Dental practice photography in Sydney: real photos of Glow Dental’s team, treatment rooms and technology

Glow Dental is a start-up dental practice in Haymarket, Sydney. They had been using generic stock photos from online libraries, then realised their customers wanted to see the real thing: the practice, its facilities and the dental team. So they asked me for dental practice photography to build a photo library of their own.

The brief: swap stock photos for the real practice

The photos had several jobs to do. Glow Dental wanted them for a new website, their social media profiles and local advertising, plus digital ads, promotional material and local area marketing. That meant a library with a bit of everything, not just a handful of headshots.

The brief covered four things: the Glow Dental team, the dentist working on a patient, the treatment rooms, and a mix of close-up and wide-angle photos that showed off the practice and its technology.

Photographing a working dental clinic

Dentist photography is a little different from photographing an office or a shop. A clinic is a clinical space first, so the shoot has to fit around how the practice works, not the other way round. These are the things I plan for on any clinic and healthcare photography job.

Patient privacy. In the treatment photos the patient's face is never shown. The camera sits behind the dentist and assistant, or the patient is framed from the shoulders down. You get a real treatment in progress without anyone being recognisable.

Masks and gloves on. The dentist and assistant kept their masks and gloves on, just as they would with any patient. Treatment photos should look like real treatment.

Treatment rooms. I photographed the rooms when they were clean, tidy and set up, from a wide angle so people can see the whole space, then closer for the chair, the instrument trays and the screens.

The technology. Patients like to know a practice is up to date. Glow Dental had screens above the chair showing X-rays and 3D jaw scans, so I photographed those on their own and with the team using them.

The team. Relaxed people make better photos. The solo portraits were shot against a plain light wall, and the group photo was taken while everyone was laughing, which says more about a team than a stiff line-up.

There were small, friendly details worth photographing too, like the soft toys and headphones sitting on the dental chair. Details like these tell people what it feels like to sit in that chair.

What a business client said about working with me:

“Paul was amazing to work with and a pleasure to be around! He created a great vibe for my staff to feel comfortable to take our website content. I would highly recommend Paul to anyone looking for a photographer for any kind of event.”
James Chalazia (Google review)

A shot list for dental practice photography

If you run a dental practice or another clinic, this is the shot list I'd start with. Match it to your website, so every page has a real photo.

Your practice: the front of the building and the signage, reception, the waiting area, and each treatment room from a wide angle.

Your team: a portrait of every dentist, hygienist and assistant for your About page, plus a relaxed group photo.

Treatment: the dentist and assistant at work, with the patient's face out of frame, and the team discussing X-rays or scans.

Technology and equipment: scanners, screens, loupes, instrument trays and anything that sets your practice apart.

Comfort details: the things that put nervous patients at ease, whatever they are in your practice.

Shoot each one in landscape and portrait, so your web designer has a photo for every layout.

Dental practice photography in Sydney

Real photos made a big difference to how Glow Dental presented itself online. Business photography starts at $495 for up to an hour, with up to 10 edited photos and a commercial licence included. See business photography in Sydney for what's included, or see another example in my Tailored Teeth dental practice shoot.