An Essential Dentistry Equipment List

Just as superheroes rely on their secret weapons, dentists trust in their equipment to perform crucial procedures. Modern management software from Cloud 9 and top-quality dentist office equipment is what allows you to serve your patients so well. Let’s run down the essentials of what your patients expect from you and how you can find the best tools for your needs.

Dental Office Equipment Checklist

A solid dentistry equipment list includes both large and small items to provide preventative care, surgical treatments, and everything in between. Below you will find an exhaustive list with subsections for patient comforts, orthodontia, the laboratory, handpieces, disposables, and prosthodontics.

There are a lot of materials required for a dental practice, but don’t get overwhelmed: starting with only offering simple procedures like cleanings will reduce the number of tools you will need. Later, once your practice is better established, you can expand your offerings and toolset.

Large Equipment

Allow the space in your floor plan to fit enough of each of the following:

• Sanitation and sterilization equipment
• Separation tanks, compressors, amalgam separators, and vacuums to provide pressurized water, suction, and air for your handpieces
• Floor mats
• X-ray imaging equipment
  • Traditional or digital
  • Patient safety vest
  • Film, film holders, developing equipment
  • Plates
  • Barriers, mounts
  • Illuminators
  • Chemicals
  • Loops
  • Racks
• Computers and monitors for the front desk and for each operatory room
• Dentist and assistant carts
• Ergonomic chairs for the patients, dentists, hygienists, assistants, the waiting room, the front desk, and the break room
  • Patient chairs should be adjustable and programmable
• Adjustable light mounted to the wall or ceiling
• Cabinets
  • Mobile and island cabinets if needed
• Compressor unit

For Patient Comfort and Safety

Patients expect certain things to be available to them when they come to your office. Here are some additional items for your dental office inventory list for patient comfort and safety:

• Water cups and sink
• Gauze and paper towels
• Protective eyeglasses (these are needed for you and your staff as well)
• Bib
• Tissues
• A handheld face mirror for the patient to see your handiwork at the end of the appointment, or to point out problem areas at the beginning of the appointment
• Magazine subscriptions and subscription to commercial-free radio or audio streaming services
• The essentials of a dental goody bag include sample toothpaste tubes, a manual toothbrush, mouthwash sample, floss, the bags themselves, and an appointment card to remind them of their next appointment.

For the laboratory

These items will perhaps be out of sight for the patient, but are critical to your services:

• Air blasters
• Light curing units
• Wax tools
• Tray materials
• Mixing bowls
• Milling blocks
• Stones
• Spacers
• Belts
• Buffs
• Clasps
• Bars
• Torches
• Cleaning alcohol
• Pressure pots
• Trap replacement materials
  • Gaskets, bottles, refill, etc.
• Wheels
  • Rubber, trimmer, abrasive

Handpieces and Smaller Supplies

A wizard has just one magic wand. You have many magic tools on your dentistry equipment list:

• Excavators
• Cements
• IV supplies
• Thermometers
• Drills
• Intraoral cameras and cheek retractors
• Cleaning paste
• EKG supplies
• Products to treat dry mouth
• Scalers
• Burs
• Whiteners
• Veneers
• Blades and cutters
• Laparoscopic equipment
• Small mirrors for the mouth
• Acrylic liquid and powder
• Curettes
• Scissors
• Autoclaves
• Dental dams
• Grommets
• Alloys
• Ceramics
• Needles
• Molds
• Burnishers
• Prophy angles
• Electric handpieces
  • Delivery systems to power them, mounted to your chair or as a standalone unit
• Fiber optic handpieces
• Air-driven handpieces (both high and low speeds)
• Syringes and local anesthetic
• Resins and composites
• Probes
• Tweezers
• Trays and cassettes
• Pliers
• Forceps
• Crowns and bridges
• Fluoride
• Toothpaste
• Painkillers and antibiotics

Other disposables

Additional items that will need to be purchased in bulk are disposables. Several may be used per patient visit, so expect to go through them quickly. Have several hundred of each on hand:

• Wooden tongue depressors
• Articulating paper
• Wells, sticks, pads, tips for mixing
• Disposable gloves
• Floss and threaders to access spaces obstructed by orthodontia
• Cotton swab applicators
• Cotton rolls to absorb saliva
• Sanitary tray covers
• Applicator brushes
• Dispensing tips

Prosthodontics

Prosthodontics requires some specialty equipment and supplies, such as:

• Dentures, adhesives, cases
• Denture brushes
• Articulators
• Impression materials
• Flasks

Orthodontics

Like prosthodontics, orthodontics also requires some specialty equipment and supplies, such as:

• Retainers and retainer cases
• Stick ties
• Expanders and screws
• Tissue guards
• Gauges
• Spacers
• Brackets and chains
• Wires
• Buccal tubes
• Elastic bands and removers
• Wax
• Plaster
• Face masks
• Hooks
• Adhesives
• Headgear transport pouches

Inventory Checklist for Your Dental Practice

That should cover your dental office inventory checklist. Beyond the technical items on a dental office equipment list, don’t forget the following items to accommodate your patients and staff:

• Plenty of hand sanitizers and air purifiers
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Bathroom and break room appliances
• Water bottles or a water cooler
• Brooms, trash bins, and trash bags
• Plenty of storage containers of various sizes: for handpieces, disposables, and surplus products. Closet and cabinet organizers will come in handy. Step stools may be needed for tall storage areas.
• Reception desk, calendar, business cards, and other administrative needs

Where to Purchase Your Equipment

If you are a dentist with a specialty in orthodontics,  here are some places to fulfill your supply list for dental office:

• A trusted name in the healthcare field, Benco Dental is the largest full-service, privately-owned supplier of dental equipment and services. Established over 80 years ago, this family-run business started as a single storefront in Pennsylvania and quickly became one of the fastest-growing distributors in the nation. They now serve over 30,000 dental professionals.
• Supply Clinic is an online marketplace that makes it easy to check off your dental equipment list. Compare prices and brands to meet your dental supply needs. Vendors dropship purchased items right to you.
• Dental Equipment Liquidators: Some items on your dental supply list are safe to buy second-hand. Useddentalequipment.net is an independent Florida-based seller that has been in the business for over 20 years.

Conclusion

By checking off your list of dental equipment, you have sorted out the necessary hardware for your dental practice. Let Cloud 9 handle the software. We offer cloud-based specialty dental practice management software optimized for more than one location, plus recovery systems in place to keep your data safe and secure. Request a demo to see how we can get you connected today.