About the Dental Stool: Which is More Important, the Patient's Comfort or the Dentist's Posture?

The primary function of the dental stool is to put the patient in a convenient position for treatment. The doctor should be able to easily access the oral cavity without being forced to maintain a constant posture for a long time.

The design of the dental stool should minimize the ergonomic risk of musculoskeletal problems caused by the doctor, and at the same time, the dental stool should fully and comfortably support the patient.

The design of the dental stool sacrifices the consideration of the operator's posture, and the pursuit of patient comfort, aesthetic appearance or mechanical design considerations will increase the potential risk of repetitive strain injury.

Ⅰ. Proper posture of the clinician using the dental stool

1. The back should be vertical and not bend.

2. The thighs should be level with the feet lying flat on the floor, so that the hips can bear the weight.

3. Relax your shoulders and arms, do not lift or stretch.

The correct posture is best obtained by lowering the dental stool between the legs, working between 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock, and working on the side that requires more bending, extension, and leg separation.

Ⅱ. Important features of the dental stool

1. The narrow and thin chair back allows the clinician to move closer to the patient without bending over. The legs should straddle the chair without touching the knees and not forcing the thighs out too far.

2. The adjustable headrest supports the patient's head and neck in a comfortable position. It should not reach under the back of the dental stool and touch the doctor's leg or knee.

3. The height adjustment should be able to be lowered to be low enough to accommodate short doctors, and it can also be raised to high enough to satisfy standing doctors.

4. There is a sufficient range of backward tilt to treat patients who are in a vertical or horizontal position. If necessary, lower the head to below the chest to treat syncope.

5. The armrest should be able to accommodate and support the elbows and upper arms of adult to infant patients. The handle and forearm support should be of convenient size and easy to place, and the dental stool armrest should not restrict the doctor's access or force the legs to be too far apart.

6. Use comfortable pads and lumbar support to give patients sufficient physical support, without the possibility of tenderness to the limbs.

7. Convenient and intuitive control, located on both sides of the dental stool, with programmable preset positions and foot control functions.

8. The smooth outer surface is convenient for disinfection and cleaning, and resists abrasion and chemical deterioration.

9. Reliable mechanical structure has the ability to react and move smoothly when lifting large patients.

10. Optional features of personalized dental stool that meet clinical needs (such as: transmission system, operating light, water supply, choice of fabric and color, added padding, heater, massage, spittoon, rolling base, etc.).

Every doctor has unique needs, desires, personality sizes, and preferred postures, which should be taken into consideration when choosing an operating chair.

Visit the dental chair supplier before buying a dental stool and try the dental stool yourself. No dental stool under evaluation has all the expected characteristics or becomes the best choice for all clinicians and patients. However, when the clinician and dental stool are in the correct position, all dental stools can function clinically.