Lazy dentists are happy

In terms of surgery layout, ideally there should be a 60cm space between the patient's head and the work units. This will enable the dentist to sit in an 11 to 12 o'clock position. There should also be a 25-30cm free space between the midline of the patient chair and the assistant's worktable. Ideally the latter should be moveable and there should be a minimum of 10cm clearance below the work top so it can be retracted without the need to remove any materials or instruments lying on top of it. The assistant's worktable should be about 75cm above the floor, 80cm if the dentist is more than 180cm (5'11") tall. The worktops of the workstation itself should be about 95cm above the floor.

Correct positioning of the assistant's worktable is very important. Correctly sited it gives the assistant the necessary space to work comfortably within, but keeps all the instruments and materials in easy reach, without having to move away from the patient. It also means the dentist can easily pick up materials and instruments from it with their left hand.