Development of modified dental chair to accomodate both wheelchair bound patients and general population

Abstract

Background: Dental chairs are a vital tool in modern dentistry. Their design has paved the way for increasing improvement in dental treatment. Since the 1900's, the dental chair design has continuously evolved and transformed from manually operated mechanisms to recently automated mechanism, in spite of advancements a common obstacle faced by these wheelchair bound populations in using present dental chair is transfer. Wheelchair users need to be transferred from the wheelchair to other places many times a day. In most of the cases the wheelchair user does not possess the capability of transferring to a dental chair independently. Therefore assistance is needed either from dental clinic staff or from family and friends. This transfer of patients from wheelchair not just requires manpower but also creates unnecessary anxiety among the wheel chair bound patients.

Solution: Thus a modified dental chair was constructed which would accommodate the wheelchair bound patients to the dental chair without any transfer. This study highlights the mechanism of action of the modified dental chair.

Implication for rehabilitation

• Improve access among wheelchair bound patients to dental care services

• Decreases anxiety among the disadvantaged population in clinical set up

Keywords:

• Disability
• modified dental chair
• general patients

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.