There never seems to be a righttime to undergo an extensiveoffice renovation. However, as Dr. RossDonison in Edmonton, Alberta has discovered,the benefits have far outweighed anyobstacles and have been immediate andlong lasting.

When he purchased his practice 13 years ago,the doctor envisioned a larger, more efficient,and more welcoming practice. As time passedand he faced some real issues with space, hedecided it was time to give his office arefreshed and modern appearance.

Together with Henry Schein Canada FieldSales Consultant Bev Fredsberg andEquipment Specialist Grey Knechtel, Dr.Donison worked tirelessly to create a spacethat reflected his personality and interests.The time in which this project wascompleted—less than a month—was atestament to just how efficiently the entireteam worked. “I have a very comfortable andlongstanding relationship with Bev,”commented Dr. Donison. “When I looked atthe range of services and equipment availableto me from Henry Schein Canada, the choicewas easy, based on trust and value.”

This dental office had seen three previousowners over the past 25 years; each doctorhad performed his or her own updates for thespace. It was quite evident to Dr. Donison thatthe only way to renovate was to gut the spaceand start over. “This allowed greaterflexibility to perform any changes to theexisting layout that we wanted,” heexplained. At the same time, he was thrilledto learn that the 1,000-square-foot spaceacross the hall in the building was available,

Donison DentalDR. ROSS DONISON

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“It was quite evident that the

only way to renovate was to

gut the space and start over.”

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Natural wood and cladded stone combine seamlessly in the receptionarea for fantastic results. Countersunk pot lights in the ceiling illuminateand define the textured stone pattern in the walls.

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The operatories utilize Pelton & Crane Spirit 3000 chair packagesand Renaissance cabinets. Large pane windows give the patienta view to the serene landscape that surrounds the building.

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so he could add a staff room and private offices. It would bringthe total space to 3,000 square feet—plenty of room for expansionnow and in the future.

Enlisting the help of Dental Office Designer Laureen Nowicki ofInside Design, Inc. and Greg Chase of Summit Contracting, Inc.,Dr. Donison had a well-rounded group of resources for his project.“I wanted to expand my number of operatories from five to eightwhile leaving enough space for an interactive waiting andreception area. This is where Bev and Laureen really stepped up,”stated Dr. Donison.

“Expanding the clinic definitely saw its share of challenges,” saidNowicki. “In addition to being on the second floor of the building,the structural columns, low ceilings, and phasing of constructionin order to minimize Dr. Donison’s downtime were all areas thatneeded to be addressed. The expertise of our entire team ralliedtogether to ensure the best possible outcome on the project.”

Upon entering Donison Dental, the design elements and finishesused in the office combine seamlessly with textures and visuals ofnatural wood and stone. Vinyl strip flooring, which replicates a

Dr. Donisonutilizes the mostmodern digitalradiographyequipment withthe ScanXIntraoral PSPScanner from AirTechniques, andInstrumentarium’sORTHOPANTO-MOGRAPH OP30digital pan.

(continued from pg. 46)

Pelton & Crane’s Solaris Stericenter is designed to streamlinethe sterilization process from start to finish, making it easier,safer, and less time-consuming.

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light barn-wood pattern, covers most areas for an easy-to-maintain and aseptic surface. The waiting area has a naturalstone cladding to represent a block wall with substance tointroduce a softer, wave-patterned, Modular Arts wall. Thispanel wall is “uplit” to define its texture. Dr. Donison and hiswife, Shari, whose shared love of nature, travel, art, andphotography, inspired the designer to incorporate a palettewith “green” elements and textures that appeal to the senses.Many of the walls would become blank canvases for Shari’screative photography.

Though the majority of the ceiling treatments are drop panels,of particular interest is the sterilization area. Radiating spokesof natural laminated fir beams are featured in the central hubwhere Pelton & Crane’s Solaris Sterilization Center standsbehind large panes of frosted glass. “The original design usedlots of open wooden beam features,” explained Dr. Donison.“We no longer wanted the open-ceiling concept, but we stillwanted to keep a little bit of that feel. The wood beams thatradiate out from a central point help to accomplish this.”

In addition to the many design elements, the equipmentinstalled throughout, while complimentary, is the trueworkhorse of the clinic. The sleek lines of Pelton & Crane’sSpirit 3000 chairs with Ergosoothe™ massage technology,coupled with their Renaissance Collection of side and rearcabinets, provide a stylish, aesthetic, and relaxing environmentfor patients.

Recognizing the many benefits of integrating digitalradiography with the additions of theORTHOPANTOMOGRAPH® OP30 Digital Pan fromInstrumentarium and the ScanX® Intraoral PSP Scanner fromAir Techniques, Dr. Donison said, “Bev was constantly onsiteor in touch during the installation of all our equipment, and Ihad complete confidence during the entire process.Henry Schein Canada also provided us with the use of theirconference facility at their branch during our staff computertraining with DENTRIX practice-management software.”

From layout and logistics to equipment and technologyselection, the renovation completed at Donison Dental hasbeen highly successful, and the doctor sees on a daily basisthat he has made a very worthwhile journey. “My staff and Ilove the new office,” Dr. Donison proclaimed. “It makes beingat work so much more enjoyable. It means so much to me to beable to give something back to our patients by enhancing theirdental experience with us.”

When asked what he would recommend to someone elsethinking about taking a project like this on, Dr. Donison smiledand said, “Take your time! Pick your team carefully and gowith your instincts. Have a clear image of what you want thefinal outcome to be and while it’s crucial to stick to yourschedule, allow some flexibility. You can have some fun withit. It’s true there’s never a perfect time to do an officerenovation, but in the end, it was definitely worth it.”

Vinyl strip flooring throughout the practice is aseptic and easyto maintain. Natural laminated fir beams on the ceiling help tomaintain some of the open-concept style that existed in theoriginal design.

Left to right: Shari Donison; Dr. Ross Donison; Dr. Brandi Antoniuk.

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Equipment List

Air TechniquesAirStar 70 Compressor

Air TechniquesVacStar 80H Vacuum System

Air TechniquesScanX Intraoral System

DENTRIXPractice Management Software

DEXIS Imaging Software

InstrumentariumFOCUS Intraoral X-ray

InstrumentariumORTHOPANTOMOGRAPHOP30 Digital Pan

Midmark Dentist & Assistant Stools

Pelton & Crane Delta Q Sterilizer

Pelton & CraneRenaissance Rear/Side Cabinets

Pelton & CraneSolaris Stericenter

SciCan Hydrim Instrument Washer

Donison Dental Floor Plan

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