After a year as chaotic and unsettling as 2020, dentists everywhere could be forgiven for choosing to think of anything but the aesthetics and interior design of their practices. Safety trumps all amid the pandemic, of course; no virus cares if an office looks like Hagia Sophia or a bulk-storage facility.
As the frenetic uncertainty of the pandemic’s early months ebbs amid viable vaccines and fitful moves in the general direction of normalcy, though, it becomes clear that the choice—between good design and ample protection— is a false one. Doctors can accommodate the rigors of social distancing and mitigation of airborne particles while still giving their patients a beautiful edifice in which to be treated.
And so it is for the quartet of winners of Incisal Edge’s eighth annual Design Competition. The four lavish practices we showcase here aren’t all new, designed with an eye toward virus mitigation, but they’ve had to adapt to dentistry’s new reality all the same. Our Competition criteria:
We canvassed doctors, equipment specialists, architects and designers across the country for nominations across three categories—Best New Construction, Best Repurpose and Best Specialty. We then sent all nominations to our blue-ribbon panel of judges (see below), who selected the winners (and an honorable mention in each category) and shared their thoughts on why each merited recognition.
These gorgeous, functional practices speak for themselves and are proof positive that one need not disregard the pursuit of beauty in the service of medical excellence. The pandemic will one day be gone, after all. These practices, and the doctors who have brought them to vivid life, will endure.
MEET THE JUDGES
JOYCE BASSETT
DDS, FAACD, FAGD
Dr. Bassett practices comprehensive restorative and aesthetic dentistry in Scottsdale, Arizona. A 2016 Lucy Hobbs Project honoree for Clinical Expertise, she is a prominent lecturer and author and the founder of the Women Teaching Women Cosmetic Learning Facility. Arizona’s only accredited fellow in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. Bassett is now president of that organization.
TRISTAN HAMILTON
DDS, M. ARCH
Dr. Hamilton practiced architecture in Washing-ton, D.C., where he worked on such notable projects as the Las Vegas City Master Plan, Vanderbilt University Master Plan and numerous United States Embassy renovations. His design work has appeared in numerous publications; he has also won an award for best overall practice design from Incisal Edge. He practices in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
ANDREW LYONS
DDS
Dr. Lyons earned his DDS from Meharry Medical College in Nashville and currently practices at Smile Savvy Cosmetic Dentistry in Charlotte, North Carolina. He and his wife, Dr. Joya Lyons, practice in tandem and are the founders of The Lyons Share charitable foundation. Dr. Lyons has lectured about dental-practice design, aesthetics and interior flow to industry groups across the country.
PHYLLIS MARSHALL-RICE
LEED AP, EDAC
Marshall-Rice is the health-care design manager at Herman Miller, where for 28 years she has served in a number of design-related training roles. She and her team focus on creative solutions for inpatient, outpatient and administrative facilities. An LEED Associate Professional who is certified in Evidence-based Design Accreditation and Certification, she earned a BFA in environmental design from East Carolina University.
BEST NEW CONSTRUCTION
GREATER HOUSTON PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY | CONROE, TEXAS
DR. LINH LUU
Interior Design: Chung Nguyen, Chuong Nguyen, Constanza Pena, Carlos Sotelo, Cristobal Pinon/ MC2 Architects
Contractor: Chuong Nguyen, Chung Nguyen, Constanza Pena/ MC2 Construction
Equipment Specialist: Patterson Dental
PHOTOGRAPHY BY:
STEPHEN GUTIERREZ
stephengutierrez.com
“Very interesting design—balancing the use of 3-form materials and colors with the calmness of the gray-black-white combination provides exceptional balance. The stadium seating is a one-of-a-kind design I haven’t seen before. Stunning. Flow looks great.”
—Phyllis Marshall-Rice, LEED AP, EDAC
PICTURE THE PRODUCT of a keen imagination and aesthetic expertise, put toward the goal of top-tier care and calming the anxieties of young patients. It’s Greater Houston Pediatric Dentistry, quite literally at your service.
This office, completed in October 2019, is the practice’s third iteration—and chances are it’ll be the last update for a while. Its construction was part of a new shopping center that represented one of the first major retail developments in some time in Conroe, a city of 90,000 about 40 miles north of central Houston. The surrounding area now sees considerable foot traffic—a beneficial thing for this corner-unit practice, especially at night, when pedestrians can’t help but look agog at one of its most eye-catching features: an immense, kaleidoscopic LED-lit central kiosk.
Those illuminated panels, whose flamboyant hues might put one in mind of Fruit Stripe gum or a bag of Skittles, have even reeled in some new patients and their intrigued parents. “We want kids from 1 to 18 years old to feel comfortable here,” Dr. Linh Luu says. “The colorful tiles create a joyful, fun environment for kids without alienating adults.”
If keeping the youngsters entertained is half the job for a pediatric dentist, Greater Houston’s interior—which totals 3,500 square feet all told—certainly helps. The reception area features a ball play pit (out of commission until after the pandemic, of course), an iPad station, a large movie projector with surround sound, plus bleacher-style seating whose inspiration came from the Apple Store on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile.
The imaginative, interactive feel of Greater Houston Pediatric Dentistry is thanks in part not only to Dr. Luu but to MC2 Architects, a Houston firm that also designed Sinada Dental, a co-winner of this year’s Best Repurpose award (see page 56)—a practice run by Dr. Luu’s husband, Dr. Ghassan Sinada. The doctor and the designers worked in tandem to showcase things like a testament to Dr. Luu’s love of art and art history on, of all things, the restroom doors—a blue angel and a pink heart done in the style of 1980s street artist Keith Haring.
Strikingly, Dr. Luu’s husband’s practice was the first nonresidential commission MC2 had ever taken on. The transition appears to have been seamless: Commercial spaces might once have been new territory for the firm, but it has now done five dental-practice designs for Drs. Luu and Sinada alone. The spectacular environs of Greater Houston Pediatric suggest that architects and doctor alike are fully in their professional groove.
Dr. Linh Luu’s
New-Construction Tips
Maximizing function and the ability to work comfortably—for the doctor, the assistants, the front-office staff—is crucial. This will lead to a successful workflow for the team, and a more comfortable experience for the patient.”
Dr. Linh Luu’sBEST REPURPOSE (TIE)
Sinada Dental | Houston, Texas
Dr. Ghassan G. Sinada
PHOTOGRAPHY BY:
STEPHEN GUTIERREZ
stephengutierrez.com
Interior Design: Chung Nguyen, Chuong Nguyen, Constanza Pena, Carlos Sotelo, Cristobal Pinon/
MC2 Architects
Contractor: Chuong Nguyen, Chung Nguyen, Constanza Pena/MC2 Construction
Equipment Specialist: Patterson Dental
“Welcome to New Age dental-office design! Futuristic, clean—light years ahead of the game.”
—Andrew Lyons, DDS
THE ULTRAMODERN AESTHETIC of Sinada Dental was, in one sense, more than a decade in the making. Back when Dr. Ghassan Sinada was completing his prosthodontics residency in Houston, he spotted a home he admired
so much that he thought, “One of these days, I’m going to have a house like this.” He tracked down and filed the name of the design firm: MC2 Architects.
He ended up hiring MC2 nearly 15 years later not for a house but for his eponymous dental office just west of downtown Houston. The practice, which specializes in prosthodontics and maxillofacial prosthetics, was MC2’s inaugural nonresidential project. The firm was hesitant to accept the commission, but Dr. Sinada pressed: “If we work together,” he told them, “we can do something special.”
Prophetic words: The resulting spa-like interior has been such a hit that Dr. Sinada’s wife, Dr. Linh Luu, later contracted with MC2 to design her own dental practice, winner of this year’s Best New Construction award.
Sinada Dental was not an easy repurpose: The existing practice had 10 operatories in a long, tunnel-like space, restrictive 7.5-foot ceilings and an astonishing 26 interior doors. Claustrophobia
was the byword. “It wasn’t functional for doctors or patients, and not an inviting space to work or be seen in,” Dr. Sinada says. So he and MC2 decided to knock out the walls altogether and start anew.
The 12-month revamp, completed in 2016, enabled them to reimagine the 2,750-square-foot space completely. The new floor plan is oriented around a central hub, where sterilization, radiology and Vother major equipment are located. “Having sterilization there allows for quick and easy access from all rooms, creating efficient material flow and shorter distances for staff to prepare rooms,” the doctor says. “It’s easy; it flows well.”
Dr. Ghassan Sinada’s Repurposing Tips
Build efficiencies into space—where you put your cabinetry, supplies and equipment—so that the flow and functionality make sense and prevent patient-care interruptions. When you’re comfortable in the space, you perform at a higher level.”
That central kiosk is also home to a magnificent 700-gallon freshwater fish tank, a West African biotope loosely inspired by Dr. Sinada’s upbringing in Sudan, not far from the Nile River in East Africa. Its inhabitants—giant upside-down catfish, ropefish and schools of rare African barba and tetras—were all collected in or near the Sanaga River in Cameroon.
Other improvements: ceilings between nine and 10 feet, and just five doors in all, two of which are glass. To combat the relative paucity of natural light, MC2 installed LEDs at both floor and ceiling lines to create a sunlit effect. Banishing bleakness is important to Dr. Sinada, as the bulk of his patient roster consists of highly complex, sometimes traumatic cases. “I always tell people that we worked really hard to get the form, flow, functionality and location of the rooms and equipment just right,” he says. “It just so happened that when we put everything in the right place, it ended up looking really pretty.”
BEST REPURPOSE (TIE)
The Kid’s Dentist | Owings Mills, Maryland
Dr. Nneka Davis
Interior Design: Amanda Griffith, Benco Dental
Contractor: Corporeal Visions, Inc.
Equipment Specialist: Scott Gorsuch, Benco Dental
PHOTOGRAPHY BY:
SHALEEN WALLACE
aerophotoamerica.com
“The use of bold colors and busy designs lend this practice a perfect feel for a pediatric office. It’s very busy, but kids will love it.”
—Joyce Bassett, DDS, FAACD, FAGD
WHEN DR. NNEKA DAVIS decided to renovate her 3,600-square-foot pediatric dental practice in Maryland’s Baltimore County, she knew it had to become fun and bright.
Her previous space was “just plain drab,” she says—a muddle of muted dark browns and greens. Today, though, the reworked office of The Kid’s Dentist is decked out in an eye-popping yet thoroughly contemporary blue, green and orange color scheme, with a variety of gadgets to attract children throughout.
Benco Dental senior interior designer Amanda Griffith spearheaded the redesign. “She listened to everything I said; she really brought it to life,” says Dr. Davis, who grew up in the Bahamas and wanted to create a warm, welcoming space for her young patients. A highlight of the reception area—which is double the size of her old one and bedecked in a riot of funky colors and patterns on the walls, furniture and flooring—is the video-game area in one corner. There are three easily cleaned touchscreens that need no controller (extra sanitary points), each fronted by a chair
that looks like a little dog. “I wish I had the opportunity as a kid to go into a dental office and jump on an orange, green or white puppy and play a game,” Dr. Davis says gleefully.
DR. NNEKA DAVIS’S Repurposing Tips
Understand your plan and the scope of the work needed to complete the project. Ultimately, you’re responsible for making sure all the details get done. Don’t think the contractors will get everything correct. During construction, I checked in almost every day. I caught so many mistakes early, which could have cost a lot to correct later.”
The timing of the renovation, which began in late 2019, turned out to be optimal, as Dr. Davis was able to incorporate new considerations of import—social distancing and stricter sanitation guidelines, for instance—into the design. “We were already renovating when Covid hit, so we had to be thoughtful about that,” she says. The modernized practice now has OSO-Pure air purifiers, chairside ADS extraoral suction systems, two sterilization areas and a washer and dryer so employees don’t have to wear their apparel home at the end of the day. “I wanted patients and staff to feel comfortable,” Dr. Davis says. “Put simply, I didn’t want anyone to get the virus on my clock.”
Regardless of its timing, though, the coronavirus has burdened Dr. Davis as much as any medical professional. “Pre-Covid, I would not wear a mask during my new-patient visits,” she says. “[Kids] want to see you smile—they feed on your expressions and energy.” Now she wears hair and shoe coverings, a gown, a shield and an N95 mask, as does her staff. To compensate within this whimsical, cheery space, they keep things light. “We still do fun stuff, like wearing a crown or a unicorn horn.”
The rework has been a big hit with Dr. Davis’s young charges and moms and dads alike. “The parents are excited, the kids are excited,” she says. “I know we did it right when people open the door and think they’re in the wrong place because it doesn’t look like a dental office.”
Understand your plan and the scope of the work needed to complete the project. Ultimately, you’re responsible for making sure all the details get done. Don’t think the contractors will get everything correct. During construction, I checked in almost every day. I caught so many mistakes early, which could have cost a lot to correct later.”
DR. NNEKA DAVIS’S Repurposing TipsThe timing of the renovation, which began in late 2019, turned out to be optimal, as Dr. Davis was able to incorporate new considerations of import—social distancing and stricter sanitation guidelines, for instance—into the design. “We were already renovating when Covid hit, so we had to be thoughtful about that,” she says. The modernized practice now has OSO-Pure air purifiers, chairside ADS extraoral suction systems, two sterilization areas and a washer and dryer so employees don’t have to wear their apparel home at the end of the day. “I wanted patients and staff to feel comfortable,” Dr. Davis says. “Put simply, I didn’t want anyone to get the virus on my clock.”
Regardless of its timing, though, the coronavirus has burdened Dr. Davis as much as any medical professional. “Pre-Covid, I would not wear a mask during my new-patient visits,” she says. “[Kids] want to see you smile—they feed on your expressions and energy.” Now she wears hair and shoe coverings, a gown, a shield and an N95 mask, as does her staff. To compensate within this whimsical, cheery space, they keep things light. “We still do fun stuff, like wearing a crown or a unicorn horn.”
The rework has been a big hit with Dr. Davis’s young charges and moms and dads alike. “The parents are excited, the kids are excited,” she says. “I know we did it right when people open the door and think they’re in the wrong place because it doesn’t look like a dental office.”
BEST SPECIALTY
Elevation Orthodontics | Nashville, Tennessee
Dr. Brice Gilliam
Interior Design: Dr. Brice Gilliam
Dental Design: Brooke Gilliam
Contractor: Perkins Construction
Equipment Specialist: Henry Schein
Architect: Dr. Brice Gilliam
PHOTOGRAPHY BY:
Mike Beyer
crackerfarm.com
“I love this. What a cool minimalist-industrial concept. This is an office that obviously knows who it wants to attract, and does it well. It’s a fresh blend of warm meets cold, which is appealing aesthetically. I love it—it almost makes me want to go through ortho again.”
—Tristan Hamilton, DDS, M. Arch.
IN THE FALL of 2019, setting out to open his own practice for the first time in his career, orthodontist Dr. Brice Gilliam was determined that it be entirely new—in concept and execution alike. The Tennessee native found a mere skeleton of a space in a multilevel building in increasingly trendy East Nashville, then got to work bringing his adults-only practice to life within that 2,400-square-foot frame.
“When people think of orthodontics, they typically think of kids and teens,” says the 35-year-old. “We wanted to make a modern space for adults.”
The finished aesthetic reflects that ambition. It’s modern and polished, and every detail was designed with intent to deliver a one-of-a-kind experience. Dr. Brice—“Dr. Gilliam” sounds “too stiff,” he says—chose to keep a small staff size to ensure genuine, personal interactions with each patient. The concrete floor gets warming accents from a variety of large textured rugs, and the prevailing color palette, an austere black and white, is both grounded and invigorated by live plants, wood accents and other natural materials throughout. “It’s clean but not sterile, sparse yet inviting,” the doctor says.
Dr. Brice and his wife, Brooke, plotted out every detail. The mammoth undertaking was a natural step forward for the pair, who designed their home and even some of their friends’ as well. “We knew we needed an office that would not feel dental at all,” Dr. Brice says. “It needed to feel mature, luxurious and aesthetically pleasing. It would be hard to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to do some aesthetic work on you—without an aesthetically pleasing space.’ ”
Nods to the practice’s name and concept abound. A custom three-dimensional E, sculpted in Corian, wraps around the corner of the midnight-black patient coordinator’s desk, and Elevation’s cheeky catchphrase, “Adulting Sucks. Straight Teeth Don’t,” is emblazoned on a wall at the end of the main hallway.
Think about the future. Design a space that will
look great for a minimum five to 10 years before you need a refresh. Stay away from super-faddish design elements in permanent surfaces like flooring, tile and cabinets, and stick with something classic. You can use décor—planters, art, pillows and rugs—to make your statement.”
Dr. Brice Gilliam’s Specialty Design Tips“Our work philosophy is to give people an elevated experience—to exceed expectations, give people what they deserve and give them an absolutely ‘wow’ experience every time they walk in,” Dr. Brice says. “If we give them an office they never knew they wanted, a treatment they didn’t know was an actual option and customer service they never expected would be that good, then we’ve accomplished our goal.”
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