A veterinary dental table supports one of the most important preventive health procedures in veterinary medicine—the dental procedure or COHAT (comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment). 

Many estimates state that 75% or more of dogs and cats have some degree of dental disease by age three. So, there’s no doubt that many pets seen by small animal veterinarians can benefit from dental care. 

The right dental equipment helps support this patient care goal, as well as contribute to a healthy business financially. This includes a veterinary dental table where procedures will be performed. Here are some factors to consider when investing in a good dental table…

Dental Suite Setup

First, it’s important to figure out where your dental table(s) will go. 

A dental area is separate from a sterile surgery suite, since aerosolized bacteria from a dental cleaning makes it challenging to truly keep the room sterile for “clean” surgeries. However, it might be appropriate to perform other treatments and procedures on your dental table, such as lancing an abscess.

The dental table should be large enough to support your largest patients, but small enough that staff can move around it comfortably without being blocked by walls or equipment. Measure the space to make sure any table you order will fit. 

In addition to simply measuring for a table, consider other equipment that will be inside the room, too. This includes anesthesia and dental machines and a saddle chair for team members performing the dental.

Veterinary Dental Table Features

To narrow down the search, consider which of the following features are most important to you and your staff…

• A wet table versus a regular surgical table. 

Many veterinary professionals like wet tables for dental procedures, since these tables, are naturally set up to collect all the fluids from dental tools and the patient’s mouth. However, this can require plumbing setups.

A veterinary surgery table is another viable option used at many clinics. With a regular table, it’s simply a matter of figuring out where fluids will drain. Some tables allow the attachment of grates or table extenders for this purpose, as well as a bucket strategically connected to the table under the patient’s head.

• Adjustability

This is the most important consideration for many veterinarians, especially concerning height modifications. 

Height adjustments are important for ergonomics, allowing team members to sit or stand at an appropriate height without hunching and hurting their backs. Additionally, tilting ability can greatly help with fluid drainage off the table. 

There are both wet and traditional tables with height-changing capabilities. But tilt is generally limited to regular veterinary surgery tables.

• Extras

While not always as crucial in the purchasing decision, it might also be nice to have features such as table warming for the patient, V-top for patient positioning, table attachments, or portability for needs such as transporting the patient to a recovery area. 

These preferences vary between practitioners. But be sure to add them to your list if they would help your hospital flow and procedures.

Financial Considerations

Comparing costs doesn’t always mean comparing apples to apples. In addition to the actual purchase cost, consider the following financial factors that could impact your practice’s bottom line…

• If features are comparable between the tables.

• If the installation is included.

• Financing options.

• Which (if any) warranties or service plans are included?

• Tax benefits from your equipment purchase.

• A financial plan for maximizing the ROI on your veterinary dental table investment. In other words, is there a plan to increase the number of dentals at the practice, and how will this be implemented? A business or financial consultant familiar with veterinary hospitals could help with this.

Purchasing Your Veterinary Dental Table

Always do your due diligence. Ask colleagues for recommendations (and things to avoid based on their experience). Besides the table itself, see what service and repairs were like—whether they went smoothly or were a headache.

Doing a bit of research—combined with knowing what works best in your dental suite, choosing specific features, and planning financially—can all help ensure your dental table will be a good investment in both patient care and practice success.

Written by: Dr. Tammy Powell, DVM