Discover how Dr Anna Song and the Sherwood Dental team incorporated A-dec 400 Dental Chairs into their new surgery set up.

1. 140 Australasian Dental Practice September/December 2022
D
espite the challenges
of COVID over the
past couple of years,
Brisbane dentist
Anna Song has suc-
cessfully established
a brand new practice
during that time.
Although the timing has hardly been
ideal for kicking off a new business, the
result is a practice which puts its indi-
vidual stamp on the suburb of Sherwood,
providing an attractive new option for
local patients to catch up on their oral
health needs.
Dr Song, who has been involved in
another suburban practice for some years,
decided it was time to spread her wings
and design and build a brand new practice
of her own.
She also wanted an atmosphere which
would be both attractive to patients and
staff, making Sherwood Smiles a place
people would be happy to be in.
With the fit-out now complete, the
dream has transformed into reality and
patients and staff alike - Dr Song included
- are revelling in the huge new space and
all its inclusions.
Dr Song said she wanted a “toned
down” Hamptons style to fit with the old
character of the building which features
double-hung colonial bar windows on the
surgeries and deep verandah over the foot-
path at the front.
The aim was for a reception area and
waiting room which felt more like a living
room to make the practice seem more
“homely” than the traditional clinical feel
of many dental practices.
The fit-out produced by Elite brings
together classic Hamptons elements such
as warm timber floors, classic light fit-
tings and contrasting white walls to give
it a light, open feel.
The first thing you are struck by on
entering through the front door is the
feeling of space. At over 180 square
metres, it’s a large practice and Dr Song
wanted to devote a generous chunk of it to
the reception area.
When the building was renovated, some
of the old walls were removed which
means the waiting and reception area
can benefit from the natural light coming
through the generous expanse of glazing
at the front and side of the building.
The waiting room has a custom-made
upholstered window seat, individual
seating and fabric ottomans facing a large
Brisbane practice is a Hamptons haven
By David Petrikas
surgery | DESIGN

2. September/December 2022 Australasian Dental Practice 141
marble topped reception desk and walls adorned with Sherwood
Smiles signage and slogan - “Your smile is our passion” - reas-
suring patients.
There is also a small glass-door refreshment fridge for patients,
bookcase style cabinetry with consumables displays and a large
screen television monitor.
Off to the side, opposite reception, is a semi-private consulta-
tion nook to go over treatment plans and options with patients. In
practice, however, Dr Song says much of the consultation takes
place in the dental chair.
The waiting room leads to a long hallway with surgeries
and other rooms off to each side, stepping down to “his”
and “hers” bathrooms and a private entrance at the far end of
the building.
Although it is a general dental practice catering to families,
Dr Song has an interest in implants and more complex
procedures and needed equipment to support her in doing this,
including comfortable patient chairs and good quality digital
imaging equipment.
This was behind her thinking to buy the most comfortable
chairs within her setup budget along with high quality handpieces.
Dr Song is a long term A-dec user after completing her dental
studies at the then newly established Griffith University which
was fitted out with A-dec 500 chairs.
“I am left handed, so I also needed an ambidextrous chair. As
I used A-dec at university and have worked on A-dec chairs for
another 12 years since, it was natural to continue to work with
what you are comfortable with,” she said.

3. 142 Australasian Dental Practice September/December 2022
“I did look at some other dental chairs, but they were either too
big and complex or had thin, hard upholstery and didn’t appeal to
me on either looks or comfort.
“The advantage of the A-dec delivery system is it is an easy
left-to-right conversion so that if I bring in an additional dentist,
we can both use the chairs in a way that best suits us.”
After speaking to A-dec specialist Jane Miller of Medical
Dental Solutions, who was able to provide both the brand of
dental units and digital imaging equipment she was looking for,
Dr Song opted for the A-dec 400 because of its comfortable
“plush” sewn upholstery and its small overall footprint.
She said the A-dec chairs she has used for some years in
the other practice had proven very durable and that the uphol-
stery still looked good even after many years of use, so she
opted for premium black sewn upholstery in her new surgeries
as well.
“The new A-dec 400 chairs have great lumbar support for
patients and many of my patients have said, ‘oh, it’s so comfort-
able!’ when they sit in the chair,” she said.
For the same reason, Dr Song opted for A-dec 400 dentist
and assistant stools for correct ergonomic support for the
dental team.

4. 144 Australasian Dental Practice September/December 2022
The dental units also have the compact A-dec 300 traditional
delivery system which Dr Song is familiar with from the other
practice where she has been working.
In addition to conventional turbines, the delivery systems
include A-dec’s compact NLZ electric micromotor and W&H
handpieces which can be used for anything from heavy crown
reductions to delicate endodontic procedures using the A-dec
Deluxe touchpad.
Each of the two currently equipped surgeries have bespoke
built in cabinetry as well as wall-mounted X-ray units. For patient
comfort and convenience, Dr Song uses a compact Acteon PSPIX
phosphor plate scanner which produces an image in a few seconds.
She also has a dedicated CBCT machine in a separate room for
full arch scans and for implant planning.
Next to the CBCT room and opposite the surgeries is a large
U-shaped sterilisation room with built-in cabinetry and shelving.
Red and blue task lighting beneath the cabinets delineate clean
from contaminated work areas.
Next to the steri room is a large staff kitchen and meals area.
The room opposite is already plumbed ready for a surgery or com-
plementary medicine practitioner as needs evolve in the future.
Summary
The Practice
The Practice Sherwood Smiles
The Principal Dr Anna Song
Practice Type General
Location Sherwood, Brisbane, Queensland
Size 182 square metres
No of chairs 2+1
The Team
Design &
Construction
Elite
Chief Designer Damien Fuller
Project Manager Philip Boston
Installer Medical Dental Solutions Brisbane
Equipment
Dental Units A-dec 400 x 2
Sterilisation W&H Lisa Automatic steriliser
CBCT Vatech Green 16 with ceph arm
X-ray Acteon PSPIX phosphor plate scanner
Compressor Cattani AC300E
Suction Cattani Turbo SMART A
Software Exact