Innovative Build-Out Headquarters for Nashville-Based Dental Company
Specialty Dental Brands, a dental support organization, has experienced explosive growth in recent years. Founded in Nashville, Specialty Dental Brands (SDB) has grown from supporting 13 dental offices in 2020 to more than 220 locations in just over 2 years. Their team has also grown to more than 2,000 employees — many of whom work remotely across the country.
Rapid growth, combined with a new hybrid work model, created the need for a new headquarters in Nashville. The team at SBD used this opportunity to design and build out a flexible, fun, and modern office space that is crucial for the culture and work environment the company wanted to create. Specialty Dental Brands secured more than 15,000 sq. ft. of space in a redeveloped lumber mill in The Nations — a neighborhood located in West Nashville. When it came time for SDB to build out its new headquarters, the team turned to Crain Construction to manage the project.
“I worked with Crain in 2016 on a dental project in Hendersonville,” explained Michael Schwartz, CEO of Specialty Dental Brands. “I was very impressed with the quality and timeliness of the work.”
Construction began during a time when the construction industry was experiencing unprecedented challenges related to supply chain issues and rising escalation costs. Knowing the potential issues, the team at Crain worked to problem-solve while meeting the project budget and deadline.
Project Manager James Williams and his team conducted early buyouts on supplies and were proactive in ordering materials to manage the cost escalation. The team also collaborated with subcontractors to find creative solutions when supply chain issues doubled the expected arrival timeline for HVAC units.
“We appreciated Crain’s transparency from start to finish,” said Michael. “You run into unexpected things in every project, but we were able to solve those problems quickly. Crain helped find solutions to make everything work.”
Crain finished the build-out in 2022 after installing all new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing, and putting in new flooring. The team also worked with office furniture partner Vari to install the furniture and modular wall systems that will allow SDB to reconfigure the floor plan if needed.
“Our team loves the new office and it has been great for recruiting new talent. When people visit the office, they fall in love with it immediately. We have numerous team members who choose to work every day in the office even though we have a hybrid work schedule.”
The team at Specialty Dental Brands was grateful for the collaboration and connections Crain provided while navigating all potential obstacles to construction.
“The entire project was incredibly collaborative. Crain has connections in the industry to source materials and engage the subcontractors needed to work on projects.” Michael expressed. “The team at Crain can be described as professional, transparent, and honest people.”
Project Details:
- 15,000+ sq. ft. build-out
- Innovative open-concept office design
- Navigating supply chain issues and escalation issues
Project Team:
- Owner: Specialty Dental Brands
- Architect: STG Design
- Contractor: Crain Construction
- Engineers: Wilson Girgenti, LLC
