Hadlow Dental Practice

The brief:

When Hadlow Dental Practice took on new premises in a semi-rural Kent village, it was faced with an empty, unloved shell that needed a total refit and some remodelling. Of high importance was the façade and the reception area.

MPL was asked to create a reception that yielded as many seats as possible, working within an oddly-shaped space. We were also asked to rebrand the exterior and create an accessible pathway to the treatment rooms that complied with the Equalities Act 2010.

Our approach:

The site survey was critical and we found the space has been crudely modified over the decades. A dated, suspended ceiling with textured mineral fibre tiles, electric heaters and dark carpet made the space feel gloomy and penned in, so our new retail design concentrated on lightening, brightening and modernising.

As with many small space refurbishments, following a bespoke path was the best way to maximise every square foot. At Hadlow Dental Practice, the challenge was to incorporate as much seating as possible. MPL chose banquette seating that was made to fit the bay windows either side of the front entrance, with integrated plug sockets built into the plinth. Upholstered in a durable wipe-clean vinyl, the seats are practical and brand reinforcing in cobalt blue.

New joinery was another hallmark at Hadlow Dental Practice, with warm honey-toned wood providing a balancing contrast to the dominant primary colour. Decorative wall-mounted timber battens bring the reception in line with current interior trends, and the grain is matched in the luxury vinyl flooring and in the curved reception desk.

One of the decorative arched alcoves was retained to provide a point of difference, with the client requesting bespoke shelving and a cloud-inspired printed wallpaper to enhance the feature. The second arched alcove was removed as part of MPL’s remodelling plans, making way for a ramp to the treatment rooms.

A complete white wash on the walls, a new ceiling with spotlights and a suspended pendant light over the reception desk finish the interior transformation.

Externally, the uninspiring façade did little to attract attention along what is Hadlow’s high street. This was rectified when the MPL team repainted the masonry in a matching cobalt blue. Completing the façade is a new fascia with individual acrylic letters and numbers, vinyl decals, trough lighting and a cable-hung pocket display system.

Additional elements

MPL Interiors replaced the old electric heaters with a new air conditioning system, reconfigured the power and lighting supplies to suit the new space layout, installed new internal doors and joinery, fitted a new inset welcome mat and personalised the reception desk with a logo printed to vinyl.

If you would like more dental clinic design and decoration ideas, please contact MPL. Alternatively, take a look at our portfolio of completed refurbishment projects for the healthcare sector.