Start here · Operatory · Basic chairside skills
Seating the patient
Also called: seating
Get the room ready, help the patient in, and tell them before the chair moves.
Before the patient comes in, the room is cleaned, barriers are on and the instruments are ready. Lower the chair, raise or swing the armrest out of the way, and invite the patient to sit. Place the patient napkin and protective eyewear, review the medical history as your office directs, and tell the patient before you recline the chair. For the upper teeth the patient is usually supine (lying back with the head, knees and feet at about the same level); for the lower teeth the chair back is often raised a little.
What it is used for
- Ask about comfort and adjust the headrest.
- Wash your hands and put on PPE after the patient is seated and before you touch anything for treatment.
Safety and care
- Some patients (for example, people with some breathing conditions) are more comfortable semi-upright, and a patient in late pregnancy may need to be tilted onto her left side; ask the clinician.
Related
Sources: Boyd LD, Mallonee LF, Wyche CJ. Wilkins' Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist, 14th ed. Jones & Bartlett, 2024, Dentalcare.com (Procter & Gamble) CE643: Four-Handed Dentistry (Basic Tenets; Zones of Activity; Instrument Transfer), University of Queensland. Dentistry Environment Essentials: "Operator and patient positioning", Gehrig JS, Shin DE. Fundamentals of Periodontal Instrumentation and Advanced Root Instrumentation, 9th ed. Jones & Bartlett, 2023 (plus Newman & Carranza's Clinical Periodontology), Malamed SF. Medical Emergencies in the Dental Office, 8th ed. Elsevier, 2022