A dental clinic has to support patient arrival, consultation, treatment, storage, equipment services and the doctor’s own routine within the same floor area. Reception needs to feel clear and organised. The clinical zone needs privacy and coordinated services. The doctor also needs a private place to step away between sessions.
Studio Archifiction designed and delivered this 1,500 sft dental clinic and doctor’s chamber in Gulshan-1, Dhaka for The Oral Dental Care. The turnkey scope covered space planning, interior design, fit-out and site supervision, keeping the drawings and the built work under one team.
The project also became an important lesson in working inside an older building. About one year after the original 2022 fit-out, termite activity affected concealed timber elements. We returned in 2023, coordinated renewed specialist treatment and revised vulnerable internal framing in metal where practical.
Planning the chamber around three privacy zones
The central planning decision was to organise the chamber by access and privacy rather than treating it as a collection of separate rooms.
Public zone: reception and waiting
Reception and waiting form the public face of the practice. The layout keeps the main passage open and gives arriving patients a clear place to wait without standing in the circulation route.
Semi-public zone: treatment and consultation
The doctor’s chamber contains the dental treatment chair and consultation table. Patients enter this zone from the waiting area when called. The separation helps the clinical team control movement and protects consultation privacy.
Private zone: doctor’s rest space
The doctor’s rest room sits at the deepest and most private part of the plan, away from the patient route. Protecting this space supports the practitioner through a long working day and prevents staff-only movement from cutting through reception.
With the three access levels established, patients can move from reception into the clinical area without entering the private rest space. The doctor can move between the chamber and rest room with limited exposure to the waiting area. This is what makes the 1,500 sft floor feel controlled rather than crowded. We use the same discipline when planning compact commercial spaces.
What happened after the original fit-out
The original fit-out was completed in 2022. About one year later, termite activity associated with the older building affected concealed woodwork within the interior fit-out.
Anti-termite treatment had been completed before the original work. The later damage showed that the existing building still carried a risk. We reopened the affected areas and revised the construction approach for the 2023 refit instead of treating the visible damage as a surface repair.
This part of the project is more useful than a handover photograph alone. Older buildings can contain hidden conditions that become visible only after occupation. A responsible fit-out process needs a clear response when that happens.
How we approached the 2023 refit
Specialist treatment before reconstruction
The affected areas were reassessed and treated by the pest-control team before reconstruction restarted. The treatment method and timing were handled as site-specific specialist decisions rather than as a universal interior specification.
Metal framing for concealed substructures
We replaced concealed timber framing with metal framing where practical. This reduced the amount of vulnerable timber inside the joinery and partitions, especially in locations that would be difficult to inspect after completion. It did not make the project termite-proof, but it reduced dependence on concealed timber at critical points.
What the refit changed in how we work
The experience changed how we review joinery substructures for projects in older Dhaka buildings. We now treat concealed framing, existing moisture conditions and pest-control coordination as early design decisions rather than late construction details.
The same discipline applies to our renovation work inside existing and occupied buildings, such as the office renovation for SPARRSO and the UNDP office renovation at IDB Bhaban.
Turnkey design, fit-out and supervision
Studio Archifiction handled design consultancy, fit-out and supervision under one scope. When the termite issue appeared, the same team could review the original construction, revise the detail and coordinate the rebuild. The client did not have to manage separate designers, contractors and supervisors with unclear responsibility.
We also provide design-only and supervision-only services when a client already has a contractor or construction team. This project sat within our consultancy, renovation and fit-out service in Dhaka, which covers turnkey delivery, work inside existing buildings and site supervision from drawing to handover. Clinic and professional-practice interiors also sit alongside our office interior design work.
Frequently asked questions about doctor’s chamber and clinic interior design
How should a doctor’s chamber be zoned?
Most doctors chamber interior design briefs in Dhaka should start with the same move: three levels of access. Reception and waiting form the public zone. Treatment and consultation form the semi-public zone. The doctor’s rest space and staff-only functions form the private zone. This makes circulation, privacy and acoustic control easier to resolve before equipment and finishes are fixed.
What makes a dental clinic interior different from a standard office interior?
A dental clinic requires tighter coordination between equipment, plumbing, drainage, electrical points, cleaning requirements, storage and patient privacy. These services are fixed early and can be expensive to relocate after occupation. The floor plan should therefore respond to the equipment list before the visual design is finalised.
What should be ready before the design starts?
Prepare the floor plan, dental equipment list with make and model, number of practitioners, expected waiting capacity and target opening date. Equipment dimensions and service positions directly affect the treatment-room layout and working drawings.
Are termites a risk in older Dhaka buildings?
They can be. Older buildings may contain concealed termite activity, previous damage, moisture problems or vulnerable timber construction. A qualified pest-control specialist should assess the site and define the treatment method. Interior detailing can reduce exposed or concealed timber where practical, but it is not a substitute for professional treatment and inspection.
How much does a doctor’s chamber or dental clinic interior cost in Dhaka?
Cost depends on the floor area, number of treatment rooms, equipment and services, plumbing changes, custom cabinetry, finish standard and whether the scope is design-only or turnkey. We prepare the scope and itemised BOQ after reviewing the floor plan, equipment list and existing site condition.
Does Studio Archifiction handle construction or design only?
Both. This project covered design, fit-out and supervision under one turnkey scope. We also provide design consultancy or site supervision separately when a client already has a contractor.
Planning a dental clinic or doctor’s chamber in Dhaka?
Send us your floor plan, equipment list and preferred opening timeline. We will review the zoning, service requirements, existing building condition and fit-out scope before recommending the next step. You can also see how we handle startup office planning in Dhaka.
Project architect and reviewer: Kazi Mohammad Alam Kaiser, Principal Architect, Studio Archifiction.
