Reply To: July Session: Limiting Architectural Barriers in Dental Office Design for Patients with SHCN

It was interesting to see pictures of different waiting rooms and observe what features of waiting rooms and environments in general elevate or lower anxiety. From this session, I learned that just walking down long empty hallways or even just an elevator ride can provoke anxiety, so it’s useful to have sensory focal points / distractions with some element of patient interaction / control on the walls of the hallways. The Little Bird Pediatric Dentistry office design was so innovative and interesting to learn about! I also learned about how important it is to provide natural lighting and mirrors to give a feeling of spaciousness. Seeing a board with toys on display instead of a typical “treasure chest” or box filled with toys was also quite novel to me. Overall, I learned lots of useful tips and ideas about designing a practice to be both accessible and calming for patients with special healthcare needs.