
Photo Chair...LOVE!
I’ve been looking at a lot of waiting chairs recently and in my travels have found some gorgeous examples, which to be honest wouldn’t necessarily go into a dental practice, but it breaks up the day!
Your waiting chair should be comfortable and generally should have a stable arm, but there’s no reason it shouldn’t look good or be the feature in your waiting room.
You should also take into account the demographic of the practice with the style and price point of your waiting chair.
Although it is tempting to buy some dining chairs from IKEA, it’s important to note that these chairs are designed for residential use – a commercial grade chair (and its upholstery) is essential for longevity unless you’re happy to replace them after a year or two. This might be quite relevant for a particularly fashionable chair which may soon look out dated.
If you have the space, it’s great to use a number of types of chairs to give your patients a choice. We are currently working on a large orthodontic practice we have incorporated single lounge armchairs with a chair (without an arm).
A bench seat maybe suitable for a section of a waiting room, perhaps if the space is a little tight, but I would generally prefer to see chairs with arms for elderly or disabled patients (or at least a combination of chairs). As someone who was on crutches recently, chairs with arms are essential!! There is also no flexibility with layout and they tend to be quite expensive to construct.

Funky...!
So on that, pricing (for our Australian clients): we recently specified a polypropolene chair (see adjacent) for around $150 ea.
When looking at an upholstered chair, you might be able to find something for around for $200. I would allow for $250 to $500 ea (or more if you want something particularly special).
A bespoke bench seat is around $800 to $1000 a lineal metre (depending on your choice of fabric).
Also, you will need to take into account the availability of the chairs and upholstery. Some chairs may take 8 to 12 weeks to either construct or ship (or both).
Allow for 3 to 4 waiting chairs per dental chair, depending on the space, location and type of practice.
So, the things to consider when it comes to selecting your waiting chair:
- type of chair
- number required
- space available
- demographic of your patients
- price point
- availability of the chair and upholstery
So, there is a lot to consider when selecting your waiting chair! If it gets too overwelming, let your designer help you out!