Lyon Dental Implants & Oral Surgery: ADA Design Innovation Award finalist

by Stacie Crozier

When Anish Gupta, D.D.S., set out to build his dream oral surgery office, he wanted to make sure his patients would be treated with the latest technologies in a warm, inviting atmosphere with views of nature to help them feel relaxed and secure.

He opened the new Lyon Dental Implants & Oral Surgery clinic in New Hudson, Michigan in January 2021 after working with a team that included an architect, attorney, general contractor, financial advisor, design team and his wife Vijayata to create the space that doesn’t feel like a typical oral surgery clinic. The clinic’s design took finalist honors in the 2022 ADA Design Innovation Awards competition.

“I try to be a down-to-earth oral surgeon and we wanted the design of my new office to reflect that,” Dr. Gupta said. “Our aim was to create open rooms with big windows to take away the feeling of coldness and sterility. I love looking outside at our wooded setting and our patients tell us all the time they love the big windows, the views of nature and how the office doesn’t feel like an oral surgery practice.”

The clean, streamlined feel of the operatories and imaging area was designed to integrate the latest technologies needed for oral surgery treatment in a comfortable space for patients.

“My office is tech-heavy, but not in a way that distances people. We don’t have blood pressure cuffs hanging from a basket on the wall like at a doctor’s office, and patients regularly ask, ‘where’s all the stuff?’ Patients tell us they are surprisingly more relaxed than they thought they would be,” Dr. Gupta said. “The operatories were designed to be comfortable and functional. I wanted big rooms so that staff don’t bump into each other, with plenty of countertop space and storage.”

Patients are welcomed inside Lyon Dental Implant’s warm and cozy entry with wood, bright lighting and the Lyon logo with its pop of bright blue.

The bright and spacious lobby ties the gray and blue color scheme together and features modern touches.

The office’s wide windows showcase setting of the Lyon Dental Implants office, which features green space and trees.

The front desk area is basked in natural light.

Treatment rooms are spacious and sleek, offering the doctor and staff modern technology and giving patients a comforting view of nature.

The design theme and playful pops of color even extend to the bright blue subway tile backsplash in the sterilization area.

The wood beams and pendant lighting in the main hallway provide warmth and hominess for patients.

The front façade of Lyon Dental Implants features a variety of textures and colors for a sleek and modern look.

Pocket doors keep wires hidden and dual computers accommodate two users and dual flat screen TVs — one for radiographs and one for anesthesia monitoring — don’t clutter the operatory spaces but make them more efficient for patient care. The goal, he said, is to welcome patients into a comforting ambience with nice finishes, so they can feel surrounded by luxury rather than clinical sterility.

The design team used a comforting color scheme of deep blue and gray with pops of heron blue — including the logo at the main entrance and the subway tile backsplash in the sterilization area — to express the doctor’s and staffs’ playful sides.

“The chandelier, ceiling beams, the accent wood wall and vinyl wallpaper give patients the impression that this isn’t your typical dental office,” he said. “We wanted to take away the feeling of coldness and operating room sterility. My favorite space in the office is the lobby. I enjoy that it is open and has lots of natural lighting.”

Dr. Gupta said he used to believe that mission statements and visions were just corporate buzzwords. “After almost 15 years of practicing, I now know that I have a specific philosophy and that is different than the dentist down the street,” Dr. Gupta said. He recommends that before a dentist plans and builds their dream office, they need to “do a little soul searching and try to understand your motivations and pet peeves. Maybe you’ll use that to design your office. Maybe you’ll even use that to design your life.”

He also advises colleagues to work with a team on the mission and vision for an office build project.

“I’m not a designer. I don’t know anything about construction. I don’t know if I like tombstone outlets, or outlets which are flat on the floor. I don’t know my state and federal codes,” he said. “Vet your team and put together a good team. My architect was worth his weight in gold. He’s designed hundreds of dental offices. He told me who the best equipment and dental designer was. Those teammates were great. They referred me to my lawyer, and then my accountant. My office would be nothing without my team.”