DR. SANGITA DOSHI’S top priority — promoting happy, healthy smiles — is reflected in every design trait of her Columbia, Maryland, pediatric practice. It begins with its logo, a tree made up of circles in varying sizes and colors that represent her patients’ age range. She crowdsourced the logo design; family, friends and patients helped her pick the winning entry.

Interior doors feature frosted glass with a one-inch reveal to put young visitors at ease.

“It’s intimidating for parents and kids not to know what’s behind a solid door,” Dr. Doshi says.

The sterilization center in the middle of the treatment area offers an unobstructed view, a touch she likens to the way an open kitchen bridges the separation between diner and chef.                           

The vision for this decidedly kid- friendly practice, which opened in August 2014, began more than a year earlier with a seminar at Benco Dental’s CenterPoint  Design headquarters in Pennsylvania, in which Dr. Mark Tholen discussed how “work zones” help improve a practice’s flow. Dr. Doshi was sold; she and her architect had finalized their plans by late fall.                           

“The zones are a good way to run the practice,” she says. “You have separation  of reception from treatment areas and from treatment to staff areas. The mechanical is all tucked in the back. If anyone needs to service that area, it’s completely separate. That flow and separation helps the office function better.”                                                                                      

Construction took five months; the finished facility, Dr. Doshi notes proudly, appeals to all ages — and will only improve with time. “Neutral finishes with pops of color, and the ability to  accessorize with them, keep things timeless. I’m not one to be trendy. I didn’t want characters or details that were going to outdate the practice.”                                                                                      

Dr. Doshi’s future is as bright as those colors. Her staff numbers just three, but her practice can accommodate eight, plus two doctors. As she expands, she’ll continue to offer her patients — ages 0 through 18, plus special-needs adults — all the comforts of home, and the confidence that an open plan inspires.