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The A-dec 500- A chair for every dentist and every patient
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When creating a product, especially in the healthcare industry, brands can find themselves limited in trying to cater to every type of patient. When medical equipment limits who can comfortably and safely use it, this can alienate entire demographics of end users and exacerbate existing challenges they may already face. This is certainly true of bariatric dental patients. Research into this topic has found equipment safety and suitability of dental chairs as a main concern when providing dental care for treating bariatric patients (GeddisRegan et al., 2019). When querying several dental chair manufacturers, Reilly (et al) found that the maximum lifting weight for modern chairs is approximately 140 kg (23Ib) – a maximum lifting weight that isn’t compatible with bariatric patients who weigh over 159kg.
Further research highlights how patient anxiety varies amongst patients who are obese and those who are a “normal” weight, with obese women experiencing a higher rate of dental-related fear (Marshall et al, 2016). Whilst dental anxiety isn’t exclusive to obese patients, this fear can lead to a harmful cycle of seeking symptom-driven dental care rather than attending regular checkups. This oversight regarding obese patients and equipment design has led to dental professionals restricted in their provision of care, with many suggesting alternative care options like dental hospital referrals or refusing treatment altogether due to safety weight limitations. Beyond safety, the Equality Act details the need to ensure every individual receives equal access to services regardless of physical disability (Equality act, 2010). With Public Health England estimating obesity to affect 60% of adult men and 50% of adult women by 2050 (England, P.H., 2017), healthcare providers must act to ensure their surgeries can accommodate this fast-growing demographic of future patients.
How the A-dec 500 is limiting limitations The A-dec 500 dental unit was manufactured for everyone’s comfort and safety. With a maximum lifting weight of 227 kg (35 Ib), dental professionals can rest assured knowing they won’t be restricted in who they can treat safely. Venkata Kalisetty of Willow Street Dental shares his experience buying an A-dec 500 for his bariatric patients. “Having a powerful chair that could handle 35 Ib was non-negotiable as we needed to fulfil an NHS contract which required the install of at least one dental unit that caters to bariatric patients.
“We went to various brands and multiple showroom appointments, but found it incredibly difficult to find a dental chair that would be equally safe and comfortable for our bariatric patients.
“We were so pleased to see the variety of features that accommodate the comfort and safety of our bariatric patients. From the backrest with wide wings that help cradle the patient’s shoulders to the wide chair base that provides amazing stability when lifting.” Venkata Kalisetty, Willow Street Dental
At A-dec, we take pride in ensuring our range of reliable and versatile equipment exceeds the expectations of our customers, but also believe that this should always extend to their patients. We understand that for some people visiting the dentist may come with its own set of challenges and apply that to our design process ensuring that every patient experience is a positive one.
To find out more the about our thoughtfully designed equipment, visit https://unitedkingdom.a-dec.com/ dental-chairs/a-dec-500
