When it comes to design and furniture, colour is a fundamental element in creating an aesthetically pleasing and welcoming environment.
This is even more important in dental and medical practices, where the use of colour has the additional function of making patients feel at ease.
It is therefore important to pay particular attention to the choice of colours in this sector: following the latest trends can be useful in increasing patient satisfaction.
In this article, we will examine the main colour trends for 2023 and focus on the importance of colour in the interior design of medical and dental practices.
Colour trends for 2023
Colour trends for 2023 show a marked shift from cold tones to warm neutral tones such as beige, cream, light brown, light grey and olive green.
There are also stronger colour trends that focus on a trendy colour range, i.e. reds, represented for example by the Pantone Color Institute – an international reference – choosing the shade ‘Viva Magenta’ as the colour of the year for 2023.
However, these colours must be used sparingly in medical practice furniture, as an excess of these shades can create an overly stimulating environment, which could be a source of anxiety for patients.
In fact, the choice of colours used by a medical or dental practice can have a significant impact on the patient’s state of mind and therefore their perception of the practice and the care they receive.
How colours affect patients’ emotions and behaviour
Colours have the ability to interact with people’s well-being and behaviour, and in certain environments, such as surgeries and clinics, they can influence patients’ perceptions: shades such as green and blue can convey calm and serenity, while bright and warm tones such as red can cause agitation and even lead to higher blood pressure and heart rate.
It is therefore highly advisable to create an environment that is appropriate to the activity and that also promotes the well-being of the client, in this case the patient. This is why it is an excellent idea to follow the principles of colour therapy, also known as chromotherapy, when choosing the colour options for a clinic.
The importance of chromotherapy
Chromotherapy is a discipline based on the correspondence between colours and their ability to have specific effects on the human body, harnessing their healing potential in relation to specific needs.
According to these principles, the nervous system and other related systems respond to specific stimuli, including exposure to colour, which can have an effect on the respiratory or cardiac systems, for example.
For a more in-depth analysis, follow this link to Tecnodent’s blog article on the subject.
The colours to use in dental and medical clinics
How to choose the best colours for your practice?
If, as we have mentioned, we unconsciously associate each colour with a reaction that can have a direct effect on our well-being and our organism, we must take this into account when defining the objectives for those who are about to undergo medical or dental treatment.
For this reason, especially in places such as doctors’ surgeries, which can often cause anxiety and fear (and, in extreme cases, actual phobias such as odontophobia, as discussed here), it is a good thing to use colours to make the patient’s experience as pleasant as possible.
In general, according to the principles of colour therapy, the colours recommended for surgeries are muted or cold tones, which have a calming effect and can even help to slow down a patient’s heart rate, leading to a sense of relaxation.
The exception is children’s areas, where vibrant colours are recommended, as they are synonymous with happiness and cheerfulness and make younger patients feel at ease.
Finally, it is always worth remembering that white helps to create a sense of brightness, cleanliness, and hygiene, which are fundamental elements for a dental or medical practice.
Medical and dental surgeries: what colours to avoid
If, as we have seen, cold tones are the most suitable for medical practices, it follows that care must be taken with the dosage of brighter and warmer tones.
Colours such as red and orange have a “stimulating” effect on the human physiology, also because they can be associated with danger, emergency, a sense of urgency and alertness.
The use of such colours in practices could lead to a kind of “state of permanent agitation” in patients, who would not be able to relax during visits.
But care must also be taken when using white: whilst it conveys a sense of cleanliness and order, which is particularly appreciated by adults, it can also convey coldness, making it more difficult to establish an empathic relationship between patient and doctor.
It should therefore be used sparingly, especially in surgeries where children are treated, as they are more conditioned by colour and may feel more tense and intimidated by the dentist.
Tecnodent colour palette
Tecnodent has created a vast range of colours that can be adapted to any type of dental practice or meet the needs of doctors and patients, as well as interior designers, with the aim of creating the best possible psycho-physical conditions for the people who use the environment.
Years of studies, surveys, market research and customer feedback have enabled us to offer our products in a wide range of colours.
All the options and our colour ranges can be found at the bottom of every page on our website.
Conclusions: what colours to choose for dental and medical practices in 2023
To sum up, colour is definitely a fundamental element in creating a welcoming and reassuring atmosphere in your medical or dental practice.
Colour trends for 2023 focus on relaxing and natural colours, which can help create a welcoming and reassuring environment that meets the needs of patients.
The use of colour can therefore influence patients’ perceptions and their willingness to return to a particular medical or dental practice, as well as differentiate the business from the competition.
The strategic use of colour to improve the success of your business is therefore a strategy that should be carefully considered, not least from a marketing perspective.