Alan Clarke: thinking outside the box
by Rowan Thomas
Alan Clarke on the brave and bold decisions made that helped Paste Dental create an energising and inspiring space.
How did it feel when your name was announced?
We were so pleased and humbled for our practice redesign to be recognised across the whole island of Ireland.
We made brave and bold decisions to create a new style of environment, to really take a step back and look at what functionality and aesthetic we wanted to bring to the space and what reference points were important for patients to put them at ease and make their experience as positive and memorable as possible.
We are a design led team of creatives and art heavily influences our style and the way we work as clinicians. To have references to Basquiat, Yves Klein and Warhol in our space energises and inspires every day!
What do you think have been the main benefits of entering the awards?
The awards were a really useful experience for our team to reflect and look at what we have done and to then refocus and see what this year will bring and how we push the practice forward.
It also allowed us to communicate with our patients about the level of attention to detail we put into every aspect of their experience, not just clinically, but from the moment they enter the building.
It was a real bonding experience for our team, working together on a shared goal and the elation when we were recognised, put into perspective all their hard work and dedication.
What do you think the Irish Dentistry Awards are doing for standards within the profession?
I feel that the awards are raising the bar as to what the industry aims to deliver for patients!
Patients benefit when businesses want to think outside the box and innovate and come up with new ways of delivering expert care.
It further lets patients recognise clinics as not just a service provider, but a team of people that are working tirelessly to ensure they have a super positive experience at every visit.
What advice would you give to people thinking of entering the awards?
The bar is high, but genuine care, attention to detail and innovation will be acknowledged.
What is your favourite product in the last 12 months?
Pearl AI, second opinion technology. This is a game-changer for our clinic and we were so pleased to be one of the first clinics in Ireland to be able to provide this level of diagnosis to our patients. Honestly, it is so good and we just love it and the team there.
Will you be entering the awards again?
Yeah, absolutely! Practice of the Year here we come!
The Irish Dentistry Awards 2023 take place on 9 September at Clontarf Castle, Dublin. For more details, visit www.irishdentistryawards.com.
