Have you ever walked past the perfect spot and thought, “This could be my practice,” or woken up one morning with that voice in your head saying, “It’s time to go out on my own!”? If so, you’re not alone. Many dental professionals dream of creating their own space, perfectly suited to work the way they do.
But what’s the next step?
Where do you even start?
Opening your first dental practice can be exciting and rewarding, but it’s not without its challenges. The key is to do a little groundwork before diving in headfirst. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started on the right foot.
Step 1: Understand Your Finances
Before you start imagining paint colours and floor plans, take a moment to figure out your budget. A specialist dental practice financier can help you understand how much you can borrow or lease comfortably. Even if you’re fortunate enough to fund your practice from your own savings, seeking advice on leasing options can help optimise your taxable outcomes down the track.
Step 2: Find the Right Location
Once you’ve set a budget, it’s time to scout potential locations. It’s important to look for spaces that fit your budget and needs. As a general rule of thumb, a typical two-to-four-room dental practice can usually be set up in 70 to 150 square metres. Be realistic—there’s no point falling in love with a space that’s out of reach financially or unnecessarily large.
Before you sign anything, check in with the local council to ensure the site meets all zoning and planning requirements. Some locations may require extra parking or have restrictions on operating a dental clinic. If you are leasing the property, there may be additional considerations regarding site conditions or existing amenities that you
can use in your favour during lease negotiations. Extended rent-free periods and landlord contributions can make a massive difference to your cashflow as you are establishing your practice.
Step 3: The Design
Now comes the fun part—designing your new practice! While you might have a clear vision of what you want, successful dental practice design involves more than aesthetics. Compliance and efficiency are crucial. Factors like disability access, energy efficiency, infection control, radiation shielding and specialised electrical requirements need to be addressed.
This is where a specialist dental designer can make a world of difference. They’ll help you navigate the design process, ensuring the layout is functional, compliant, and tailored to your needs. A good designer will also conduct a thorough site assessment to confirm your plans align with any council conditions.
Think about what you want for your dental practice—both now and in the future. Your designer will ask questions to help refine your vision and may suggest ideas you hadn’t considered. A strong brief is essential for staying on track with your goals and budget.
As the design concept takes shape, the designer can generate 3D renders to help you visualise the space. This collaborative process ensures you’re happy with the design before moving forward.
Once your concept design is nearly complete, it’s time to finalise your equipment requirements with suppliers. This step is critical because it ensures your dental practice is designed to accommodate the equipment ergonomically and functionally. Proper planning here can save headaches during construction.
Step 4: Construction
Once the design has been finalised, your practice enters the construction phase.
Whether you are completing a ground up build or a renovation of an existing space, specialist project management skills are essential to effectively coordinate
the required tradespeople and service providers and keep your project on track.
Many dental specialists, particularly those that choose to manage their own builds or fit outs, underestimate the time involved in managing a construction project. Experienced construction project managers are highly skilled time managers and can drive your project through to completion keeping you in the loop throughout the project lifecycle.
During construction, access to your site is controlled to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. The project manager coordinates the required trades and services on a schedule to deliver your new practice by the specified completion date.
With construction complete, your practice is ready for handover. Your practice handover should include complete and comprehensive documentation of the building process and all equipment installations.
Your new practice is now open for operation, delivering your unique brand of patient care and providing you and your staff with the best possible working environment. Congratulations, you are on your way to a successful and rewarding dental career.
Ready to Take the Leap?
Opening your first dental practice is a big step, but with the right preparation and expert guidance, it can be a smooth and rewarding journey. So, are you ready to turn that dream into a reality?
This article was brought to you by Nathan Reid, Marketing Manager at Medifit. Medifit specialises in design and construction services for dentists and dental specialists across Australia.
Visit www.medifit.com.au for more information.
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Contact Shaden on 0452 426 533 or Shaden.Kanaan@adawa.com.au
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