Dr. Robert Van Dyke–Distinctive Dentistry, Las Vegas–Nevada

It began when he relocated from his home in Green Bay, Wisconsin, to sunny Las Vegas, Nevada in 2001. After settling in, he purchased an aging practice and set out to rebuild the client base. There were things about the facility itself, however that just weren’t ideal.

His practice was hard to find because it was on the fifth floor of a medical office building. He had no street exposure or signage to tell potential patients that he was there. The inside of the office wasn’t any better. The equipment and furniture he inherited was dated, which made it inefficient, unattractive, and unpleasant to work with. Dr. Van Dyke thought about building a new, state-of-the-art office, but he had to consider the future too.

“I had to evaluate how much longer I wanted to work and whether or not I wanted to assume more expense for a new office, “ said Dr. Van Dyke. “I decided that a new location would give me the opportunity to practice the type of dentistry I wanted, and would give me office space that would be attractive to a new buyer when I decided to sell the practice.”

Change that Exceeded Expectations

With the support of his wife, Pam, he decided to look for a new location. His first decision was to narrow down the site options by keeping the new office within two miles of the existing office so patients could make an easy transition. He had a vision of the office’s look and flow, but he wanted the skills of an interior designer and office design team to translate his ideas into a beautiful and functional office. Dr. Van Dyke turned to Diane Zurko, his Henry Schein Sales Representative. They spent many afternoons scouting potential locations. They discussed his practice needs and future plans, narrowed down equipment choices with Henry Schein Equipment Sales Specialist Roy Dickson, and consulted with the Henry Schein’s Office Design Team to draw up the plans.

“I decided that a new location would give me the opportunity to practice the type of dentistry I wanted, and would give me office space that would be attractive to a new buyer when I decided to sell the practice.”

“Diane was instrumental in deciding on locations and equipment ideas,” said Dr. Van Dyke. “Diane has been involved in dentistry in Las Vegas for a number of years, and she has a good pulse of the dental practice business here. I have grown to trust Diane and her expertise and found her to be a great source of information.”

Today, the new office of Distinctive Dentistry is in Cheyenne Fairways, a new office complex in a gorgeous setting. The 2,500-square foot office was developed with enough space for one doctor to work comfortably or two doctors to work sideby-side or in split shifts. Its five treatment rooms are on the periphery of the practice, providing access to breathtaking views of mountains and the nearby golf course from full-length windows. Patient traffic flows smoothly around the panoramic, sterilization, and consultation rooms, which are in the center of the space.

Nothing Like A Dentist’s Office

Dr. Van Dyke wanted patients to feel as if they were walking into a living room and not a dental office. A stately stone wall in varying hues of brown and tan creates warmth and offers the perfect contrast to the crisp-flat-screen TV and modern lighting mounted on the façade. The commercial-grade wood flooring is homey and inlaid with large black marble tiles splattered with brown and cream veining. The same sleek, yet inviting color combination is repeated on the matching marble counter at the check-in desk.

Practically every surface in the operatories is styled with soft, rounded corners, from the cabinetry with its oblong, stylized glass inserts to the sand-colored granite countertops that flow smoothly from room to room. The rooms are outfit with topof- the-line Pelton and Crane Delivery and Support cabinets, track lighting, and luxurious leather massage chairs. Patients are pampered… ceiling-mounted TV monitors offer the choice of Direct TV programming or a selection of movies on DVD as well as music that can be listed to with infrared headphones. The tall windows give patients a full view of the lush scenery, enhancing the open feeling created by the high ceilings.

“Because the design and décor of the office present a comfortable, professional atmosphere, patients are more receptive to treatment recommendations,” said Dr. Van Dyke. “Production increases and patients are eager to refer their relatives, friends, and co-workers.”

In addition, having greater street-side exposure, including a roadside digital sign that can display changing messages, has helped to attract new patients; the practice has grown tremendously since moving to the new office.

“Referral numbers are definitely up,” says Dr. Van Dyke. “Patients feel this is a safe office to refer their relatives, friends, and co-workers. Employees are proud of the new office and also eager to refer their acquaintances.”

Going Digital

Both patients and staff appreciate the new office. The move opened up the door to adopt the latest technology and Dr. Van Dyke’s team has found the new equipment has made their work more productive and enjoyable. The hard work the office staff put into the move has been rewarded through streamlined new systems that save time and make their jobs easier.

“Because the design and décor of the office present a comfortable, professional atmosphere, patients are more receptive to treatment recommendations.”

Distinctive Dentistry adopted Dentrix Practice Management software after the move; recordkeeping is now completely paperless, saving the staff numerous steps and making patient information more easily accessible. X-rays have gone digital, too. Dr. Van Dyke chose Gendex digital panoramic and intraoral X-rays, which has eliminated film and chemical expenses and has resulted in higher-quality images used chairside with patients for treatment discussions.

Change Is Good

“This was a project years in the making, said Henry Schein representative Diane Zurko. “He would keep pictures in his waiting room of the progress of his new office, and everyone was very excited. He utilized an experienced contractor, a wonderful interior designer, and our fabulous CAD/CAM team to start developing this stunning office.”

Dr. Van Dyke advises other doctors who are considering a build out to research the demographics in their desired area and carefully manage spending and overhead expenses. He also recommends finding help in the right places. “Choose your design people, construction contractor, and decorator carefully.”

Featured Equipment:

• Dell Computers and ceiling track monitors

• Dentrix Practice Management Software

• Gendex AccuCam Intraoral Camera

• Gendex 9200 X-ray Digital Panoramic

• Pelton & Crane Delivery Systems

• Pelton & Crane Cabinetry

• Pelton & Crane track lights with monitor arms

• Pelton & Crane Deluse leather massage chairs

• Pelton & Crane Solaris Sterilization Center

• SciCan Hydrim Sterilizer