Proper dental health unit design plays a crucial role in enhancing patient care, optimizing workflow, and ensuring a safe environment for both patients and healthcare providers.
A well-thought-out design impacts various aspects of dental practice, including:
- Improved Patient Experience: A welcoming and calming environment helps reduce patient anxiety, making dental visits more pleasant.
- Enhanced Workflow Efficiency: Strategic layout planning minimizes unnecessary movement, streamlining procedures and saving time.
- Infection Control and Safety: Thoughtful design reduces the risk of cross-contamination by ensuring smooth flow between sterilization, treatment, and patient areas.
- Ergonomic Work Environment: Proper placement of equipment and workstations minimizes physical strain on dental professionals, preventing long-term musculoskeletal issues.
- Integration of Technology: Modern dental practices require advanced equipment, and accommodating these tools seamlessly within the unit enhances efficiency and precision.
If you want to know about the Types of slabs or Permeable concrete or Islamic architecture, please click the link.
1) Description
Dental Units may be attached to hospital departments, for example Emergency Units or Outpatients Units, or may be a freestanding department. Refer to Operating Unit for dental surgery as a function of an operating suite.
2) Planning of Dental Health Unit
i) Functional Areas
The Dental Unit will consist of the following Functional Areas:
- Reception Area and Waiting
- Office area for administrative and clerical activities
- Dental Surgery Rooms
- Support Rooms I including Clean-up Room, Laboratory, Store, Sterilising, X-ray processing area and Plant areas
- Staff Amenities which may be shared with adjacent Units.
ii) Functional Relationships
The Dental Unit in a hospital precinct may be located close to other Outpatients units. It should have ready access to Entry and Waiting areas and public amenities.
3) Design of Dental Health Unit
i) Environmental Considerations
Natural light – Maximise provision of natural light to areas where staff spend a large proportion of their working day.
Privacy – Privacy must be considered to treatment rooms and where confidential conversations are likely to take place. Acoustic privacy will be required in dental surgery rooms, offices, meeting and interview rooms.
Acoustics – Acoustic performance shall be high within the Unit, particularly dental surgery rooms, conference and meeting rooms.
ii) Space Standards and Components
Ergonomics – Refer to ERGONOMICS FOR HEALTHCARE FACILITY of these Guidelines.
iii) Safety and Security
The Dental Unit requires the following security considerations:
- The perimeter of the Unit shall be lockable
- Doors to all offices shall be lockable
- Rooms used for storing equipment and files must be lockable
- Provision of after-hours access and security for staff may be required.
iv) Finishes
Refer to ( will provide later ) of these Guidelines.
v) Fixtures and Fittings
Refer to ( will provide later ) of these Guidelines and Standard Components for information of fixtures and fittings.
vi) Building Service Requirements
Radiation protection requirements for Dental Surgery Rooms will require assessment by AERB. Compliance with any statutory authority regulations is required.
4) Components of the unit
i) Introduction
The Dental Unit will consist of a combination of Standard Components and Non-Standard Components. Standard Components must comply with details in Standard Components described in these Guidelines. Refer also to Standard Components Room Data Sheets.
ii) Non-Standard Components
Dental plant room
Description and function
The Dental Plant Room will accommodate equipment including water filtration equipment, silver water treatment system, dental suction plant and air compressors.
The Plant Room shall be a minimum of 6 m2. The size will be dependent on the amount of equipment to be accommodated and the layout.
Location and Relationships
The Plant Room should be located to minimise the impact of noise and heat generated by equipment accommodated within the room on adjacent areas. Access to the Plant Room though an external door is recommended as internal access may present noise issues.
Considerations
Services required for equipment may include compressed air, cold water and both single and three phase power. Additional requirements include floor wastes and tundishes for waste water, external exhausting for suction system air discharge and room ventilation.
There may be a requirement to include a pit in the plant room floor to accommodate an air venturi for the suction system. Remote isolation switches for plant should be considered (the sterilizing room or reception are ideal locations) so plant can be easily shut down at the end of the day.
Child education area
Description and function
A child education area may be provided to teach children teeth care and brushing techniques. The education area will consist of basins at child height and a mirror. The area may include more than one basin according to service requirements.
Location and Relationships
The child education area may be incorporated into a dental surgery room or as a separate within the Unit, with ready access to the Waiting areas.
Considerations
Provide warm water to the basins.
4) Schedule of Accommodation
Dental Health Unit Generic Schedule of Accommodation
Schedule of Accommodation for a Dental Unit with 2, 4 & 6+ chairs.
Please note the following:
- Areas noted in Schedules of Accommodation take precedence over all other areas noted in the FPU.
- Rooms indicated in the schedule reflect the typical arrangement according to the Role Delineation.
- Exact requirements for room quantities and sizes will reflect Key Planning Units identified in the service plan and the policies of the Unit.
- Room sizes indicated should be viewed as a minimum requirement; variations are acceptable to reflect the needs of individual Unit.
- Office areas are to be provided according to the Unit role delineation and staffing establishment.
- Staff and support rooms may be shared between Functional Planning Units dependant on location and accessibility to each unit and may provide scope to reduce duplication of facilities.
5) Functional Relationship Diagram
Dental Health Unit Functional Relationship Diagram
