Making the Most of Your Dental Office Lab

In-office dental labs come in all shapes and sizes. Some practices might rely on a modest arrangement consisting of a simple workbench and a handful of essential tools. Others might leverage a state-of-the-art setup, outfitted with the latest and greatest equipment for same-day digital dentistry. And while one office can afford to devote an entire room to their lab, another might try to squeeze it into whatever space they can spare—even among a closet full of supplies.

In any case, as the hub where clinicians and technicians create and perfect dental restorations and appliances, the lab is a crucial component of the practice. As such, it’s important that lab workstations maximize productivity and enable efficient workflows. At the same time, as with any area of the dental office, the lab setup should aim to preserve the health and safety of the personnel that will put it to daily use.

With these criteria in mind, let’s look at some key considerations for the dental lab, alongside several workstation solutions from Nevin designed to meet the mark.

Functionality First

When setting up your office’s dental lab, you can start by taking a functional approach—this means ensuring that the layout will accommodate all the work you’ll be doing in the area, as well as any related equipment and supplies. A messy, overcrowded lab can quickly become a bottleneck both to productivity and safety, so it’s a good idea to start by making a list of everything that will take up space, from specialized equipment down to workbenches, stools, and even waste receptacles. Likewise, even though there’s a premium on space in most offices, experts advise against placing lab workstations in the break room or an in-use closet. Note that some pieces of equipment also may require connection to utilities like air, gas, electricity, or water, so be sure to consider this infrastructure as well.

A smart way to get the most out of your lab space is to invest in a workstation with integrated tools and storage. DENTALEZ’s Nevin Workstations, for example, feature an integrated dust collection system that keeps the work area clean and safe while allowing you to control the volume of dust collection and choose between manual or on-demand suction. The latter option automatically starts when the lab handpiece (micromotor) starts and stops a few seconds after the handpiece stops, so you never have to worry about accidentally leaving the unit running. The dust collector also has a control panel with indicator lights that monitor and display the performance of the filter bag and dust collector motor. Nevin Workstations additionally include ample storage space for tools and materials, an integrated gas line, and retractable air gun, plus a built-in 2.5x magnifying lens on an articulating hinge located over the scoop to conserve desk space.

Ergonomics & Safety

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a highly prevalent phenomenon in dentistry, affecting as many as 95% of industry professionals. To address this problem, we can look to ergonomics: the science of fitting a job to a worker. In the dental lab, ergonomically designed workstations can greatly minimize the incidence of MSDs while also enhancing overall productivity. Having 2 case pan shelves located at eye level and within arm’s reach, for instance, reduces discomfort and hassle for lab technicians while freeing up counter space and affording better organization. In addition to this shelving configuration, DENTALEZ’s Nevin Workstations include overhead color-correct lighting to enable accurate shade matching of restorations and prostheses to natural teeth without eye strain. Nevin Workstation lighting boasts a color rendering index (CRI) of 93, making it comparable to natural sunlight and therefore optimal for esthetic shade matching, and can reportedly deliver 10,000+ hours of true color-correct light.

Also included in all Nevin workstation solutions are movable and removable armrests. These help workers maintain the ideal ergonomic position while seated and take the strain off wrists and forearms, reducing the risk of MSDs and injuries caused by repetitive motion. DENTALEZ additionally offers the ergonomically designed Simplicity Stool, which features 5 casters for improved stability during position changes. The Simplicity Stool is available with 3 different types of upholstery and comes in over 30 colors.

Planning for the Future

As with any investment, you want your office’s dental lab to stand the test of time. Many lab countertops and cabinets are made from wood or laminated particle board, materials that are susceptible to warping and other damage over time caused by moisture in the environment. DENTALEZ’s dental lab benches, however, are designed to last 20–25 years, as they are made from durable, 100% powder-coated steel and feature solid surface or stainless-steel countertops. These workstations also carry a 1-year warranty, extended to 2 years if installed by a Nevin Workstations team.

Finally, when planning your dental lab, it’s important to look ahead—be it same-day crowns or 3D printing of appliances like nightguards and clear aligners, there’s a good chance that you’ll want to bring new services to your practice in the future. Each of these will require additional equipment, so you want to be sure that your lab setup can accommodate or be reconfigured accordingly. Instead of locking yourself into a fixed workstation setup or cabinet installation, consider a more adaptable approach: like building blocks, modular Nevin Workstations dental lab furniture and equipment are made to be moved and combined, making them solutions that can grow and evolve with your practice.