# Dental Office rough-in specs



## markb

Have a dental office to start next week. First time doing a dental office and have never roughed in any of these fixtures. 

Anyone know where I can print out the rough-in specs for:

- Cuspidor
- Dental chair and its junction box
- Dental vacuum pump
- Dental compressor 
- Plaster trap (drain rough in height, 13" AFF?)

When I rough in the dental chair, do I leave all of my lines in the area that the junction box would sit in? Or are there some specs that need to be followed. 

I am having a difficult time getting a hold of people at the manufacturer (K-Dental, Toronto) for information. Everyone seems to be on vacation or busy all the time lol.

Also, if anyone has any tips that would be appreciated.


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## Master Mark

*run a few extra lines....*

my only advice comes from bitter experinece....

if it is a slab rough to those chairs,, 
I suggest you run a few extra lines 
its muchm much cheaper to throw a few back up lines in 
that floor now, rather than later...

they should have the spec sheets somewhere fo ryou.....


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## TheMaster

You need a cold water line,suction,air for the chair. The location of the chair junction box should be on the prints but is typically under the foot portion of the chair itself.

How did you bid the job if you dont already know the details?


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## ILPlumber

The chairs and dental units will have full size templates. I usually transfer the layout to a sheet of plywood. 

DO NOT try to guess.

The boxes for this stuff under the units will be full. Don't run extra pipe. Test it (Leave the test on) and roll with it. 

You might also have O2 and NO2 which is a whole different ball-game. Are you med-gas certified? 

Most if not all new dental equipment uses distilled water. Air pushes the water from the outlets of the wands. 

The handwash sinks do take water and probably air.

Space is very limited. Coordinate with the electrician. That way, everyone gets their stuff in the correct location without screwing the other guy.

Who is the manufacturer? I might be able to give you pointers.....

I've done quite a few over the years.


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## Optimus Primer

Whe I did a dental office a few years ago I had to slope the air lines back to unit.


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## TheMaster

I ran some air for air-operated drawers that have motion sensors on them. I've never seen the med gas ran into the box for the chair hookup....usually its in a box mounted in the wall together.


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## ILPlumber

The med gas goes to the dental station. It is either in a wall cabinet or is an island.

Island venting the sink in it is a nightmare..... No room by the time they put that big ass trash can in there....


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## markb

TheMaster said:


> How did you bid the job if you dont already know the details?


TM,

I work with someone and he bids the jobs. I get the plans and go at it. I am looking for some insight as what I am getting myself into this week. 



Matt said:


> You might also have O2 and NO2 which is a whole different ball-game. Are you med-gas certified?
> 
> Who is the manufacturer? I might be able to give you pointers.....
> 
> I've done quite a few over the years.


Matt,

No O2 or NO2.

K-Dental is the manufacturer. I believe they are Canadian only.


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## A Good Plumber

Starting a dental office in two weeks.

The dental equipment designer wants the PVC vacuum piping, which is under the floor, sloped to a low point below the vacuum pump.

He wants it sloped at *1/4" per 10'* (feet") 

PVC at 1/4" per 10' with individual hangers at 6' apart. Actually specified this way and not called out as a minimum.:no:

I asked him about it and he said he always installs it at 1/4" per 10'.:jester:


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## gear junkie

Is that right, 1/4" for 10'? That's not messing up a digit but rather a whole decimal.


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## ILPlumber

gear junkie said:


> Is that right, 1/4" for 10'? That's not messing up a digit but rather a whole decimal.


It's correct. I think it's crazy. But it's in the destructions


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## grandpa

A Good Plumber said:


> Starting a dental office in two weeks.
> 
> The dental equipment designer wants the PVC vacuum piping, which is under the floor, sloped to a low point below the vacuum pump.
> 
> He wants it sloped at *1/4" per 10'* (feet")
> 
> PVC at 1/4" per 10' with individual hangers at 6' apart. Actually specified this way and not called out as a minimum.:no:
> 
> I asked him about it and he said he always installs it at 1/4" per 10'.:jester:


That is quite a challenge. The 1/4" over 10' is barely perceptible, and with hangars as far apart as 6', seems like PVC can have natural dip more than that. Seems to me that if they insist on exactly that slope, it will take a very careful layout, and more hangars.


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## RollinSoLo

if you don't have a cut sheet ,then you need to get dimensions directly off the dental chairs if you have them available to you. 

In some cases you need to see what you are dealing with and plan ahead. 

It might seem like a a puny chair but when your chipin concrete then you will be feeling it. 

Find out the direction the chairs will be facing if you assume now get your chipping hammer out later.


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## Kyle181

Everything Matt said in his post is great advise. I just completed a dentist office job that sounds almost identical to what you are saying, and your pipes coming in to those boxes under the chairs have to be dead on. I staked down my boxes really well, got all my measurements for the instrument air lines and prefabbed,purged and brazed them outside of the trench and then laid it in and made sure it came up dead nuts, then re staked down the boxes. You really dont have much room for error, so just make sure you take your time on the rough in , and double , even triple check all your measurements. Good luck man, it will be a fun one and good experience.


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## Kyle181

oh and also make sure you get with the manufacturer rep for all that equipment. We found out that we had to run pvc vent and air intake for either the compressor or suction machine, i cant remember which one.


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## ILPlumber

Kyle181 said:


> oh and also make sure you get with the manufacturer rep for all that equipment. We found out that we had to run pvc vent and air intake for either the compressor or suction machine, i cant remember which one.


 
Both.

Suction MUST terminate outside. It is used to purge the residual nitrous out of the mask.


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## markb

Matt said:


> Both.
> 
> Suction MUST terminate outside. It is used to purge the residual nitrous out of the mask.


But why vent it outside separately? Do you think that the pressurized air can noticeably disrupt the sanitary venting system?

I also want to know if anyone else has experienced this situation; What is the norm for these "separate vents" in a commercial high-rise building where it is a little more difficult to obtain a vent that is not connected to the drainage system? I hope it is safe to say that everyone does not just dill a hole through the concrete wall at 9 stories to create their vent terminal. lol

All great advice everyone.Thanks!


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## Kyle181

Well mine was not in a highrise, so i did end up going out of the side wall.


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## LIVBMI

Get cut sheets from the dental supplyer. You have to be on the money. If not you will have problems.


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## jeffreyplumber

markb said:


> But why vent it outside separately? Do you think that the pressurized air can noticeably disrupt the sanitary venting system?
> 
> I also want to know if anyone else has experienced this situation; What is the norm for these "separate vents" in a commercial high-rise building where it is a little more difficult to obtain a vent that is not connected to the drainage system? I hope it is safe to say that everyone does not just dill a hole through the concrete wall at 9 stories to create their vent terminal. lol
> 
> All great advice everyone.Thanks!


I think the reason the vent is run sepperate from the sanitary vents is they dont want a cross conection between the 2 systems. this is all making me think a little, Havent ever done a dentist office.
Currently working on a 6 story hospitol brand new job. But Im just a journeyman out here not really having to figure everything out like I have to do when Im doing my own job


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## Plumber Jeremy

very uncomfortable in these confines...drawing up specs is a nightmare


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## mongo

*Limited information...*

...on the original post, but I would install dental air as med gas (nitrogen purge and sil-phos).


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