From the Curb

I just returned from a brief trip to southern Utah County and swung by six dental practices. Four of the six had brand new or nearly brand new offices. All six were in buildings that were well taken care of.

I was struck, though, by a few whose view from the curb was not as appealing as their entry way. Curb appeal matters. If your patients see only blacktop parking and a cement sidewalk, the perception your practice offers may be a bit bleak.

A couple of offices were surrounded or completely fronted by parking, with no room for the patients to walk by any grass. One office had a line of juniper-type bushes along the side of the building.

Now I grew up in a home with a row of junipers along side our long driveway, and I hated the thought of having to venture into the juniper bushes to retrieve a ball or other play thing. They were poky, sharp, and uninviting.

Perhaps not everyone has such a view of junipers, but replacing such bushes with some perennials or some flowering bushes would do much to soften the harshness of the cement.

Like someone considering how to raise the value of their home, spending money on your practice's curb appeal may be one of those few expenses that can produce a higher return than the investment.

Color Your World

When was the last time you painted the inside of your office? If it's been more than a few years, then the next time you step into your waiting room, try to see it as a new patient or visitor would.

Are the colors fresh and welcoming? Or, are they dated, stale, or worse yet, dark and foreboding?

• Consider a neutral background color;


• Add eye catching accents (a search for the right ones could start simply with Googling "popular colors";


• Avoid colors that some patients and visitors might consider too bold;


• If you use nontoxic, environmentally friendly paint, make sure to tell your patients (signs at the front desk, website, newsletter, etc.). You'll strengthen the loyalty to your practice of more than a few mothers and fathers of young children.

Once you've given your office a mini-makeover, your next step will be to make sure your marketing materials that have pictures of your office interior (brochures, your website, newsletter, appointment cards, Facebook pages) receive the same Tx.