Ditch the Belly Bar! The Right Assistant Stool Can Save Your Career

Let’s be honest - dental assistants have a tough go at ‘things’. Whether that means twisting, reaching, or heaven forbid, back bends - their job is difficult. A prime example would be my first day as a dental assistant. I knew immediately that positioning myself on a dental assistant stool was going to be a challenge. I felt cheated because I believed we were the only individuals in the practice who had to contort themselves in order to get our job done.

Enter….the belly bar - that hook like thing that was placed on the dental assistant chair. Who invented that thing anyway? I bet they weren’t a dentist or dental assistant. It was a way for me to lean into my role, so to speak. The belly bar forced me to position myself outside the ergonomic range of close proximity to the patient and instrumentation. In other words, it got in my freaking way! I decided that instead of praying that the hook would prevent me from falling into the patient’s lap, I asked myself if there was a different, more ergo-friendly way to prolong my career doing what I love to do? Absolutely.

And I’m going to show you THE way.

Check out this picture. I see this in 90% of the practices I teach. If you don’t think this looks bad, in every sense of the word, you are wrong..What a pain in the neck!

Assistant with Belly Bar

Working in a dental practice can be a pain - literally. Improper seating can be a contributing factor in the development of musculoskeletal disorders which are common for dentists, hygienists, dental assistants and dental technicians. In a nutshell, when dental assistants are equipped with the wrong chair, they are destined for pain. I don’t care where you buy them but it’s time for new ones. In an article, “The Definition and Causes of Musculoskeletal Disorders”, posted May 8, 2019 an author writes, “MSDs are the single largest category of workplace injuries and are responsible for almost 30% of all worker’s compensation costs.” https://ergo-plus.com/musculoskeletal-disorders-msd/

While I would love to sell you the most fitting dental stool, I know I can’t force you. I can, however, use what I have learned working for Design Ergonomics and Ergonomic Products and show you what makes sense. For example - while the thick padding of a normal stool might feel elegant, it actually hinders maximal extension laterally during dental use, prohibiting the benefits of Consolidated Range of Motion.

Waterfall. Huh? Never heard of that? Not many people know the term… it refers to the front of a chair or stool. If it’s a straight vertical drop, both you and your Assistant will end up with numb legs. The front needs to ramp down (waterfall!) to avoid cutting off circulation.

Since not all dental assistants are the same size, their stool must have:

• The ability to adjust the height of the chair AS WELL AS the height of the footbar
• A backrest that adjusts forward and backward AS WELL AS height
  

DO NOT BUY A DENTAL ASSISTING STOOL WITH A BELLY BAR

These are the only two people that need a hook!

The mere thought of removing these hooks from your dental assistant’s stool usually causes panic in the office.  Believe me, out of the 27 years working in the dental industry, 13 of them were on a nice stool with a trusted belly bar.  It was hard to imagine there was another way, but the first time I sat on an RGP assistant stool, I got it! The RGP 400-D Assistant Stool promotes postural changes that eliminate daily fatigue and pain, all-the-while improving productivity.  The key to making this change effective is positioning. Once you fix the geometry of your operatory then you can work in close proximity and have everything you need at your fingertips. 

My doctor demanded my involvement in the procedures.  I was able to actually do my job a hell of a lot easier when I could see what the doctor could see.  I learned that having a clear visual of exactly what the doctor could see afforded me the ability to be the best dental assistant, not to mention less visits to the chiropractor.

We have choices when we design and equip our dental office.  Few dentists consider ergonomics from the get-go. Even fewer consider the well-being of the people they hire who will help make their practice run smoothly.  Make the transition now to a more ergonomic dental assistant stool, the RGP 400-D Assisting Stool. While we’re at it, get one for yourself. If you’re wondering what to do with the old ones……sell them to a corporation who doesn’t care about their staff (like one of “those” corporations).

I work for the good guys!

Footnote: 

1. Matt Middlesworth, “The Definition and Causes Of Musculoskeletal Disorders”, Ergo Plus (article) May 8th, 2019