WHEN DR. SCOTT VAN TIMMEREN realized he could enhance the beauty of his Wyoming, Michigan, community with one sound business choice, he didn’t hesitate, making the decision to renovate a former day-care center that had been vacant for several years.

“l liked the idea of taking a building that was a bit of an eyesore and making good use of the space,” says Dr. Van Timmeren, 34, a University of Michigan School of Dentistry graduate. “My realtor brought it up as a good option because of the savings we would realize using the existing
structure and utilities. It also gave us the best location in an area where frontage on a busy street is hard to find.”

The renovation vision he and his wife, Jennifer (also a dentist), had in mind came to pass quickly, in under four months. “Our goal was an office that would be inviting for all ages,” Dr. Van Timmeren says. “We’re proud that our practice serves a wide demographic, and we wanted to make sure our new space would serve each of them.”

Accordingly, he chose his team with care — among them Becky Schrotenboer, who runs an eponymous design firm in Grand Rapids, Michigan, near Dr. Van Timmeren’s practice. “She understood our goal of a space that felt new and clean, but not so modern or time-specific that it would feel like it belonged only to a certain design period.”

To select new equipment, Dr. Van Timmeren kept his staff and patients in the front of his mind. “We chose patient chairs that allow for better ergonomics for everyone,” he says. “We chose a sterilization system that shows our patients that we’re doing everything with their well-being in mind.”

A CenterPoint Design Experience influenced him throughout. “There’s nothing more valuable in this part of the process than going to one of Benco Dental’s design centers,” he notes. One part of the practice has a play area, while the opposite end of the room caters to adults with a Keurig beverage center and comfortable Herman Miller furniture (see page 58).

“We’re most proud of how dramatic the change in the space is,” Dr. Van Timmeren says. “The day-care space was beaten-up, dirty and vandalized; now it’s bright and clean. The design of the exterior draws people’s eyes as they pass. People are amazed by how it has changed in just a short time.”