A dental operatory needs to accommodate equipment, tools and supplies to perform standard in-office procedures, from teeth cleanings to X-rays, as well as offer storage and organizational solutions. The minimum dimensions for your dental operatory should be about 10 feet by 10 feet, with 10.5 feet by 12 feet being ideal.
Within these dimensions, a rear layout is preferred. This arrangement places most equipment, instruments and dental cabinets near or behind the patient’s head — and primarily out of their line of sight. Tools and instruments, meanwhile, are mounted to or placed to the side or rear of the dental chair.