Saco River Dentistry
Photos
Project Name
With a mission “to provide the highest quality comprehensive dental care possible, in an ultra-friendly and comfortable environment with as much compassion as the human soul can take,” Saco River Dentistry is not your average dental office. The new, 8,300-square-foot, state-of-the-art dental office building – located in Buxton, Maine – is meant to be a physical representation of the mission of this forward-thinking practice.
Constructed on the same site of the practice’s original facility – an 1800s-era farmhouse and adjacent barn – the building’s design was inspired by the desire to incorporate the practice’s original rustic style into the design. The team worked closely with the ownership and a local timber framer to conceptualize a building that would support the growing, community-focused dental practice and enhance the village center. The aesthetics of the building and its interior spaces were of utmost importance to the team at Saco River Dentistry; they believed firmly that good design that removed any of the sights, smells, and sounds of “your grandparents’ dental office” could alleviate the fear and anxiety that often surrounds a visit to the dentist.
The timber-framed administrative wing is connected to the clinical wing with a light-filled glass connector with each wing overlooking a landscaped courtyard. The traditionally-framed clinical wing includes state-of-the-art operatories bathed in natural light from large windows framing views of the surrounding lush landscape and scenic, rural vistas.
Materials selections drew from the overall desire to bring the outside in, honoring not only the practice’s original home but the practice’s owner, an avid Maine outdoorsman. Reclaimed wood, ledgestone, and post-and-beam elements balance the use of crisp white and the practice’s highly-technical exam and operating suites. Completed in December 2017, the practice has seen a new patient increase of 428% (an average of 260 new patients per month). In 2018, the project was awarded an Outstanding Design Innovation award from the Dental Office Design Competition.
Construction Cost – $2,850,000