Dr. Bill Martin, the founder of Martin Kids Dental is excited to walk into his office every day to do what he does best, make a difference in the lives of his patients.

IDS outfitted both the exterior and interior of his office with Bayou theming. This one-of-a-kind office is designed specially so kids can touch, play, and feel safe in the space they are visiting.

Dive into our interview with Dr. Martin below and unveil how theming has enhanced his love for what he does and has affected his business better than he could have expected.

Tour a Bayou Themed Dental Office

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Why did you decide to add theming to this office?

Dr. Martin: I just had an orthodontist’s office before, and then I decided to add pediatric dentistry and wanted to create a unique and very different environment for kids. Then IDS came along and did a perfect job.

What made you want to choose a Bayou theme?

Dr. Martin: Gainesville is in a town where we have the University of Florida, and the mascot for the University of Florida is the Florida Gator. And of course, around here we have Bayou’s, but the theme went very nicely with everybody in town being a gator fan.

Do you think the theming has helped your practice?

Dr. Martin: Incredibly so. I think that it established our brand, people talk about it, and the word is out. It has created an incredibly fun place for kids to come.

Do you think that patients are more relaxed when entering your practice after it has been themed?

Dr. Martin: Absolutely, if they were ever in any other kind of office, a doctor’s office, or anything else like that, there’s usually some anxiety. So they walk in here and it’s like a trip to Disney World.

How would you describe the reactions from the patients when they come into the office for the first time, and even after multiple visits?

Dr. Martin: I think that the first time, the eyes are big and it’s a wow experience. And even after they’ve been here many times they are discovering something new each visit with the different animals and murals. The murals were designed by IDS to have little things hidden, so every time they come in they are going to see something new and different.

Do you think that you are gaining new patients as a direct response to the theming?

Dr. Martin: There’s no question about it. I think undeniably this is one of the best marketing tools you could possibly have.

Do people mention seeing your exterior alligator outside when they drive by?

Dr. Martin: They do. When you go around town and you say “Hi, I’m Bill Martin, the Orthodontist at Martin Kids” the first thing they say is “Oh my gosh, that’s the alligator that comes out of the building.” We’ve since had people stopping by and taking pictures, it’s great.

In fact, they’ve said that anything out in this area they will tell their friends where it is in relation to the alligator coming out of the wall.

We also have a bench that has a couple of characters with a space in between them so the kids can get their picture taken there, and that’s being used all the time.

What do you think the staff’s response has been to the theming?

Dr. Martin: I think the staff is excited about it because it’s a fun thing. It’s a fun place to come, it’s a fun place for kids, and the funny thing is, that it’s also a great place for adults that never wanted to grow up.

How do you personally feel seeing the theming every day?

Dr. Martin: I love it, it puts a big smile on my face. In fact, instead of coming in the back door I come in through the front door now so I can see the theming of the different animals, and it makes me feel grand, it makes me feel happy.

Being that the theming is a few years old now, how do you think it has stood the test of time?

Dr. Martin: The quality is top-rate. It looks just like it did the day it was put in.

Can you tell any stories of children interacting with characters or spaces?

Dr. Martin: What you see out front is one of my favorite places, because the bench is set up so the kids can take pictures and they really like doing that. And then they will have a favorite character. So you can look behind me here, and some will get their picture taken with the alligator, and others with the frog and the turtle. It’s really a photo op moment.

What would you say that your favorite character or area is in the themed spaces?

Dr. Martin: My favorite character is Phineas Frog I call him, and he is the frog that has braces on him. Of course, being an orthodontist I am biased, but he’s a funny little guy.

What previous issues do you think that the office had that were solved through theming?

Dr. Martin: I think the theming makes the kids feel so much more relaxed, that is the big one. Plus it makes a statement to parents, that we have invested in their child’s well-being, and happiness and we are more than just putting our face in some kid’s mouth. So I think it really makes a statement to parents that we really care about your kid.

Would you consider adding more theming to other areas in the future?

I don’t see how you can make it any better, I think this was so thought out by the people at IDS that I just don’t know how I could improve it.

If you were to expand to other offices would you consider adding the theme installation to those offices as well?

Dr. Martin: Without a question. At first, when I got into this I said to myself “wow this is a lot of money” but when I look at the benefits of it, not only as a marketing tool, but it really is a marketing tool because you don’t have to put up a billboard when you have an office like this.

Do you think the theming goes hand in hand with your marketing and how do you feel that it is utilized in your marketing?

Dr. Martin: Absolutely, for sure it does.

What we do is we have the characters, and we of course use them when we film advertisements. The other thing is the alligator was so popular, that we had a company make a mascot like you see in the NFL or NBA, and when we go out to do public events, which we do a lot of, we always have our mascot with us. So that presents our brand, and the mascot is amazingly popular, the kids chase him around and hug him all day long.

What do you think are the most important benefits of the theming?

Dr. Martin: One is that it’s a great marketing tool and it certainly cuts down on a lot of the other marketing we would otherwise be trying to do. Two, it’s great for the kids, when they walk in the office they have a place where they walk in and go wow, this is really like going to a theme park. And three, quite frankly for us as a staff, it’s my happy place. When I come in in the morning I might not have a smile on my face, but after seeing these characters and looking at the murals, I got a smile.

How was your experience with IDS?

Dr. Martin: They were fabulous. They are an amazingly creative group, really worked within a budget for me as that was of course a big concern, and they put out a plan and if I said “wow that’s just way out of my budget” then they would modify it and I was always happy with every modification that they made. The guys in charge give me their cell phones. If I need to get in touch with them, they are available.

Would you recommend IDS to others in the future?

Dr. Martin: Absolutely. Nobody in my town, haha, but absolutely to anybody.

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Starting with a passion to help others, founder Dr. Bill Martin opened the doors of his first practice in 1979. Since then, his vision has blossomed into a true family practice as his team of experts expanded to his two sons Dr. Dave and Dr. Paul. 

See the full bayou office theme here.

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Interested in learning more about themed environments? Check out these related resources on IDS customers:

See more examples of bayou theming here.

Hear more great stories of happy IDS customers here.

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your office from a mundane to magical patient experience. Or download our inspiring look book and start imagining the possibilities in your office.

Tune in to an interview with Dr. Joe Yale, owner, and dentist at Yale Pediatric Dentistry.

Dr. Yale and his team work passionately to ensure their young patients view going to the dentist as a safe and enjoyable place for them to visit and set them up with the skills to successfully manage their oral health.

Together with Dr. Yale, we created a space for them to achieve this goal with each and every patient.

Tour a Stunning Bayou Themed Dental Office

Behind the Scene’s at Dr. Yale’s Bayou Themed Dental Office

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IDS: Is this your first IDS office?

Dr. Joe Yale: Yes, this is my first IDS office.

I always tell parents that their child is going to have teeth their whole life and hopefully go to the dentist their whole life so let’s start this thing off right. That is certainly at the heart of our mission. To introduce children to dentistry in a non-threatening atmosphere and I very much so wanted to be a mission-driven group.

That being said, we decided to go all out with theming our office to really accomplish that mission that a child walks in here and doesn’t think that a dental office is scary, and think this is a place I want to be.

IDS: Has your IDS theming helped you expand faster?

Dr. Joe Yale: I would say that the IDS theming has helped me expand faster, it’s a very inviting atmosphere that we can provide. It is certainly something that can be a part of our web presence, can be on all of our logos, and our mail-out materials, and just in terms of an external marketing standpoint, I feel like it packs a lot of punch. When the patients come here it’s certainly more amazing than they could have imagined.

IDS: What’s your favorite part of your office?

Dr. Joe Yale: My favorite part of my IDS theming is by far our treehouse in the reception area. I think it is in the perfect location as you walk in the door. It’s so big, there is a boat in front of it, there are primary characters that basically greet you as walk in, and it looks so realistic. It’s definitely the wow factor that we were going for.

IDS: Have your patients or their parents commented on your theming? If so, what have they said?

Dr. Joe Yale: I would say every single day patients and many parents comment on the office. Whether it’s the first time they’ve been here, or they’ve been here multiple times, they want to catch me and say “this is the coolest office I’ve ever been to” or “my child woke up this morning and said ‘can we go to the dentist today?’” I’m not really exaggerating that either, I think that’s a really cool thing for a kid to say and I realize it has to do with this space and all of the things for them to see and do, not necessarily me, haha, but that’s a part of it. But I would honestly say every day someone gives an encouraging compliment in terms of what we’ve done for this office for their child’s experience.

I think our all-out Louisiana theme provides a visual manifestation of how committed we are to giving the best level of customer service in a sense, but also the best level of experience that a child could have. This is all about the people, parents, and children that we take care of.

IDS: How did you like working with IDS and what do you think about them?

Dr. Joe Yale: I worked with IDS for probably 2 years while I was working on architectural plans for the office and the site of the office and it was such a fun process. We started together in the conceptualization stage of the theme and all the little things came together. We really wanted to embody the whole Louisiana culture and we would have phone meetings, we met in person, we would have computer-linked meetings where the creators would send these sketches of ideas that I had, and we would just kind of play off of that. So, it was so fun doing something that was that creative and something that is really a new vision for your practice.

IDS: What are the benefits of office theming?

Dr. Joe Yale: I think there are many benefits to office theming. First is just the warm and inviting environment that it creates for the child. When they walk in the door and they see that you’ve gone all out to make this place very appealing to a kid they can automatically feel at home, we want them to feel at home. When the visuals and the activities aren’t there, it’s hard to really translate that. So I think it’s the comfort level that the child can have when they walk in the door.

I also think it makes a very recognizable kind of brand in terms of we do have a theme that has some continuity. It’s the Louisiana culture, and then there are these primary characters that we really play up and talk up to the kids and to the parents, and that’s reflected on our logos and website, and that’s something that IDS was able to provide in terms of the whole package that is your branding so to speak.

IDS: Would you recommend IDS office theming to your friends?

Dr. Joe Yale: I would recommend IDS office theming to anybody in the pediatric dentistry or orthodontic world. There’s no question that the translation from what you’re going for to what the parent and child see, is flawless. I think it is just an investment that is so well worth it in terms of you know, creating this overall experience for your patients, that you’re wanting to go create anyway but it just really shows your commitment to them having an incredible dental experience.

IDS: Did your employees get into the theme and have they enjoyed their work environment since the new IDS office?

Dr. Joe Yale: I would say for sure our team has really gotten into this theming thing. As I said the development of the theme took some time, so every time I would get a sketch from the IDS creators I would show it to my staff and we would get excited about the fact that we had this one character and this is what it would look like and we would brainstorm about it.

Then when it all came together and we saw the finished product it was way more amazing than we could have even imagined. And we had this opportunity to have this kind of storyline with the theme in terms of our mascot, cubby, and the other characters that really are these primary roles that every day as the assistants are taking care of a child they can really discuss the benefits of oral hygiene with them and they can incorporate our story we are trying to create into that discussion so it is really cool.

IDS: How do you feel about the quality of the IDS products?

Dr. Joe Yale: I can’t imagine the quality of the product that IDS delivered being any better. I felt like I knew what I was getting into in terms of the level of customer service, the level of quality in terms of how the murals would look, and in terms of how the characters would be built. But the way I describe it is just that it’s a world-class type of workmanship.

IDS: Do you get good value for your money?

Dr. Joe Yale: I truly think IDS theming provides amazing value for your money. Any time you build out space and you build a ground-up dental facility, there are a lot of costs associated with building that kind of specialty facility. And then to provide the environment that you are going for any way in terms of it just being an amazing visual experience for your patients, I don’t see anything you can do better to give more value to your goal of providing this and just making this amazing dental experience for your patients.

IDS: If you could get IDS to make you anything for your office and money didn’t matter because the sky was the limit, what would it be?

Dr. Joe Yale: I felt that working with IDS there were no limits, the sky was the limit in terms of what they could create for me.

That’s really the perspective I felt like we were working from. When we said let’s make this reception area look like a bayou with a treehouse, a boat, and the floor made to look like you’re on a lake, they did it.

So anything you can imagine, don’t think too small.

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Dr. Joe Yale is board-certified by and a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. He is dedicated to providing each youngster with a positive experience and excellent care, to establish lasting oral health and comfort in the dental environment.

See the full bayou office theme here.

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Interested in learning more about themed environments? Check out these related resources on IDS customers:

See more examples of bayou theming here.

Hear more great stories of happy IDS customers here.

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your office from a mundane to magical patient experience. Or download our inspiring look book and start imagining the possibilities in your office.

Striving to offer his patients the highest level of care possible, follow along as we touch base on how Dr. Bryan Morgan accomplishes this goal with IDS theming.

Dr. Morgan owns and has themed two offices through our team, Children’s Dentistry of Manatee and Children’s Dentistry of Lakewood Ranch. His interview touches on the impact of how theming has helped his offices grow, helped his patients feel confident, created satisfaction in the workplace, and stood the test of time.

Tour a Wild West Dental Office

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IDS: Why did you decide to add theming to your second office?

Dr. Morgan: Well, Imagination Design Studios helped theme my first office and when we opened our second location it was only natural to work with IDS to theme that location.

The thought behind that was to continue to offer the same unique atmosphere as well as services to our children and their parents as we have been in the first location.

Check out Dr. Morgan’s first river themed office.

IDS: How has theming helped the practice in your opinion?

Dr. Morgan: It gives us a unique identity and it helps establish a brand. When people think of Children’s Dentistry of Lakewood Ranch, all of a sudden the logo, the colors, the characters… all those things are the first thing that comes to people’s minds. So it really helps us set ourselves apart from other dental offices in the area.

IDS: What do you feel are the most important benefits of the theming?

Dr. Morgan: When a child’s coming to the dentist it can be daunting and overwhelming. Having a unique theme that’s child friendly, that’s warm, that’s inviting, makes coming into the office feel like they are in a non-threatening area.

They’ve got gaming stations where they can immediately zone in and almost remove themselves from the fact that they are at the dental office. And so it really caters to making the kids feel comfortable right from the get-go.

IDS: Do you think that you are gaining new patients as a direct response to theming?

Dr. Morgan: Absolutely the kids love it, the parents love it – they talk to their friends at school, and the parents talk to their friends on social media as well as at gatherings. I have no doubt that we are gaining new patients as a direct result of theming.

IDS: What do you feel has been the staff’s overall response to the theming?

Dr. Morgan: They love it. As much as we do it for the kids, I am not going to lie and say that it doesn’t give us a certain level of satisfaction coming in, and a certain level of love for being in the office and providing our services in this space.

It adds that element of fun to what otherwise would be a run-of-the-mill, boring dental office.

IDS: Do you use the thematic aspect for marketing in the office?

Dr. Morgan: I do. It shows off tremendously in photographs and video. The individuals that manage my online presence and “searchability,” Google listings, etc., make it show off very well. The colors, the precision, and the characters – we use them in all aspects of marketing whether it be print or digital.

IDS: What’s your favorite character that you have here?

Dr. Morgan: My favorite area in the office (Lakewood Ranch) is actually the reception area. That’s where we have the most amount of our 3D sculptures. The Rabbit Sheriff guarding the jail next to the hay bale where our gaming station is located is definitely my favorite part of the office.

IDS: How do you feel that the theming has stood up over time? What do you think of the quality?

Dr. Morgan: It is exceptional in terms of quality. We’ve had no problem with any of the 3D structures, we’ve had no problems with the murals and the adhesion to the walls, and it’s all been extremely durable and withstood the test of time as well as the test of children.

IDS: Overall, how would you say your experience was working with IDS?

Dr. Morgan: IDS has been a phenomenal partner in my practice. I’ve been working with them for the better part of the last decade and they themed my first office in two phases and then themed my second office in a single phase.

I love working with super creative people, all I have to do is give them a direction, and all of a sudden they have a mockup, they have themes, they have colors, and they have characters. It’s really easy, low stress, and you know that you’re working with exceptional people who are delivering an exceptional product.

IDS: Would you recommend IDS to colleagues or friends or family in the future?

Dr. Morgan: 100% I would recommend. There’s nobody that I would want to theme additional offices other than Imagination Design Studios.

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Dr. Bryan Morgan received his Doctorate of Dental Surgery from the University of Maryland, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery. He has a Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry from Stony Brook University. He is a certified member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists.

See the full western office theme here.

See the full bayou office theme here.

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Interested in learning more about themed environments? Check out these related resources on IDS customers:

See more examples of western theming here.

See more examples of river theming here.

Hear more great stories of happy IDS customers here.

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your office from a mundane to magical patient experience. Or download our inspiring look book and start imagining the possibilities in your office.

Today we’re talking to Dr. Julie Russo, pediatric dentist and owner of Clermont Pediatric Dentistry in Florida. She has a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and attended Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine.

Back in 2014 IDS fabricated and installed safari theming in her office and outfitted her company vehicle. Dive into our follow-up with her 8 years later and hear about how the installation has benefited her business by turning a mundane space into a magical place.

Tour a Spectacular Safari Dental Office

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IDS: Why did you decide to add theming to your space?

Dr. Russo: We decided to add theming to our office because it makes the space different from everybody else. So many local medical offices that I even go to are white and plain and that can be scary for a child. But coming into our office it’s bright, colorful, welcoming, and just fun. I think the parents love it and the kids love it.

We are also known as the “Animal Office” or the “Animal Dentist”. People always mention the elephant in the waiting room, and a lot of guests take pictures with him, so we’ve also become known for that in our community.

Ultimately, I think our theming really helps relax our patients and even the parents, and makes it feel like a more comfortable experience.

IDS: Why did you choose the safari theme?

Dr. Russo: I love animals and I think a lot of people love animals. This is our second office – we started in a smaller office that was themed on a much smaller level with some animals before moving to this one. When we moved to the bigger one we knew we wanted to include more animals in it.

I also have a degree in Zoology, so I figured it was a way to incorporate that into all of this, and I just think it’s fun for the parents and the kids and makes everything more comfortable and welcoming for them.

IDS: Do you have any reasons as to how theming has helped the practice? I.e. do you see more customer returns or more referrals from existing customers to new customers?

Dr. Russo: I think it has definitely helped the practice. It was one of those things that when we were building the office, a recurring discussion that happened between my husband and me was, “Do we incorporate all this? Do we not?” But I think it was definitely worth the investment.

It sets us apart from other offices and parents know that we’ve put a lot of work into our office and that we care about the way it looks and the way we present in the community as well. People talk about it too. A lot of kids say “I go to the Animal Dentist” so their friends want to go to the Animal Dentist as well.

We also have a car that IDS helped theme that looks like a rhino is riding inside. When we go downtown and people know that’s the Animal Dentist. We also bring it in parades and everything, and it is something we’ve become known for in town.

IDS: What is your favorite area?

Dr. Russo: My favorite area is in the back of the office, we have a mural and it is my kids. IDS incorporated them into the office to make it a little more personal. So in the treatment area, there are cartoons – they are dressed in safari hats to go with the theme. That is my favorite spot for sure.

IDS: The theming itself is a few years old now, how has the theming stood up over time? What do you think of the quality?

Dr. Russo: The quality is excellent. Everything was installed in 2014 and it is 2022 now, so we are 8 years in. Kids have drawn on the walls with pens and it wipes off. They have climbed the elephant numerous times, and have even tried to hang from the monkeys! It gets a little crazy in here sometimes, but it has held up and honestly looks like it did the day it was installed. Nothing has faded or broken, it really looks great.

This is another reason why I can confidently say I would do it again in a second because the quality is outstanding.

IDS: Do you find with theming that patients are a little more relaxed?

Dr. Russo: I think walking into an office with white walls and seeing white coats makes everybody nervous. Coming here it feels more welcoming and kind of like a Disney theme. ­­

The bright colors and expressions of the animals are great, so when the kids come in they are definitely more comfortable. A lot of times they run over to the side with all the animals and play before their appointment.

The first time patients walk into our space they are surprised and I think they are very excited as well. Because you walk in and you are greeted by a big giraffe with a large welcome sign, and then you look to the right and there is a have a huge elephant and all sorts of animals too! It’s fun and I think they are just surprised and thrilled to be in a neat place.

IDS: How do you personally feel seeing all the animals and their smiling faces?

Dr. Russo: I love it and I am really proud of it. It was definitely a big project, but I am grateful every day that we have it and truly happy that we decided to go for it. It was an investment, but definitely has given us a name and an identity and I would do it again 100%.

IDS: How has the staff responded to the theming?

Dr. Russo: It’s fun because it’s one of those things that when you first come into work it’s awesome. The space is relaxing, it’s bright, and I think we are really lucky to be working in such a nice environment every day.

IDS: Were there any previous issues that you can think of that the theming has helped solve?

Dr. Russo: Our theming just makes kids more relaxed overall. As I mentioned, our old office had a little bit of theming, but not as much. For this one, we decided to go all out and I think it makes everyone, including our staff, more comfortable. It is a nice place to work and a nice place to be.

IDS: Can you share any specific stories that you might remember over the years of children interacting with the characters?

Dr. Russo: In general, I think the biggest interaction children have in the clinic is with the elephant. They walk in and they see the giraffe of course, but they run over to the elephant because he is just gigantic! He is the main piece in our waiting room and gets climbed on all the time. We’ve even found kids on top of him! He is definitely the one that gets his photo taken most in the office.

He’s holding popcorn and a drink like he’s watching the TV. There is always a kid’s movie playing over there, so it’s like he is watching the movie with the kids.

IDS: Can I assume for moms or new moms that your space might be an “Instagramable” kids spot?

Our space, especially the elephant, has been great for social media because a lot of people post with him.

IDS: Do you use your theming in any of your marketing?

Dr. Russo: We use our theming in all of our marketing. Most of our ads have either the elephant or the tree in the background. We have our patients stand in front of the tree when we need to take photos of their charts.

Our movie theater ads, our billboard, and our car all incorporate our theme. Our logo also has our animals in it as well – the giraffe, lion, and elephant are how we are known. So with our logo and our theming, we really strive to incorporate it in all our marketing efforts so it all comes together.

IDS: Would you consider adding more theming to other spaces in the future?

Dr. Russo: I would not be opposed to it! We have our main areas themed; where the kids get their teeth cleaned, where the parents come in and out of the office, and in the waiting room. Some of our private rooms have different colors, but no theming so I would consider adding more!

My business partner and I, Dr. Alexandra Jensen, have also talked about updating our car, as well as the possibility of getting another. We were thinking we may have the two play off each other with the theming, so that may be up and coming.

IDS: What do you think are the most important benefits to theming.

Dr. Russo: I would have to say the most important benefits to theming are patient and parent satisfaction. It shows that we care about our office and that we put a lot into it. When people come to the office they are impressed and excited to be here, and I just think that’s what sets us apart from other offices in town.

IDS: Would you recommend IDS?

Dr. Russo: IDS was wonderful, I cannot say enough great things about them. From the beginning when we talked to them about what we wanted to do, we had just wanted to include the elephant. However, they came back with other ideas and you know, I just couldn’t say no to all the areas.

They were great to work with, the communication was wonderful, and they were timely. We had to ship the elephant from their production facility and it did not delay our construction, opening date, or anything for that matter.

Everything was done really well, the people who came up to install it were from south Florida, and again, were timely, professional, and got the job done when it was supposed to be done. The quality is outstanding, and after 8 years is still bright and intact even though it gets lots of wear and tear.

It was a wonderful experience working with IDS for sure, I would highly recommend them to people wanting to theme a space, they are just wonderful, they really are.

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Curious to see more of the Clermont Office? Check out our interview with Dr. Russo’s partner, Dr. Jensen.

Or you can check out the featured safari office photos here.

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Interested in learning more about themed environments? Check out these related resources on IDS customers:

See more examples of safari theming here.

Hear more great stories of happy IDS customers here.

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your office from a mundane to magical patient experience. Or download our inspiring look book and start imagining the possibilities in your office.

Our team got together with Dr. Alexandra Jensen, a partner and dentist at Clermont Pediatric Dentistry in Florida. Dr. Jensen holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and received her doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine.

The IDS team installed safari theming throughout the Clermont clinic back in 2014 ­– Dr. Jensen joined the office straight out of school, missing the foundational theming process, but was excited to find herself starting her career in a thrilling new workplace. Follow along as we ask about her experience working in this environment and uncover how IDS theming has helped her business over the years.

Tour a Spectacular Safari Dental Office

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IDS: Why did you decide to add theming to the space?

Dr. Jensen: I was not a part of the decision to theme as I had not yet joined the practice, but I will say that it definitely played a role in terms of my decision to join the practice. I came to visit the office and opened up the front door and it was just like a theme park.

IDS: In your opinion why was a Safari theme chosen?

Dr. Jensen: We work with a pediatric population and have kiddos all the time who bring in stuffed animals – elephants, monkeys, zebras, anything you can imagine. I think coming in and seeing real-life sizes of animals that match the stuffed animals that they have is super cool for the kids.

IDS: How do you think theming has helped the practice thrive?

Dr. Jensen: I think our theming has given our practice a name. In the community, we are known for what we do because of the theme of our office. It has become our brand.

For example, we are known as Dr. Julie and Dr. Alexandra at Clermont Pediatric Dentistry, but we are also known as the “Elephant Dentist” or the “Animal Dentist”. All of that came to be from and through IDS.

I’ve been at the practice for 7 years now and any communication that I’ve had with the IDS team has been wonderful – they are informative, on time, very fast, and organized. It’s been no small feat to make sure that our office is organized and set up to the nines in regards to everything that we need to do, and they made it happen.

IDS: You mention kids sometimes bring in a plushy toy from time to time and are wowed by the real-life versions in your office. How do you think that patients may be more relaxed than in traditional pediatric offices?

Dr. Jensen: I would say the big things that stick out in our office are the animals coming out of the ceiling, the wall, or the monkey coming out of the glass. These animals help make light of any situation.

As a dentist, the dental office is not a scary place for me, but as a patient, it’s a place where at a young age or even during their teenage years, they come in and think what are you going to do to me not for me. However, I like to think that if I was their age and I walked into an office with a monkey bursting through the glass I would start to laugh and feel eased about the situation.

I feel that there is a lot of power in laughter and smiles, and when kids see these characters it brings that fear down because it puts a smile on their faces that is so big.

IDS: How would you describe the reactions of patients when they come to this place for the first time? Are there any specific instances that stick out to you?

Dr. Jensen: I would say the most memorable interactions that I’ve had have been with patients that have come in super anxious and worried about an appointment – some tears may have been involved. But they are able to walk into the office and see the theming, and it’s something that is common ground for them to take their mind off their worries and talk to the people in the office about. Something along the lines of “I saw the monkey in the glass!” or “I sat with the elephant and took a picture with him!”

It’s a matter of these patients remembering the characters that are in the office. I know in particular when we do restorative appointments, we have stuffed animals for support in the back, and some kiddos come in and can name these stuffies and our characters!

You know, I joke during consults with parents saying, “You know, it’s not Disney World but we try to make it as fun as possible.” Having theming most definitely helps with that.

IDS: Are you gaining new patients as a response to the theming?

Dr. Jensen: We live in an age where the big thing online is the review, it’s the Facebook ads, it’s the Facebook mommies, and just hearing word of mouth. That being said, I think the theme of the office gives parents something to talk about when they come to our office – what their children loved and enjoyed.

Parents can also tell their kids more than they are going to the dentist. They can tell them they are going to the place with the elephant, that they are going to watch a movie, and that they are going to have such a good time! So I think the theme itself just fosters that warm inviting environment.

IDS: Do you think there is something to be said about the return of current customers and their satisfaction level as well as gaining new customers? I say this because we live in an area adjacent to theme parks that are very historically very exciting.

Dr. Jensen: I would say we definitely live in an area where children are used to having a theme park in their area. We have Disney World, Universal, SeaWorld, and Lego Land and kids love visiting them. I feel like being able to theme the office in a similar way where they can come and see the animals, hold a stuffed animal during a restorative procedure, or sit in a chair and look at the kiddos on the wall on a safari tour gives them a trigger in their mind to say that this is fun, familiar and is different than I expected it to be.

Like I said before, we are not Disney or Universal, but we are a place that can be fun! It is a place where kids can find components in the office to find interest in, whether it be the elephant or the bamboo on the wall or the games – it is something memorable to them.

Kids have an amazing memory and a way of processing things in a way that adults don’t. When patients come into the office, they can find something fun that imprints on their little brains and it is something to remember and associate the dentist with. I’d much rather have a child associate a big elephant with the dentist, rather than something that is challenging like having a tooth extracted. So I think theming in that respect is very important. Our environment gives them an opportunity to make an association that is positive and familiar with doing something that they enjoy doing outside the dental office, like visiting a theme park.

IDS: What have you seen from the staff that is a response to the theming?

Dr. Jensen: I love working here truly ­– it is a very well put together office. We know every other dental office tries to stay clean and organized, but I feel like having properly placed theming in an office that is kept up to date and clean gives us that edge where every day is fun and interesting.

Every room is a bit different and in those rooms, there’s something for me to find joy in and put a smile on my face.

Like I said, we work in a dental office, and sometimes that is not considered the most fun environment because of what we are doing – we are extracting teeth, fixing teeth, and cleaning teeth. But we make it fun because we consider our staff our family and by theming the office this way it makes it feel more familiar and like home.

IDS: What is your favorite themed character or area in the office?

Dr. Jensen: I love the monkey in the glass because I feel like it sparks the imagination side of every patient. They want to know how the monkey got there and if it really broke the glass. It’s so fun to see the little wheels in their heads just turning and seeing them facing the reality of, “oh my goodness there’s a monkey there!”

IDS: How do you think the quality of the theming has stood the test of time?

Dr. Jensen: I think it is amazing. To be honest with you, it is something that from day one, until now that I haven’t seen a lot of change or wear and tear happen to. You are going to have a lot of wear on tables and chairs that patients, parents, and staff are going to sit on. But the theming itself has been amazingly resilient, and any concern that we’ve had with the theming has been corrected immediately.

And may I add, that the concerns have not been because of the failure of IDS. It has been something where a patient has hung on the elephant and we needed to fix a part. So overall, it’s been amazingly resilient in keeping its color and design and making the office beautiful.

IDS: Do you think there are any previous issues that the theming has helped solve. What are the main advantages?

Dr. Jensen: I think our theming brings the office to the next level. It gives the office the opportunity to imprint on our patients, as well as show the parents we care about the surroundings and environment that we are treating their kids in.

Walking in and seeing white walls in a pediatric office is something that is going to seem generic and hospital-like, and this can be scary for patients. Walking into a themed office gives patients the opportunity to enjoy the time in our space and feel comfortable in it.

They can sit and wait for their appointment, take in the scenery, watch a movie, hang out with the elephant, or play a game and this fills the void between them and their upcoming appointment.

IDS: How have you used the safari theme to continue your branding efforts beyond your space?

Dr. Jensen: Right now, Dr. Julie drives what we like to call the pediatric dental mobile. It is a car that IDS helped us outfit with a little horn on the roof that looks like it’s coming from a rhino squished inside.

Branding wise this car has been big in terms of the community. When you see the vehicle driving around it is always “Oh my goodness it’s Dr. Julie my dentist!” or “It’s the Elephant Dentist!” so the car is definitely something that has transitioned our theme from the office out into the community.

We can have an ad anywhere online or even on a billboard, but it’s not going to be the same as driving on the road next to the dentist or seeing the car out in the community.

We are talking about possibly doing two separate vehicles, one for her, and one for myself. We’ve been in contact with IDS and it’s going to be exciting to see where that is going to go next and spark some more discussion in the community.

IDS: What do you think are the most important benefits overall to theming a space? 

Dr. Jensen: I think theming a space makes it more like home. Theming this office as a safari makes Clermont Pediatric Dentistry home for its staff members who we consider our family, and it makes it home for our patients who we also consider part of the family.

I also think it gives us a physical touch of the identity we have created in terms of communicating our goals to the community ­– that we provide quality dental care from the heart. And we are showing our patients this by making our space a warm and welcoming environment.

IDS: What has your experience personally been when working with IDS?

Dr. Jensen: IDS has been wonderful. Every communication that I have had in terms of emails, I get an almost immediate response which is wonderful. We live in a day and age where it is sometimes hard to get in contact with any business or individuals because we have busy schedules and I will say that every contact I have made email-wise has been phenomenal. They are organized, on time, and answers every question dotting their I’s and crossing the T’s.

IDS: Would you recommend working with IDS?

Dr. Jensen: I would recommend working with IDS to others. If for no other reason, it is just so fun to see.

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Curious to see more of the Clermont Office? Check out our interview with Dr. Jensen’s partner, Dr. Russo.

Or you can check out the featured safari office photos here.

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Interested in learning more about themed environments? Check out these related resources on IDS customers:

See more examples of safari theming here.

Hear more great stories of happy IDS customers here.

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your office from a mundane to magical patient experience. Or download our inspiring look book and start imagining the possibilities in your office.

Today we’re talking to Dr. Brett Pack and following up with him 2 years after we installed underwater theming in Moses Lake Community Health Center. Find out how the center has benefited from the addition of fun and colorful themed decor.

Watch the video to hear from Dr. Pack and marketing manager Stephanie Melcher and see a tour of their undersea themed health center. 

Tour this Underwater Shipwreck Health Center

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IDS: Why did you decide to add theming to your space?

Dr. Pack: We decided to add theming to our space because we wanted to do something that would set us apart from the other clinics around us and in town. We really wanted to add theming to make our clinic an inviting place for the kids to want to come and get their dental care. Obviously, dental care can be a scary thing for a lot of people and we really wanted to take some of that fear out of it by making it a fun and inviting atmosphere.

IDS: How has theming helped the Community Health Center?

Dr. Pack: I think it helped give us an identity. A lot of people don’t know about Community Health Centers and a lot of people in our town don’t know that we’re even located here up on the hill. I feel like the theming we’ve done helps people to know that we’re here and put us on the map in Moses Lake.

IDS: Do you find that patients are more relaxed when entering the Community Health Center?

Dr. Pack: Definitely! I think that they are a lot more relaxed. This environment has a lot more color, it’s a lot more inviting, and they come in and they’re just wowed by all of the theming. That makes it easier for them to be relaxed about getting dental care. 

IDS: How would you describe the reactions from patients when they come into the office for the first time?

Dr. Pack: The patients are in awe, and not just the kids, the adults also. When they first walk in and they start going up the stairs and they see the whales they just light up. They’re amazed and they can’t stop talking about it. When they come back to the operatory and we let them back in the back they often comment on how amazing it is and how they really love the theming.   

IDS: Are you gaining new patients as a direct response to theming?

Dr. Pack: That’s really hard to quantify but I would say that we are. I think that anytime you get good word-of-mouth from current patients that that helps bring in other patients. Our schedules are full at the Moses Lake location and they keep getting fuller. Our dentists are very busy, our hygienists are very busy and we’re getting new patients pretty much every day. In fact, we’re getting so many new patients that sometimes it’s hard to find places on the schedule for them.

IDS: What has the staff’s response been?

Dr. Pack: The staff takes a lot of pride in our clinic. They love our space. They feel blessed to have it. Especially all of us that were here in our old space. Our old space was much darker, lacking in color, it was more stark and sterile. This is definitely something for the staff to be proud of and I think that they are. Everybody works really hard to keep all of our equipment and finishings very nice so it looks new. We’re about two years in and it still looks like the day they put it in. 

IDS: How do you personally feel seeing the theming every day?

Dr. Pack: It makes me smile. It makes me happy. I was heavily involved in the planning process, and I’ve been here for many years so I remember what we were like downstairs and even though we had a professional work environment it was just different. Every day I come up here and I’m happy to be here. I feel blessed to have this nice clinic and the theming just really adds to that. I think it just makes it a more professional space. 

IDS: What previous issues has theming helped solve?

Dr. Pack: I would say that we have a lot of anxiety. A lot of patients come in for dental emergencies, we see a lot of kids. I would say this has definitely helped reduce their anxiety, give them something to get their mind off the procedures and their fears, and really focus on something fun and upbeat. So I think it has done a good job in helping our patients feel more comfortable in our clinics. And like I said about identity. I feel like it helps give us an identity and sets us apart from the many dental clinics that are around, and other health centers that are around also.

IDS: Would you consider adding more theming to other areas in the future?

Dr. Pack: Definitely! We have talked about adding more theming to other areas. I think it makes the space more professional, more inviting, and I would like to see it continued not only in other spaces here in Moses Lake but at our other clinics as well. We would like to do something in Quincey to make that space very inviting for the kids and for the families. So definitely would want to add more. I would like to add some finishing touches to some of the things that we’ve done here. Maybe add a few more characters in the back office to match with the operatory and murals we have in there.  

IDS: What do you think are the most important benefits of theming?

Dr. Pack: The most important benefit of theming is the effect that it has on the families, and especially the kids. They love coming here, they love seeing the characters and they love interacting with the toys. It just makes it a place they want to come to and they want to be. That makes doing dentistry easier because they’re focusing on some things that they think are less scary and that allows us to do the work that’s so important. It helps us to really improve their oral health because this is a place that they want to come to and they want to keep their appointments, they want to come back. The parents don’t have a hard time when their kids want to come to their dental appointment.

IDS: How was your experience working with IDS?

Dr. Pack: IDS was really great to work with. They listened to us, they listened to our concerns, they gave us great ideas. When we were first trying to decide what we wanted to do and they came back with some of the under-the-sea drawings, we had some concerns that maybe it would be too kid-friendly and uninviting for adults. They took that into account and they used that in their design. I think we came up with something that is very inviting for adults and families, not just the kids. They were awesome to work with and they came up with an amazing product.

IDS: What do you think of the quality?

Dr. Pack: The quality is amazing. I initially thought “it’s going to be some kind of foam” and I thought “how is this going to hold up” and I had some concerns, but honestly it looks brand new. We have some areas that the kids really interact with. Our look-out mast that is a round circular sea with the turtle and spyglass – the kids just climb all over it. You would think that it would look kind of beat up after two years but it looks brand new. So the quality is very high, it holds up well, it looks amazing.

IDS: Would you recommend IDS?

Dr. Pack: I would recommend IDS for anybody that was putting some kind of medical clinic together. I would recommend it for anybody that is trying to cater to kids and their needs and their unique personalities. So definitely.

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Dr. Brett Pack is the Chief Dental Officer at Moses Lake Community Health Center, a non-profit, community-driven and patient-centered healthcare organization. 

See the full underwater office theme here.

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Interested in learning more about themed environments? Check out these related resources on IDS customers:

See more examples of underwater theming here.

Hear more great stories of happy IDS customers here.

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your office from a mundane to magical patient experience. Or download our inspiring look book and start imagining the possibilities in your office.