By: When patients walk into Celestial Dental, they feel like they’re in a museum rather than a dental practice—and that type of distraction is exactly what Dr. Antonio Calascibetta had in mind when designing the practice.
Patients are drawn into the space theme that’s carried throughout the office, with stars, galaxies, moons, planets and rockets there for them to explore. The design elements are both educational and fun for patients, while the small footprint and various technologies incorporated throughout the office create an efficient workflow. The theme is engaging and the design functional, and that’s why Celestial Dental is 2021’s Best Looking Dental Office.
“There are space-related imagery and models all over the practice, and it has genuinely made my patients feel at ease, with many of them saying ‘It doesn’t even feel like a dental office in here,’” Dr. Calascibetta said. “I think that is the ultimate goal all dentists would like to have in managing the anxious patient and making a visit to the office exciting.”
Why a space theme
Dr. Calascibetta has always been fascinated by astronomy and remembers reading about Apollo missions when he was as young as 6 years old. He is “still wowed and humbled by the greatness of the universe,” so it just made sense to combine his passion for astronomy with his passion for dentistry when naming his practice.
The theme also can be appreciated by anyone, he said, and “detracts from the more obvious things you'd expect to come from a dental office.” Patients love it, but of course it’s the “warmth and compassion they feel” from Dr. Calascibetta and his team that keeps them coming back.
Designing the Office
There’s a lot to take in when visiting Celestial Dental. Patients are immediately greeted by curated images captured by NASA’s Hubble Telescope, including the Milky Way Galaxy and Mars. Twelve astronomical objects are displayed in the main hallway, with the SpaceX Falcon waiting at the end. All seven operatories are named after influential American space programs, with the signs out front showcasing the associated planet or planets. The rockets that initiated the programs are displayed outside the operatory, while images captured by rovers or probes decorate the walls inside.
A lot of thought went into this design, and many people were part of the process, Dr. Calascibetta said. His general contractor and chief marketing officer, who happen to be his father Carmelo and sister Bianca, were the most involved in creating the practice’s unique look and feel.
Some of Dr. Calascibetta’s mentors also provided inspiration and helped him determine what worked and what didn’t. And because we wanted to incorporate an entire digital workflow into his office, he also got representatives from Patterson Dental involved.
All the work put in has paid off for his patients and his practice.
“In designing my office, I made it as efficiently as possible, and I utilize all sorts of technology to keep my costs down,” he said. “As a result, my UCR fees are the lowest in the area with my in-house membership plan, but the practice runs optimally at ~50% overhead because of the systems we have in place. As technology has become more prevalent in my office, we've become more profitable, and I've been far more charitable with treatment.”
Honorable Mentions
Rodeo Dental | Greeley, CO
https://www.rodeodental.com/locations/greeley-co/
Submission:
Rodeo Dental aims to completely redefine the typical dental office experience with our one-of-a-kind entertainment atmosphere. From movie theaters, arcade rooms, elaborate production stages, and interactive lobbies, each office creates its own unique experience that evokes positive emotions with its own local flare.
When you first walk in you will notice the multi-colored wood on the walls which serves as a calming element but then you will see areas where the wood appears to have broken off to reveal colorful mosaic patterned squares that facilitate a positive mood transition and create a heightened sense of well-being. The office is a production stage for our patients, and our staff including doctors, to celebrate a newer and better version of themselves.
The outside cinema area is dressed with vertical lines to deliver an optical sense of vertical openness and space while the vibrant punch of purple as an accent color is intended to bring energy, boost vibe and lift the spirit. The inside cinema has an outdoor backyard theme to reflect a “movie under the stars” feel that locals would have with their neighbors to stir up emotions of familiarity, friendship and togetherness.
The arcade area with a backlit “Level Up” sign is brightly lit and as you enter you see a clean white brick pattern, a stylized graffiti art piece and includes premium arcade games that are free to play for all visitors. The “Level Up” sign has multiple meanings outside of just inviting visitors to come and play games. It is also implied as a patient you are here to level yourself up.
Ossman Harding Dental | Enumclaw, WA
https://www.theenumclawdentist.com
Submission:
Our office just underwent a renovation and patients have loved it since it was re-done. I’ve attached some pictures and here’s our description:
We are proud to show off our newly remodeled office! We created a warm, open and inviting space in our lobby. Our patients comment every day that they want to decorate their house like our office – one patient even said he’d like to spend his next vacation at our office! This has enhanced our patient experienced and elevated the feel of our practice to align with our level of service.
We also maximized the use of our space by fitting a new CBCT in what was an old small storage closet, and we placed our CEREC strategically in our hallway for patient marketing. Our operatories have TVs that allow us to review complex treatment plans such as implant planning, clear aligner ortho cases and large cosmetic cases. We aligned our cabinets on one side of the operatories to allow for more working counter space for our assistants and to make the rooms feel as large as possible for the patient.
Lastly, our sterilization space and lab give our team ample room to work on same-day crowns, bleach trays, retainers, setting up procedure trays, etc. These changes have streamlined operations in our busy 10-op practice elevated the way we work!
