There are a handful of unique challenges when designing and building for dentists, and we’ve got a long history of finding practical solutions for these projects. Though they’re generally just a few thousand square feet, dental offices need to have treatment rooms, imaging space, an inviting lobby, administrative offices and lots of distinct specifications with respect to what we call MEP—mechanical, electrical and plumbing.

First, the bad news: Because of supply chain issues and labor shortages, it’s harder than ever to get something built. But here’s the good news: We’re working harder than ever to make sure our clients get the buildings they need on budget and on time.

Dow Smith Company designs and builds churches, medical facilities and commercial buildings. While we know these buildings are just “stuff,” we design and build them to be alive, filled with energy, activity, and purpose. A key part of any project—big or small—is making sure that our clients have the right building for their mission.

But the cover can tell you an awful lot! The same is true with companies, churches and healthcare facilities. If the parking lot is filthy, the building looks run down and there are cracks in the walls, what assumptions are you going to make about the people who run the place?

It is my hope that we’re all leaving 2021 and entering 2022 a little wiser. With that in mind, here are the lessons I learned last year…

Dow Smith Company has been a part of C12 for years now and has benefited greatly by the advice and counsel of our peers: other Christian CEOs and Executives.

While our main focus is on church, healthcare and commercial construction, we’re always honored to get a call from a local non-profit organization that needs our services.

We recently started work on a 75,000-square-foot steel-framed facility for Murfreesboro Medical Center on the corner of Shores Road and Birchtree Drive off of Veterans Parkway.

The building, located on Forbus Drive in Christiana, has a welcoming lobby, plenty of office space, a spacious kitchen and a comfortable conference room with a wall that is decorated with a mural and pictures that tell the company’s history.

This guidebook outlines many of the things that you need to think about before you start a construction project. We call it “The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Your Sanity and Your Wallet During Construction.”