What You Need To Know Before Buying A Dental Chair

To make sure your dental practice is successful, the dental chairs that you choose need to be comfortable for your patients, your team, and you. If you are wondering how to go about finding dental chairs that are reliable and functional, and the types that complement the décor in your dental clinic, please keep reading.

Comfort

The ergonomics of a dental chair will have a major impact on whether your patients feel comfortable or not. Ergonomics will also affect the productivity of your staff and you. 

For The Patient:

The dental chair should provide ample cushioning and support. Some dental chairs are made to sync to the body of the patient when raised or lowered to eliminate having to reposition the patient.

Your dental chair should also include adjustable headrests, particularly when your practice provides dental services to children. The armrests should also be easy to move to allow the patient ease of egress and entry. 

For The Dentist:

The dental chair should feature a design that gets the patient near enough to the dentist so that they can perform their procedures in comfort while allowing the dentist to retain a healthy and comfortable posture. The width of the back of the chair is also important.

A wide back may provide comfort to the patient, but it can make it harder for the dentist to access the patient. Dental chairs with narrower backs will make the dentist's job easier, so look for something that will work for you.

The dental chair should feature mechanical-chair positioning which allows you to easily achieve the ideal access to each patient.  

Functionality

Modern-looking and elegant dental chairs inspire confidence in patients and will help to improve the effectiveness of the dentist. The latest chairs on the market provide multiple technological features, that include the following options:

• A touchscreen or a control panel with easy-to-access buttons to change the position of the chair, operatory accessories, along with the speed of lowering and lifting the chair. 
• Joystick-style foot control.
• Programmable-memory settings for the seat positions.

Regardless of all these features, the most vital feature of a dental chair will be its reliability. Whether pre-owned or new, your dental chair should be able to perform faultlessly for a minimum of 10 years from purchase. Check on reviews or testimonials from other dental practices, when you are not sure about a specific model. 

Aesthetics

Dental chairs are displayed prominently in a dental practice and are usually the first thing that a patient will see when they arrive for their appointment. Just about every dental chair on the market can be tailor-made with the finishes, fabrics, and colours to complement the décor in a room, so think about the size, style, and shape of the chair you prefer before deciding. Other considerations include:

Dental Operatory Configurations

Many modern dental chairs come with dental-delivery systems and chair-mounted lights to arrive at a comprehensive dental operatory package. These all-inclusive configurations are some of the most popular purchases.

Utility and electrical connections are already consolidated, so it does away with having to add mounting support and wiring to a wall or in a ceiling. Some of the configurations also allow for cabinet-installed or mobile cart delivery systems. 

However, if you decide to buy your dental accessories and dental chair separately, this will allow for a way to install the light fixtures or delivery system where you want it to be, such as mounted to either a ceiling or inside a cabinet. 

Final Thoughts

Consulting with reliable and reputable equipment providers and careful planning can help you to save money and do away with some of the guesswork involved in selecting dental accessories and equipment that is going to work well together.