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Back when I was getting paid to scour the earth for Trekkies, I naturally tried looking up the cast of the 1999 documentary, Trekkies. There were many stand-outs who were lovingly showcased in all their fan-tastic glory, but perhaps none so brilliantly as the Orlando-based dental office, Starbase Dental, where the hygienists have been known to rock Enterprise jumpsuits and you can watch sci-fi films as your molars are tapped for decay.
The office was originally operated by Dr. Denis Bourguignon, featured in Trekkies, but since his retirement the dream lives on under the guidance of friend and partner Dr. Surendra Gopal Sirivolu–who is admittedly more a fan of Star Wars,
hence some of the minor renovations (and aren’t posters of grinning wookies just so magically able to walk you through any amount of pain?).
I’m all for theme offices, absolutely. And if you’re going to go for it, I think you should go all out. But some doctors offices have the worst interior decorating, and some I’ve been in are just plain disturbing. Like the supposedly beloved NYC OB/Gyn whose office walls were plastered with framed pictures of trophy hunting coups right next to the requisite licenses. Classy. Oh, and an autographed shot with Mel Brooks. Didn’t quite set the tone I was hoping for, but what are you gonna do? Anyone else have opinions about the decor of doctors’ offices?
I think it would be fun to work in a theme office. I like dressing up and am an admitted dork though so that probably has something to do with it.
posted by Amy on 12-17-2007 at 3:59 pm
The trophy-hunter’s Ob-Gyn isn’t quite as bad as my first Gynocologists’ office. A humorless man, for one, I was taken to because he was my mother’s AND grandmother’s Gynocologists’, who was ONLY interested in delivering babies.
He told me my case of Vulvodynia was just me being ‘frigid’.
Gee. Sorry I’m not contributing to your life dream of handling every womb-vacancy in the greater metropolitan area, dude.
posted by Brammi on 12-17-2007 at 10:25 pm
Not a theme office, but a fond memory of doctor’s office decor. One of my childhood doctors had a shelf full of Peanuts characters. Looking at their smiling faces made it easier to put up with the ice-cold, tickling stethoscope and other unpleasant things that went with a kid’s visit to the doctor.
posted by MandC on 12-18-2007 at 9:25 am
Hey Becky! Just to set the record straight, I didn’t retire from dentistry. I opened a new office in Clermont, Fl. with the same kind of sci-fi theme. In fact, the new office has a star dome and front desk looking like the main bridge on the Enterprise! I”m still going where no dentist has gone before! My web site is newagedentist.net Come check me out!
May the Floss be with you! Dr. Denis Bourguignon
posted by Denis Bourguignon, DMD on 2-29-2008 at 12:48 pm