In the past, veterinarians used to perform dental procedures on animals in their general treatment area or surgical suite. However, with the growing importance of dental hygiene for dogs and cats, more veterinarians are now considering specialization and creating dedicated areas for dental treatment.
Connect CRE recently spoke with Terravet Real Estate Solutions CEO Dan Eisenstadt about this trend and its impact on veterinary-specific real estate.
Dan Eisenstadt:
Can you tell us more about the increasing interest in veterinarian dental care?
Of course. Over the last decade, there has been a greater recognition of how vital veterinary dentistry is for dogs and cats. The American Veterinary Dental College was only fully accredited in 1995, leading to an increase in boarded veterinary dental specialists. As awareness grew among general practices regarding regular dental care’s significance, many have established special suites or designated areas equipped with X-ray machines for oral surgery after pets are anesthetized.
Are we seeing a rise in specialized pet care within vet practices?
Absolutely. With more boarded specialists available now than ever before, many general practice vets have come to understand how crucial regular check-ups are when it comes to maintaining good oral health – they can even help identify issues like oral cancers earlier than previously possible! Additionally,
many progressive clinics have recognized that offering comprehensive dentistry services can be profitable by boosting revenue streams while also encouraging pet owners’ frequent visits.
How does this affect vet real estate?
Traditionally speaking; most standalone animal hospitals were converted houses or small freestanding facilities occupying less than 3k square feet; however over recent years we’ve seen purpose-built structures designed specifically as modern animal hospitals exceeding 5k sq ft become increasingly popular – largely due to growth within specialty fields such as dentistry which require additional space compared against traditional exam rooms & operating theatres etc.. This shift towards larger purpose-built facilities often means renovating existing spaces & reconfiguring layouts so that these new dental suites can be integrated seamlessly. As a result, many practices have opted for larger renovations to accommodate the need for dedicated dental areas.
What’s the forecast for veterinary specialty spaces?
We believe that there is a bright future ahead for general practices with five or more doctors operating out of modern, purpose-built facilities exceeding 7k sq ft – including designated space specifically allocated towards dentistry services & multiple exam rooms allowing several vets to work simultaneously. Terravet REIT specializes in developing and owning these types of buildings; as such our average property size exceeds 10k sq ft!
