their mind off the treatment. It was a bit of an experiment but it works - we can change the mood in the surgery, and children especially love it.”
Not only does it change the mood, the clever LED lighting offers seven different colours that reflect on the cabinet doors, bathing them in the colour of the chosen setting. The lighting also has different functions, spanning permanently on in one colour to flashing lights.
Emma is delighted with the look and feel of her new surgery. “It has given us so much more storage, using all of the available space, and just looks great. It has now been a month since the project was finished and we are still getting the wows from our patients.”