THE WHY: Owner’s story
14th Avenue Dentistry is located in the city of Markham, Ont., approximately 30 km northwest of downtown Toronto. Whether you are a resident, visitor or tourist, there is something for everyone to enjoy, see or do in this rapidly growing community. This thriving practice is owned and operated by the extraordinary professional synergy between Dr. Deepal Bhambra and Dr. Nicole Sturgeon. They were casual acquaintances in dental school and had the pleasure of being reintroduced to each other years later. Their wonderful, easy friendship evolved over time into a professional alliance, inspiring them to explore opportunities for partnering as practice owners. Their aligned values, goals and clinical philosophies have morphed into a highly rewarding partnership and practice development journey.
THE HOW: Planning & preparation
14th Avenue Dentistry was originally established in 2011 in a 9-unit single story plaza in the middle of a rapidly growing residential part of town. They purchased the existing office in 2014 and after six rewarding years of growth, they seized the opportunity to expand into the adjacent corner unit that was becoming vacant. Upon securing the lease, they were excited to have negotiated a significant tenant improvement rent free grace period. This allowed them to remain open and operational in the original unit while the new unit was being prepared with the rough plumbing, electrical and framing. Meanwhile, the demising wall built to establish a physical separation between adjacent properties remained intact. Finally, they strategically shut down for six weeks to blend the two units into the one beautiful larger space they practice out of today. By taking the time to coordinate well with the design team and contractor, they were able to clearly define their tastes, important timelines and functional objectives, which made this exciting project go as smoothly as possible.
THE RESULTS: Technical design features
Blending the two units into one well-laid-out, flowing office has created a feeling of spaciousness, beauty and comfort for patients and team members alike. It also empowers a smoother workflow and more effective daily operations throughout the overall practice. The original four-operatory office is now a gorgeous six-treatment room facility with beautiful large windows and great visibility to the outside community. The reconfigured overall layout is oval in shape with a centrally relocated reception lounge/admin area. Stemming outwards are two wide corridors circling into a semi-closed loop with separate wings for doctor and hygiene operatories, creating easy combined hygiene exam access. The modern sterilization area is located at the top of the oval with access to the private offices, storage and a staff room. The contrasting black and white tones mixed with warm wood features stimulate a timeless, neutral ambiance that mixes a masculine and feminine visual appeal into the overall vibe.
THE IMPACT: Empowered practice outcomes
The partners now draw a deep feeling of pride and pleasure by being able to serve great dental healthcare out of their newly designed and blended facility. The space has further heightened their passion and empowered the many success pillars of their dental practice. They now enjoy an even healthier new patient flow, with a larger capacity for team expansion and a pride within themselves to be able to do the high-level dentistry they have always wanted.
Equipment Supplier: K Dental
Interior Design: Nilsson Design
Construction: Dentrix Construction
About the Authors
Darcie is co-founder of Bella Vita Designs Inc; an interior design company specializing in creating beautiful functional spaces for start-ups, remodeling, expanding or relocating your dream practice. To have your proud story and unique office design featured she can be reached at darcie@bellavitadesigns.ca / IG @bellavitadesignsinc / 905-716-8528.
Peter is Founder of Practice Mastery Inc, a Team Development Coaching company that serves the growth and development needs of your practice. He provides customized group and one on-one “Success Training” to dental professionals and industry companies across N. America. IG @peterbarrycoach, peter@practicemastery.com, www.practicemastery.com, or 416.568.5456.
