For dental professionals, the need for an effective lighting solution is paramount. Eyestrain is a common problem; by having to concentrate on a fixed point inside the oral cavity for long periods of time, or by constantly adjusting their sight to the different ambient lights in and outside the oral cavity, dental professionals increase their chance of suffering from aesthenopia.

For years, practitioners have tried to combat this issue with effective lighting. By utilising high-quality products, professionals can not only reduce the risk of eyestrain, but improve the accuracy and consistency of their clinical work.

Traditionally, dentists have used halogen lights to illuminate their patients’ oral cavities; indeed, many still do – but increasingly, these halogen systems are being replaced by LED alternatives. Light emitting diodes have become more and more popular across a wide range of different fields and environments in recent years – from domestic living to clinical and scientific settings – and they do have a number of compelling advantages over other light sources.

1. Longevity

LED lights have an outstanding operational lifetime expectancy – approximately 100,000 hours. This equates to around 11 years of continuous operation. In other words, if an LED light is left on for around 8 hours a day it would take about 20 years before the ‘bulb’ would need replacing. In a dental surgery, where the clinical light would only be used during appointment times, the potential longevity of a single fixture is incredible.

2. Energy efficiency

Compared to traditional lighting, LED lights are exceptionally efficient. Estimates suggest that high-quality lights are approximately 80-90 per cent more efficient, meaning that almost all of the electricity expended on powering one is converted to light. Only the remaining 10-20 per cent is lost and converted to heat. This will ultimately save a dental practice a significant amount of money on electrical bills and, when considered alongside the life expectancy of a single LED fixture, the savings can be substantial.

3. Ecologically friendly

Unlike many other fluorescent light sources, LED lights are completely free of toxic chemicals. As such, they can be easily recycled[1] and enable a dental practice to dramatically cut its carbon footprint. Again, thanks to their exceptionally long life expectancy, an LED light can save the material and production of at least 25 incandescent light bulbs.

4. Durability

LED lights are also extremely durable when compared with more traditional lighting solutions. They are particularly resistant to shock and vibrations which, in a dental scenario, can offer real peace of mind.

5. Instant lighting

When switched on, an LED light will brighten immediately. This helps save time when performing a dental examination and improves efficiency.

6. Frequent switching

Unlike other light fixtures, LED lights are not negatively affected by being switched on and off frequently. In the dental surgery, where a light is being turned on and off many times throughout the day, this is an important consideration.

7. Low-voltage

A low-voltage power supply is more than sufficient to power an LED light, which is excellent for safety and more cost effective than other alternatives. 

8. Quiet and cool

Thanks to their aforementioned energy-efficiency, LED lights do not produce a great deal of heat. This is not only safer, but also eliminates the need for an integral fan, meaning the whole fixture is quieter during operation. This is a great help for anxious patients, who may be discomforted by the sounds of a dental surgery – and is also less annoying for practitioners who must be around their light for long periods of time.

9. Design flexibility

LED lights can be combined in a dynamic range of shapes to produce highly efficient and adaptable illumination solutions – and can offer incredible amounts of control. A well-designed fixture can achieve highly effective, focussed lighting that will allow a dental professional to have complete visual freedom during an examination.

LED lights are becoming increasingly popular on the UK dental market as their advantages are being recognised. It is always best, however, to compare competing brands to ensure the right choice is made – since an LED light will last for the majority of a dentist’s natural career. A light that is ergonomic, effective and easily positioned is ideal, as is one that can be easily integrated into an existing space with little disruption or difficulty.

The LED light from A-dec, for example, is a high-quality lighting solution that adds fluid manoeuvrability, improved lighting for better shade analysis and delivers 25% more illuminance at one fifth of the power consumption.

To discover more about the benefits of an LED light, contact the expert team at A-dec UK today.

For more information about A-dec Dental UK Ltd, visit

www.a-dec.co.uk or call on 0800 2332 85

A dental chair is the focal point of any surgery: the central cog in a machine that allows for the provision of exceptional treatment. These products see almost constant use throughout the day and the average practitioner can expect to spend almost 27,000 hours with each chair over the course of their career. As such, it is vitally important for practitioners to choose wisely when selecting a new chair, to ensure that they are making a wise investment for the future.

The first consideration is reliability. Any savings made on a cheaper model will likely be lost if constant and expensive repairs are needed to maintain a chair’s ability to perform at its best, let alone the lost business caused by chair down-time. Investing in a dental chair that has renowned reliability will eliminate these unnecessary overheads. It will also provide essential peace of mind; indeed, being able to trust in the reliability of such an important piece of equipment is a factor that simply cannot be overstated.

It’s also important to invest in a chair that can stand the test of time – that’s future proof. Dentistry nowadays is advancing at an astronomical rate, with new innovations appearing on the market on an increasingly regular basis. This makes it very easy for some products to depreciate in value incredibly quickly. Therefore, a chair that can easily be adapted or updated to suit the rapidly changing needs of modern dentistry is a must.

On this basis, it is hard to beat an A-dec dental chair. With a longstanding reputation of unsurpassable quality, A-dec chairs are also easy to refresh and upgrade. They have both the durability to last for years and the flexibility to change when needed. This is something that Dr Wayne Williams, principal of Smile₂0 in Wokingham recently discovered. He says:

“I’ve had my A-dec 500 for 12 years. In fact, I think it was one of the first of this model to be installed in the UK. It’s an incredibly reliable chair – in over the decade I’ve worked with it, I’ve never felt the need to change it. Recently, however, I did make a small change: I had one of the new A-dec LED lights fitted.

“The upgrade process was very easy and it took less than an hour for our A-dec authorised dealer, Marz Dental Equipment Ltd., to come and do the installation. We’re so impressed that we are likely to do the same refreshing upgrade for our other chairs too – and I envisage being able to continue to use them for many years more!”

A-dec focusses on providing the equipment that dentists need to deliver first rate dentistry. Since modern dentists need the ability to be able to adapt to new technologies, techniques and materials, A-dec has worked hard to ensure that they have the products that allows them to do so.

With equipment solutions that allow for easy and innovative upgrades, A-dec has future proofed its chairs, allowing practitioners to change the individual aspects of their chairs to suit their individual needs, across many years of use.

And, indeed, Dr Williams’s example is simply the tip of the iceberg; A-dec chairs are extremely versatile, allowing practitioners to choose precisely the options that compliment their clinical preferences. For instance, another dentist, Dr Patricia Seyf from Seyf Dental in Barnes, has recently purchased an A-dec 500 without a cuspidor. She says: “Having no spittoon makes for a far more hygienic treatment centre. I can autoclave my funnels between each appointment and be completely assured that my surgery is cross-contamination compliant. It also allows me to have a direct, face-to-face conversation with the patient – something which I think is very important for putting them at ease and encouraging a strong patient-practitioner relationship.”

This level of customisation is indispensable. Practitioners can quite literally purchase the dental chair they need at the time – without having to worry about what is coming around the corner, since they also have the option to refresh and upgrade at a later date.

Investing in an A-dec chair is investing in your future in the dental profession. No matter what challenges or changes come about in the years to come, A-dec will continue to provide relevant and applicable options to those dentists aspiring to offer the very best dentistry.

For more information about A-dec Dental UK Ltd, visit

www.a-dec.co.uk or call on 0800 2332 85