According to a recent study published in The Journal of Environmental Psychology, decorating for the holidays makes a big impression. While the researchers weren’t studying dental offices in particular, they found that people perceive neighbours who decorate as friendlier and more open—exactly the kinds of feelings that trust and loyalty in patients!
Safe, Inclusive Holiday Decor for the Dental Office
As a health care provider, it’s more important than ever to ensure decorations don’t trigger allergic reactions and other health issues for your patients. Stay away from scented decor and accent pieces likely to shed fibres, including evergreen plants, angel hair and artificial snow spray. Also, make sure any lights you use are CAS-approved and don’t include open flames.
You also want to make sure holiday decorations and events at your practice appeal to all of your patients. Keep winter holiday celebrations secular to ensure they’re inclusive for everyone who visits your clinic. Some practices go the extra mile and avoid all mention of Santa and gift-giving.
Of course, there are exceptions. For businesses with a religious focus, including a nativity or menorah could help connect with your client base.
Affordable Office Decorations for the Holidays
Budget is at the heart of dental practice management. You need to connect with patients, but you must keep your expenses under control. Life-size ceramic snowmen, animatronic reindeer and inflatable polar bears would all make a big impression, but they might take too big of a bite from your budget.
Look to smaller, more affordable touches to spread the spirit of the season. For instance:
- Bells and bows
- Stars
- Bulbs
- Snow blankets
- Yarn snowballs
- Winter village displays
You can also get patients involved with a winter-themed children’s colouring contest. Use the collection of pictures to generate good will and get new people in the door.
Your dental training probably didn’t include courses on holiday decor. So, take a tip from your dental consulting expert of choice. When it comes to expressing the holiday spirit, take a simple, secular approach to create a sense of community and trust among your patients.
Contact us at TGNA Practice Management for more tips leading into the holiday season.
