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The assistant's side
Also called: assistant's cart, assistant's instrumentation
The suction, syringe and supplies within the assistant's reach.
On the assistant's side of the chair you will usually find the HVE, the saliva ejector and often a second air-water syringe, mounted on the chair, a small arm or a mobile cart. Supplies and the instrument tray sit in the static (set-up) zone where the assistant can reach them without stretching.
How to spot it
- Suction hoses and a syringe on a holder at the assistant's side, and a tray or cart nearby.
What it is used for
- Lay out instruments and materials in the order they will be used, within forward reach.
Safety and care
- Barrier the hoses and holders, or clean and disinfect them between patients.
Related
Sources: Dentalcare.com (Procter & Gamble) CE643: Four-Handed Dentistry (Basic Tenets; Zones of Activity; Instrument Transfer), CDC. Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings, 2003. MMWR 2003;52(RR-17)