It didn’t hurt that the Patterson team was well versed in building new offices, or that they were willing to help Lazaar anytime, day or night. Territory Representative Karen Segovia recalls more than a few evening and weekend calls with Lazaar. “We always kept her in the loop, because she was working hard at her existing practice during the day, so it’s not like she could project manage all of the details at the new practice,” Segovia said. “We promised her we would connect her with the best of the best and she really trusted everything we told her. It made the entire process a very seamless transition and as worry-free as possible for her. There are so many things that are involved and we viewed our role as making things less stressful for her, so she could keep her practice going. Basically, we said, ‘You be a dentist and leave the rest to us.’ She stayed open the entire time aside from the week they were moving.”

The working relationship with Patterson grew stronger thanks to the construction project. In the time since, Lazaar became a loyal Patterson customer and Segovia has realized they share much more than a business philosophy. “She is just such a lovely, lovely person,” Segovia said. “Her vision of what she wanted and who she is, matched up perfectly with the values of our company and my personal values, too.”

When it came time to transition the space from the offices it had housed previously to being a full-blown, modern dental practice, Lazaar had to turn her vision for the space into a plan.

“I wanted it to be luxurious for our patients,” she said. “I knew I wanted them to walk into a place that’s nice and relaxing and if they had to wait a little bit, they would be comfortable. They could sit down, look at the beautiful fireplace and read a magazine, like it was a treat being there. I had that in mind throughout the office, not just in the reception area. Even when I picked the dental chairs in the back, I kept that in mind and I picked the most comfortable chairs possible.”

In choosing her color scheme and décor, Lazaar spent a lot of time ensuring her office would have a clean, crisp look and feel. She wanted the office to look clean at all times, in part because she didn’t have that feeling at her previous practice. She also considered how she could improve her space from the perspective of her team, including selecting chairs that would improve the ergonomics at Smiles by Design – and they’ve already noticed the difference that makes.