Dental practices are constantly faced with decisions about what should be available in the treatment room. The patient decides how much they are willing to invest in their dental treatment, but it is up to you to ensure that their experience is top-notch. If a patient feels as if they are out of place in your office, they might not ever return.
Before we dive into the list with what should be in the treatment room, here are some general standards that you should absolutely always have available:
- A timer and/or clock to track appointments and time spent on any given patient (you can never spend too much time on each patient)
- Sinks with soap, paper towels, and/or hand sanitizer (cleanliness is very important)
- Cleaning tools – brushes, picks, etc.
- Water pitcher and/or cups for patients to use (hydrate!)
- Soft tissues, napkins, or tissues to clean patients’ hands
What are the must-have pieces of dental equipment?
Now that you have the basics set up, it’s time to look at some of the required dental equipment that you should provide in your treatment room.
Digital radiography
This is necessary to confirm a diagnosis. Some cases can be examined by visual inspections, but some patients present with regions of the mouth that cannot be seen on the surface. Digital radiography can give a great deal of insight into just how deep the mouth and jawbones are affected. Going digital also removes the need for fixer and developer chemicals previously used to develop slides.
Autoclave
A high-pressure steam autoclave is necessary for sterilizing all of your instruments. Without it, germs can grow unchecked and cause infections. Luckily, dental practices can get them for relatively cheap.
Dentist’s chair
A dental chair is necessary for many reasons. It must be placed where it can easily be seen by all of the dental staff, and it must be comfortable enough to spend long amounts of time in. It allows the dentist to sit comfortably while working and turn their head if they need to examine a patient’s bite area or examine under the germline. It also raises the dentist off of the floor, which helps prevent any accidental injury that might occur during a procedure.
Dentist’s stool
A dentist stool is also a good purchase because it allows the dentist to sit comfortably when examining a patient. This will help ensure good posture and that you will avoid the health complications of being bent over whilst working.
Dental chairside light/headlamp
A headlamp is a great tool to have. It allows the dentist to see into hard-to-reach areas of the mouth while simultaneously illuminating the patient. It’s much more comfortable than a traditional dental lamp, which adds an additional armrest or ring light. A headlamp will leave both of your hands free for working in difficult regions of the mouth, like under the gums or deep in the back molars, which can be hard to reach without causing any pain to your patient.
Outfitting a practice’s dental treatment room requires planning and an understanding of the profession.
