A dental clinic must follow certain guidelines, safety norms, and standards. A thorough understanding of the business, staffing, legal aspects, and quality control protocols will help in the proper management and successful running of the dental clinic.
These guidelines for dental clinic setup are recommended to provide:
- Optimum services to the patients
- Minimize patient risks
- Comply with safety regulations
- Improve the effectiveness of treatment
These guidelines are applicable to both experienced dentists and new graduates who want to practice in any branch of dentistry, such as General Dentistry, Endodontics, or Aesthetic Dentistry.
What are the key guidelines for dental clinics?
Before you set up your dental clinic, consider these questions:
- Can your patients commute easily to the location of your clinic?
- How qualified are your staff?
- Are you maintaining the minimum healthcare standards?
- Are you providing the best quality services to patients?
Key guidelines for dental clinic:
Management standards
- The dental clinic should be registered with IHRA and PMC
- The clinic registration or license number should be displayed on sign boards
- Door plates should display the name, qualifications, and other details of the practicing dentist/dental surgeon
- Display consultation hours
- Hire qualified and experienced administrative staff including security guards, receptionists, and dental assistants (dental technicians and hygienists)
- Abide by the minimum qualifications for dental professionals that is BDS and MDS
- The clinic management and staff should be aware of the relevant regulations and laws
- Address patient complaints and grievances
Clinic infrastructure
- A well-managed reception area and waiting area for patients
- Separate toilets for male and female
- Spacious and well-lit dental rooms with top-notch facilities for patients
- Proper arrangement for emergency care
- In-house or tie-up with diagnostic or radiology labs and ambulance services
Hygiene and infection control
- Designated staff should be properly trained and educated about their responsibilities in hygiene maintenance, infection control, and waste management
- Regular sterilization of dental rooms and common areas to prevent infections and diseases
Patient care
- Clinical records of patients should be properly maintained and stamped with dates, time, and unique identifications
- Patient entries and records should be made by authorized people, kept private, and not disclosed to outsiders
- Dentists should take informed consent from patients and their families before examinations and treatments
- Maintain complete privacy for patients during consultations, procedures, and treatments
Necessary dental instruments and furniture
- Adjustable dental chairs with soft-cushioned padding and armrests for comfortable sitting
- Dental unit with a dental chair, water distiller, control panel, hand piece, autoclaves, etc.
- Modern tabletop sterilizers
- Adjustable operating light
- Aesthetic and multi functional dental cabinets
- Dental hand pieces like probes, examination mirrors, tweezers, pliers, dental turbines, ultrasonic scalars, etc.
- Restorative or filling instruments
- Dental surgery instruments
- Mobile dental stools
- Advanced diagnostic machines for X-rays and digital imaging
- Dental sterilizers
- Dental composites
- Reverse osmosis (RO) filters
- Protective gear like masks, face shields, gloves, etc.
- Clean and hygienic curtains or plastic blinds
- Waste bins (foot-controlled) with black garbage bags
- Medicines stored in locked medical refrigerators
- Cabinet lamps with halogen or LED lights
Reception area furniture
The reception area should have adequate facilities to accommodate patients and their family members. There should be enough computers, printers, fax machines, telephones, an intercom, a notice board, and a suggestion box for feedback.
Complementary drinking water facilities and a beverage area for patients. Informative and educational brochures that list practicing dentists and services provided in the clinics.
Final thoughts
Establishing a dental clinic is a mammoth task. It requires a lot of paperwork, licensing, and registration with the local authorities, recruiting qualified staff, and above all ensuring top-quality services to patients. Dental academies like AADEINDIA provide hands-on courses for new dentists and experienced professionals to improve their expertise. As a new-age dentist, it is important to keep yourself updated and well-versed with recent advancements in general dentistry.
