Dentistry Logos are a graphic designers dream! Think of all those available images: teeth, smiles, mouths, frothy bubbles and toothpaste, and tools. And no need for the "Do it Yourself" designer to worry about the clip art found in a Desktop Publishing program being used by a competitor. Why not? Think of how many dentistry Logo designs you've seen and how many include pictures of teeth. Teeth and tools tell the viewer the image represents a dental practice but do they really differentiate one practice from another?
Color and Graphics
There are plenty of things you can do with color and graphic enhancements to make your identity stand out from the rest. Colors used most frequently are white for smiles, and shades of red for mouths. If you want to be different, try different colors. To convey professionalism in their logos some include the medical image of a snake coiled around a staff. The abundance of available imagery means many Dental Logos end up looking cluttered and thus less functional. An image that can't be enlarged or reduced without diminishing the message of the identity can't be used in as many places as one that can be reduced or enlarged. A good image could be reproduced on a promotional shirt or hat as well as on letterhead or the web or in advertising and marketing materials.
Fear-Soothing Logos for the Dental Practice
Despite all those pictures of things associated with dental care, an image you'll never see anywhere is an image of a pair of pliers, or a drill. Why not? The answer is obvious: most people fear going to the Dentist. In fact, amongst medical practices, Dentists are the least popular. Some feel that logos that accentuate the positive aspects -- bright white smiles and foamy, clean teeth -- ignore this basic fact. Practices and suppliers and anyone needing a new company image who acknowledges this fear want an identity that promotes a calm and reassuring feeling. Think about this for a moment. The most frequent image appearing in Dental logos is one of an extracted tooth with roots showing. If you are one of the many who have a morbid fear of having your teeth pulled, what does an identity that depicts exactly what you are deathly afraid tell you? How about, Stay Away! But it is possible to design an image that deals with this unhealthy fear.
Designing The Identity
The Identity can convey a sense of reassurance by substituting graphical enhancements like graceful curving lines and soothing fonts and colors. Curving lines can be configured in the shape of a smile or of a mouth, without reminding viewers that the teeth are ultimately going to be involved here. Eliminating the teeth and tool images and substituting the universal medical shield symbol -- a winged shaft with two snakes coiled around it facing each other -- goes a long way towards reminding viewers of the logo that Dentists are trained Medical Professionals. While dentistry logos may be some of the most difficult to design, it can be done and it can be done well. If you want to take the easier "Teeth and Smiles" way, it becomes easier. For a reassuring image, consider hiring a professional design consultant. It will be worth the price.
