Fort Bend Dental elevates the standard for comprehensive quality care under one roof.
With practices in Missouri City and Richmond, Texas, the doctors and staff at Fort Bend Dental provide comprehensive general and specialty care for their patients all under one roof. Fort Bend Dental celebrated its 30 years in practice in 2017 and in 2020 opened a new 10,000 sq. ft. facility in Houston suburb Missouri City – just a stone’s throw away from their previous office.
The Fort Bend team pictured from left to right: Back row: Dr. Randal Glenn, Dr. Kevin Baethge, Dr. Brian Machart, Dr. Dwight Peccora, Elizabeth Lobdell, Dr. George Jabbour, Maria Elena Chavez, and Patricia Langham. Middle row: Yoana Yurova, Rachael Wilson, Allyssa Lee, Larissa Kulak, Arcena Fountain, Lauren McKenzie, Roxana Martinez, Jenny Caballero, Mischel Faltysek, Jen Ross, Sonya Simms, and Kelley Acosta. Front Row: Jennifer Campos, Heira Giles, Tierra Brown, Jade Valle, Kafilat Haleem, Angela Zamora, Katie Acosta, Trenisia Key, Karissa Bower, Sevie Cole, Trenise Butler, Cori Zimmerman, Erum Khanani, and Synteche Simple.
Group Practice is the Name of the Game
Being one of the earliest group practices in the nation when established in 1987, Fort Bend Dental partner doctors worked diligently to create a team culture of education and personal professional development to further the purpose of achieving comprehensive care under one roof for their patients. By allowing each doctor to continue to develop their skills with extensive continued education and clinical accountability, Fort Bend Dental quickly became known as a leader for quality dental care in the Houston, Texas area.
Continuing to fulfill their leadership in the professional community, Fort Bend Dental built their new facility to include a 40-person continuing education facility to support the growth of the whole medical community in the area. As Managing Partner, Dr. Dwight Peccora said “a rising tide floats all ships”, believing that each professional has a responsibility to grow the profession as a whole, not just his or her individual practice.
For this reason, Fort Bend Dental Missouri City’s new facility not only includes 16 operatories (which include 2 full operating rooms), but also boasts a full in-house lab, 14-person conference room, 40-person continuing education facility, and a wing of business administration (human resources, accounting, and operations) to support not only their practices but to help support many practices needing additional business expertise to survive financial crises, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
An open, spacious waiting area greets patients as they check-in for their appointments.
Motivation for Opening New Building: Accommodate Growth
As Fort Bend County continues to be one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation, Fort Bend Dental believes the purpose of their size and growth is to stay on par with the growth and needs of the community. With that in mind, Fort Bend Dental knew the area needed more of a “dental hospital” with all specialties – orthodontics, braces, endodontics, emergency services, and more – all under one roof to serve their patients comprehensively and with same-day care. The practice had been in the same building since 1987 until they moved into their new headquarters facility in May of this year.
Fort Bend Dental acquired a practice in Richmond, Texas, in 2011 to help support an overgrown Missouri City practice that had patients traveling for over an hour to be seen. “We found it our responsibility to ensure those patients driving so far to see us had access to comprehensive dental care locally. So, the Fort Bend Dental Richmond practice was established to serve the more eastern and southern portions of the massive county of Fort Bend. In the meantime, work began on the new headquarters that now houses executive offices to support both the Missouri City and Richmond locations. “It’s been a blessing to build something of this magnitude for our patients,” says Dr. Peccora.
The lab with a full digital workflow lead by certified dental technicians that are part of the daily same-day care of all the patients.
New Facility Includes Larger In-House Full Service Lab
“We’re now able to do almost everything in house,” says Peccora. “We knew the quality of care was high – but now we’ve brought in other experts in-house to make sure we are responsible for every step of the process for our patients.” Fort Bend Dental Labs, housed within the facility, boast a full digital workflow lead by certified dental technicians that are part of the daily same-day care of all the patients at both offices.
Known for their dedication to continuing education, the new Fort Bend Dental office boasts a 40-person continuing education facility flanked by a wall of large windows.
CE Classroom for the Community: With its new 40-seat continuing education classroom, Fort Bend Dental not only provides CE classes to staff but also offers the classroom to other dentists and the community. “We’re proud of this project,” says Burkhart’s Regional Manager Rick Patterson. “But we’re really proud for them,” he says. “Their philosophy is not just to do normal dentistry. It’s to raise the level of dentistry everywhere. They hold CE events in their classroom and invite other doctors in. I admire them for that.” “Although they want to have a successful business, their objective is to raise the level of dentistry in the whole community. They have set up a facility in which they can help people get better.”
Two operatories are dedicated operating rooms.
Equipment and Technology Increases Value
As advisors, Burkhart staff recommends equipment and technology solutions to help clients meet their goals by using a consultative approach. Burkhart team members worked with the whole Fort Bend Dental team on their equipment and technology needs in their new facility.
One of the biggest improvements, according to Peccora, has been they now have access to a CT from every operatory. They also have CAD-CAM technology throughout the facility and every operatory has the ability to provide treatment for patients immediately, even out of the hygiene operatories.
16 operatories allow the practice to accommodate growth.
Equipment in the new building includes:
- Access to CT from every operatory
- CAD-CAM Technology
- A-dec chairs and delivery units
- Midmark chairs for surgical operating rooms
- Doctor operatories: A-dec electric motors
- 2 Sterilization Labs
- Hygiene operatories: Built-in ACTEON® Piezo ultrasonic scalers
- Sterilization: SciCan Hydrum Instrument Washers
- A-dec Mechanical Room: 3 Dean air compressors, 2 vacuum systems
The bright, warm feeling extends even to the sterilization room where cabinets and organization are key.
Production Increases 35 Percent
As of the end of July, Fort Bend Dental had been in the new office for two-and-a-half months. “We are now producing over 35 percent more in this place – even during the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Peccora.
“We believe patients are attracted to our new, clean office where they can spread out and get all their care in ONE appointment on the same day they come in. Our goal was to build a comfortable atmosphere and allow patients to have privacy.” The facility achieves this and more, with a massive reception/patient flow area that helps patients never feel like a number, and even a separate entrance and exit for the surgical wing for all surgeries and IV-sedated patients.
Individual check out areas allows patients to exit quickly and be treated individually with privacy.
Team Loves It and So Do The Patients
Staff Experience: “We wanted to create a space where staff would really enjoy where they work,” says Angela Zamora, Fort Bend Dental’s Director of Operations. “We wanted them to love where they work and be proud of it,” she adds.
Dr. Peccora adds the facility has also increased efficiencies. “Our team is more efficient because we now have a home they love,” says Peccora. “It’s really something that has elevated everyone’s desire to grow and better serve our patients by having so many resources at our finger tips.”
Patient Experience: “We try to think about the patient experience,” says Zamora. “Some have been traumatized by dental experiences in the past and we want to make them realize there is a new way to do dentistry,” she adds. They were able to do just that. “All the patients love it,” she says. “They can’t believe it’s such a beautiful space. Our patients have been very appreciative of how much thought has been put into this space.”
The practice’s central hallway presents a grand entry flanked with offices for each doctor on the sides.
Tranquil and Private
Peccora says the facility looks nothing like a dental office. “I think the biggest thing for this facility is that it feels more like a hotel,” says Peccora. “It’s so tranquil and private. We wanted to design it so patients could relax and give them an environment where they can feel confident about their safety and their care.”
The reception area includes a coffee bar and two large TVs. Tables and chairs are set up so patients can bring laptops and work. “We wanted to give people the opportunity to feel as if they are in their own living room,” says Zamora. “Especially now that many are working from home. They can log in to the guest Wi-Fi if they need to and work on our tabletops in the reception lounge.”
Meet the Fort Bend Dental doctors. Pictured left to right: Dr. Kevin Baethge, Dr. Scott Pinkston, Dr. Dwight Peccora, Dr. Brian Machart, and Dr. George Jabbour.
Advice to Doctors Considering Building a New Office
Dr. Peccora says he was thankful to work with a great developer and builder in the dental industry: Ymker Development/Ymker Building. “They supported us in every part of the process from bringing in the right architect, contractors, even finance and banking partners to make this project a reality. Their experience is what made this facility great – as they helped us build efficiencies throughout the whole facility in a way that patients and our team appreciate every day,” he says. “I’d recommend dentists focus on finding a builder like the Ymker team that knows how to budget properly, has experience, and has a network that can help you save money throughout the process. They really protected me from so many in the industry and banks who want to take advantage of professionals like us.”
Dr. Kevin Baethge, Rick Patterson – Burkhart Regional Manager, Dr. Brian Machart, Steve Rosenlund – Burkhart Equipment Specialist, Dr. Dwight Peccora, Mike Miller – Burkhart Service Technician, and Craig Causey – Burkhart Account Manager.
Burkhart Team Provides Expertise & Service
The Burkhart team including Regional Manager Rick Patterson, Account Manager Craig Causey, Equipment Specialist Steve Rosenlund and several others were there from the beginning to help turn Fort Bend Dental’s dream of a new office into a reality.
“Rick, Craig, and Steve – all three of them were integral in the process from beginning to end,” says Peccora. “They’d help me look at floor plans and make decisions, think about opportunities for patient care operational workflow. They owned the process. They felt it was theirs as much as mine. It was very empowering. Burkhart really stepped up to help us. They were very easy to work with and a part of the team, before, during the project, and now continuously after we moved in,” he says.
Realize your dream office potential and talk to your Burkhart Account Manager today. Learn more about Burkhart’s Office Planning & Design capabilities.
Written by Denise Ploof
Photo by Angela Zamora
Published in Catalyst – Fall/Winter 2020.
Category: Office Planning & Design
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