When purchasing a new dental chair, there are a range of options available to suit the unique needs of your practice. However, the process of selecting from a vast range of choices can be daunting; how do you know which is the best fit for your practice?

Luckily, the team at Henry Schein Dental is here to help, so that you know what to look for when browsing through all the excellent options from KaVo, Morita, Planmeca and A-dec, in order to find the best pick for your practice. There are five key components to a dental treatment centre: the chair itself, the dentist’s delivery system, the assistant’s unit, the operating light, and any multimedia features. Alongside these components, it is also crucial to consider factors such as ergonomics for both the dentist and patient, ease of use, versatility, future-proofing, and the profile of your average patient.

When considering the range of optional extras and preferences, it ultimately comes down to four primary categories: functionality, efficiency, comfort, and aesthetics. By evaluating each of these key areas, you can ensure that you select the optimal dental chair for your practice.

Functionality

The treatment centre needs to enable the dentist to complete the range of treatments the practice offers. It is not enough to be fit for purpose, the dental chair must be perfect for purpose, to enable you to get the most out of your investment. Thankfully, the range of functionality available today is far-reaching, and no matter what you need, the right chair for you exists.

Consider what types of treatments the practice is offering. Do you need the chair to support endodontic treatment? If so, you will want to choose a chair that can offer an apex locator, for example. If your practice offers implantology, you may want to choose a chair where the implant facilities are integrated into the dentist’s unit.

Furthermore, are you planning on expanding your range of treatments in the near future? If so, you may want to consider investing in a chair that will enable those new treatments. Or perhaps you want to invest in a chair that is more compatible with digital dentistry, to keep up with the growing industry trends.

If you have a mix of left and right handed dentists and assistants at your practice, you may find it important to select a truly ambidextrous chair, such as the KaVo E30, Planmeca Compact i3 or the A-dec range.

Other considerations of functionality include lighting and multimedia:

Will the lighting configuration eliminate shadows and stay cool to work under? Do you need integrated multimedia to be able to effectively deliver treatments and communicate with patients?

Efficiency

With such a key piece of equipment it often isn’t enough that it can do something if it can’t do it efficiently. No one wants to wait around for sluggish functionality - not the dentist who has more patients to see, nor the patient reclined in the chair.

Often the key to efficiency is integration. If you are going to be doing a high volume of X-rays, then getting intraoral X-ray devices and sensors that are integrated into your dental chair is going to save valuable time. Also, more integrated functionality will often mean that there is less clutter left on surfaces, which will improve efficiency and hygiene, and also remove trip hazards from trailing cables of ancillary items.

If there are multiple dentists using the same room, programmability that allows dentists to save their personalised settings, such as in the KaVo uniQa or Planmeca Compact could be invaluable to your practice efficiency.

Another aspect of the dental chair which can be streamlined is the assistant’s unit. You need to consider if it is beneficial for the assistant to be able to quickly access any integrated multimedia from their own unit. Furthermore, some models offer integrated suction tube flushing and disinfection, which can also increase overall efficiency.

Comfort

Comfort cannot be overlooked when looking for a new dental chair. When thinking about comfort, it’s important to consider both the dental operators and the patient themselves.

Dental chairs are heavily used, and an uncomfortable chair can be miserable for the dentist and assistants working around it all day, as well as potentially increasing the anxiety of patients, especially during long procedures.

Dentists and their assistants will both be working long hours at their dental chair, so their comfort is paramount.

The configurations offered by the chair need to allow maximum accessibility for the dentist to get close enough to the patient to work comfortably. Operator stools must be comfortable, adjustable and easily movable – and importantly the stool chosen must suit the individual using it. Uncomfortable seating can lead to back pain, fatigue, and other ergonomic issues, ultimately affecting their ability to perform at their best.

Other important considerations include:

Easily adjustable height options, easy reach of foot pedals, touchscreens, and any other controls.

Whether a patient is in for a short checkup or a long treatment, making sure they are comfortable is a must. For one it will play a vital part in making sure their impression of your practice is a positive one, and for two, a comfortable, relaxing dental chair can go a long way to calming nervous patients.

Areas to consider for patient comfort include:

Headrest - how adjustable is it, will it work for patients of all shapes and sizes?

Upholstery - is it durable and easily cleaned, does it offer support for patients with back problems?

Seating - does the chair offer a knee break or fixed leg design?

The Morita T500 offers features such as soft motion technology, rotational headrest, and the option of an extendable backrest, which bring together patient and dentist comfort.

Aesthetics

While not as clinically important as the three categories above, aesthetics is not something you can afford to ignore. As the centrepiece, a sleek dental chair can transform the look and feel of the treatment room, even better if the upholstery matches your branding.

Nature offers spectacular hues in abundance. For KaVo, this kaleidoscope of colours is a source of inspiration that has led to the new ‘Inspired by Nature’ colour collection and to a collaboration with Berlin-based artist Jans Echternacht.

So don’t overlook looks - if there is more than one option which meets your functionality, efficiency, and comfort needs, then think about the aesthetics of your practice and let that be the deciding factor.

Extra advice

For an easy guide to help you navigate the range offered, check out our dental chair comparison matrix, which covers a comprehensive range of models from KaVo, Morita, Planmeca and A-dec.

Finally, Henry Schein has a team of equipment experts available to contact if you have any further queries - general or specific - about which dental chair is best for your practice. Contact us to book a showroom consultation.