I realize a trip to the dentist is about the most feared biannual activity in which one “ought to engage.” Keeping teeth clean is daunting enough. What percentage of the population flosses regularly? One way to make it more manageable – and dare I say enjoyable – is a soothing setting. For years, my dentist was located in a nondescript office building. When she relocated, I was in search of somewhere new. From the most unlikely of sources, a mailer, I found a dentist in a LEED certified facility, so I gave it a shot.
Wynkoop Dental in Lower Downtown Denver (aka LoDo) is located in a recently constructed building, among hundred year old warehouses. The LEED certification is for Commercial Interiors. For a bit of background,
LEED for Commercial Interiors is the green benchmark for the tenant improvement market. It is the recognized system for certifying high-performance green interiors that are healthy, productive places to work; are less costly to operate and maintain; and have a reduced environmental footprint. LEED for Commercial Interiors gives the power to make sustainable choices to tenants and designers, who do not always have control over whole building operations.
Certification for the project can be found here. Among the dental office’s features, there are cloth “bibs” instead of the disposal ones I remember from my childhood (and more recent, if you can call 5 years ago recent) visits to the dentist. In addition, there were cloth hand towels in the bathroom instead of paper towels or electric hand dryers. High ceilings and tall windows provided lots of natural light, though for privacy, shades were drawn.
According to their website, Wynkoop Dental is “doing our part to perform ‘green dentistry’. Including the use of paperless charts, lower radiation digital x-rays, sterilizable instruments and supplies as well as washable headrest covers.”
The office is located at 1401 Wynkoop St, just a few blocks from the light rail at Union Station and a number of bus lines one block away. I was able to easily ride my bike to my appointment, as the office is situated just off a bike trail that does not compete with automotive traffic, making the ride that much smoother.
Now if brushing and flossing my teeth were just as easy.
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