Perfect Practice celebrates two decades of excellence in dental practice design and construction.
By Danny Chan
It is said that a leader’s most important role is to set the culture of the organisation. As Perfect Practice marks its 20th anniversary as a leading specialist healthcare design and construction company serving dentists across Australia, we can see the company’s leadership ethos permeating two decades of stellar output.
A family-owned business with a singular focus on healthcare, particularly dental practices, Perfect Practice has carved out a reputation for its attention to detail, technical expertise, and commitment to delivering exceptional results. Tellingly, these were the very traits identified in Lester Arnot, Founder and Managing Director of Perfect Practice, that led to the founding of the fitout firm.
Applying blue-chip experience in the dental field
With his previous work involving elaborate timber and steel structures, engineered for reputable clientele including mining giant BHP as well as local councils across multiple states, Lester’s contribution on highly technical projects over the years provided an ideal experience base for managing the complex building processes found in dental surgery construction.
“So when I started this business, I naturally applied that mindset and asked myself, “How can we do this better? How can we ensure smooth project execution? What’s the optimal sequence of activities to achieve the best results in less time?” he recalls.
“You can imagine there are hundreds of tasks involved in putting everything together; There are more than a dozen trades all playing their part, and it’s crucial to organize each task in the right sequence and for sufficient time to do what needs to be done, to a high standard, and without cutting any corners.”
Systematic and creative problem-solving experience
Over the last two decades, and with a team that includes architects, interior designers, technical CAD drafting specialists, project managers, site supervisors and their support team, Perfect Practice has amassed a wealth of practical, hands on health project experience.
Working on over a thousand dental projects has honed an innate ability to anticipate potential issues and enable taking proactive measures to resolve them before they escalate.
“Inexperience becomes costly when learning-on-the-job project personnel, blindsided by unforeseen problems, delay the project while they scramble to implement hasty solutions. This can leave a client at risk of rapidly escalating costs from delays and additional scope variations. A sub-optimal outcome and highly stressful client experience is almost guaranteed,” Lester explains.
“Thus, early identification of potential challenges and addressing them promptly and cost effectively in the design phase of a project is a key aspect of leveraging our expertise.”
Each project is entrusted to one of the company’s highly experienced project managers, all of whom possess at least 15 years of project management experience in the construction industry. They implement Perfect Practice’s meticulous and comprehensive construction methodology that encompasses every aspect of the project, which is then documented in a detailed Gantt chart for daily progress tracking.
“This tried and proven methodology ensures the ideal sequence of tasks is followed and assigns specific timeframes to each activity. Then, to ensure nothing is left to chance, these timeframes are confirmed and locked in with every key stakeholder to ensure guaranteed delivery on our critical dates,” Lester explains.
“Getting the timing right is crucial, as it allows us to provide transparent and honest communication with the client regarding project timelines.”
The client’s time is precious
Lester instils in his teammates a deep sense of appreciation for the client’s scarcity of time, making sure they understand the value of meeting deadlines.
“We emphasize the significance of meeting deadlines as it directly impacts our clients’ operations and relationships with their staff, patients and business operations,” he reiterates.
“Failing to meet project deadlines not only creates significant inconvenience but also incurs financial losses for clients, such as expensive clinical downtime costs, so it is simply just not an option we consider.”
Ten out of ten
The family-owned firm currently employs 60 people, including several members of the extended Arnot family.
Having interviewed a number of their customers, the impression I have of the Perfect Practice team is that of a well-oiled machine. Whenever the conversation turned to what these customers thought of individual team members or discussing about their work ethics, the level of appreciation has been effusive.
Likewise, in a recent email interview, Sydney-based dentist Dr Amir Ameri had this to say about the Perfect Practice team:
“They made the entire process feel easy and smooth. They were like a big family that works cohesively,” he compliments.
“They each had an immense level of experience from planning, design, functionality and construction. They walked us through the entire process and were always accessible to answer all of our questions and concerns.
“Their customer service and work ethic was to the highest of standards. Everything was completed in a timely and efficient manner. The results were far better than anything we could have imagined.”
Dr Ameri had engaged the team to construct his Westpoint Dental Clinic in 2010. When it came time to refresh the interiors in 2022, he went right back to his trusted renovators.
Yet again, Perfect Practice rewarded Dr Ameri’s trust and loyalty with a sublime makeover that has bowled over staff and customers alike. Living up to the company’s brand name, Dr Ameri gives the final fitout a perfect score.
“We have lost count on the number of people walking by who have popped in to compliment us on the look of our dental clinic,” he gushes.
“We have definitely attracted a lot of new patients. We also love working in this beautiful environment.”
Perfect vision
These comments echo Lester’s own when asked for his vision of Perfect Practice now and into the future.
“I don’t believe my response is particularly inspiring, but I feel that our true vision lies in continuing to be a reliable, valued, and trustworthy practice design and construction partner for dentists and doctors, the go-to people for peace of mind and a top-notch result,” he says.
Being the process-driven person that he is, Lester listed three key pillars that guide the company’s present efforts, and which he believes will continue to lead their future endeavours.
Interestingly, all the objectives are taken from the perspective of the customer: Creating an inviting space for patients; ensuring practitioners feel a sense of pride and satisfaction when they step into their practice each morning; and attracting top-notch clinical staff.
“When practitioners work in a beautiful, appealing and efficient environment, they are motivated to do their best. Such surroundings also make it easier to recruit exceptional staff,” he elaborates.
“Imagine conducting a job interview in a stunning space. When candidates walk in and think, `This would be an amazing place to work,’ it sets a positive tone.
“An inspired and motivated workforce, in turn, enhances the patient experience. By focusing on these three pillars, we strive to foster success in every project, as they synergise to create manifold benefits.”
These key pillars continue to define the organization envisioned and successfully built over the past 20 years. While solidifying its position in the healthcare arena, Perfect Practice’s meticulous approach to dental fitouts is sure to inspire a new generation of excellence in the industry. Upholding our core family values of honesty and integrity ensures a high level of trust between clients and the Perfect Practice team. “We take immense pride in being entrusted to design and deliver a clients dream practice and would never commit to a project we would not be proud to open ourselves. We have one chance to get the design right and we draw on our extensive experience to do so – first time, every time.”
