Product Evaluation

Traverse Chair 

With hydraulic traversing capability and more room for rear delivery, the fully programmable Traverse chair is an ergonomic solution for dental practitioners. 

In a dental operatory where every inch of space needs to be strategically planned, it can be difficult to find a durable patient chair that is ergonomically designed for the clinician yet remains comfortable for the patient. Whether purchasing a patient chair to replace an old one or starting fresh in a brand new operatory, that chair needs to allow dental practitioners to position themselves behind the patient with easy access for all procedures— without sacrificing patient comfort or clinician ergonomics. 

Engle Dental designed the Traverse chair with hydraulic traversing capability to maximize the space in an operatory. Hygienist Debbie Alo found the Traverse chair to be the perfect solution for her small hygiene room. “The ability of the chair to traverse was a huge feature,” she said. “It makes the room easier to use, especially for tall patients.” Since the seat moves forward as the back of the chair reclines, the clinician can remain behind the patient while the chair positions itself. “There seem to be very few chairs that have the traverse feature,” Alo noted, concluding that her office “needs the traverse feature to comfortably accommodate tall patients in a small room.”

Dental Product Shopper gathered feedback from several clinicians who use the Traverse chair in their practices, and they all agreed that it is quite worthy of recommendation to other dental practices.

Patient and Clinician Comfort

With an anatomically correct back pivot point and synchronized back and toe board recline, the Traverse chair is designed to provide maximum comfort in procedures lasting 45 minutes or more, according to Engle. With options like heat and massage, lumbar support, a double articulating headrest, and Ultraleather upholstery, patients can relax while clinicians focus on care.

“The Traverse chair is very comfortable and patients love the accessories,” said Dr. Scott Carlton, who ordered the chair with Ultraleather and heat and massage options. Office manager Connie Lyssand said her practice’s patients find the chair very comfortable, and Alo appreciates the “very smooth motion and quiet [operation].”

Engle designed the Traverse chair to offer advanced ergonomics for 12 o’clock dentistry, and Dr. Carlton said, “The ergonomics are well thought out.” Dr. Jonathan Richards, an endodontist, likes the small headrest and recommended that the control buttons be repositioned to the back of the chair. Pointing out that patients are always excited to try the new chair, Alo shared, “Overall it’s a very nice chair that’s comfortable for the patient and practitioner.”

Traverse Feature

According to Engle Dental, it is the only company that makes a fully programmable, 10” forward/backward hydraulic chair. The traverse feature allows dentists to comfortably position themselves behind the patient without sacrificing space. As the seat moves forward, the back of the chair reclines, making the Traverse chair unique in its ability to fit in tight operatories while still maintaining full ergonomic integrity. “It fits in the room with a smaller footprint than most chairs,” shared Dr. Bonnie Morehead, and Tom Vert, DDS, said “the traverse feature added flexibility in a small operatory.” Commenting that he “needed a chair fully capable of positional adjustments [with a] high weight limit,” Dr. Richards said that he likes the “ability to change the chair height without reclining.” Although he would like to see a wider range of swivel (180° minimum), he said, “The traverse and vertical adjustments are both suitable for use with the dental operating microscope.”

"It's a great product for the price, and Engle is a great company to work with."

-Connie Lyssand, Office Managerl Palo Alto, CA

Quality and Durability

Manufactured, assembled, and serviced in the United States, the Traverse chair is backed by a 5-year warranty on all electronic components and 5 years on material and workmanship. “I bought this chair 2 years ago and it still looks new,” said Dr. Carlton, who rated all features as excellent. “My staff says it’s easy to adjust to patients’ needs and is very easy to clean.” He told DPS he is planning to purchase 3 more chairs within the next year.

When adding an operatory and replacing 2 older chairs in his practice, a California dentist said he considered both cost and manufacturing quality before deciding to purchase the Traverse chair from Engle. “[We have been] very pleased with the quality and performance,” he shared.

Overall Satisfaction

All of the evaluators said they would recommend the Traverse chair to colleagues, with an Oregon dentist commenting, “I’m glad that this company continues to provide a traverse chair while no other company does.”

The Traverse chair provides “excellent quality at a good price,” shared Dr. Carlton. Lyssand agreed and stated, “It’s a great product for the price and Engle is a great company to work with.” She appreciates that the chairs are manufactured in the United States and concluded, “For the money it is very comparable to similar chairs, and we received great service from Engle on the install.”

Takeaways:

•Hydraulic traversing capability to maximize space

•Traverse feature allows comfortable positioning behind the patient 

•Fully programmable hydraulic chair with 10-inch forward/backward movement

•Durable and easy to clean 

•Manufactured, assembled, and serviced in the United States with a 5-year warranty