Equipment Categories
Reference list of all 30 equipment categories in ChairPulse, including sub-categories for dental chair and delivery unit systems.
How equipment categories work
Every piece of equipment in ChairPulse is assigned to one of 30 categories. Categories determine:
- Which maintenance task recommendations ChairPulse suggests from the master catalog
- Which compliance requirements are automatically applied based on your jurisdiction
- How equipment is grouped in filter dropdowns on the Equipment list
- Which SOP suggestions are available for the equipment model
When you add equipment, the category is the first selection you make in the wizard. ChairPulse then filters manufacturers and models based on your chosen category.
All equipment categories
ChairPulse includes the following 30 categories in its master catalog:
| # | Category |
|---|---|
| 1 | 3D Printers |
| 2 | Air Polishers |
| 3 | Amalgam Separators |
| 4 | Amalgamators |
| 5 | Apex Locators |
| 6 | Autoclaves & Sterilizers |
| 7 | Compressors |
| 8 | Curing Lights |
| 9 | Dental Chairs & Delivery Units |
| 10 | Dental Lasers |
| 11 | Dental Microscopes |
| 12 | Digital Scanners & CAD/CAM |
| 13 | Electric Handpiece Motors |
| 14 | Electrosurgery Units |
| 15 | Endodontic Equipment |
| 16 | Handpieces |
| 17 | Implant Motors |
| 18 | Intraoral Cameras |
| 19 | Lab Equipment |
| 20 | Mixing Machines |
| 21 | Nitrous Oxide Systems |
| 22 | Operatory Lights |
| 23 | Patient Monitors |
| 24 | Prophy Jets |
| 25 | Suction Units |
| 26 | Ultrasonic Cleaners |
| 27 | Ultrasonic Scalers |
| 28 | Vacuum Systems |
| 29 | X-Ray & Imaging |
| 30 | Other |
If your equipment does not fit any of the standard categories, select Other. You can also create a custom category during the equipment setup wizard by typing a category name and selecting Create.
Sub-categories: Dental Chairs & Delivery Units
The Dental Chairs & Delivery Units category is unique because it supports sub-categories. A dental operatory often consists of a system with multiple components. ChairPulse lets you register these as a combined system or as individual components.
| Sub-category | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dental Chair | dental_chair | The patient seating unit, including hydraulic or electric positioning mechanisms. |
| Delivery Unit | delivery_unit | The instrument delivery system, including handpiece connections, syringes, and controls. |
| Chair & Delivery Unit (Combined) | combo_chair_delivery | A combined unit where the chair and delivery system are integrated as one piece of equipment. |
| Operatory Light | operatory_light | The overhead examination light mounted on the chair or ceiling. |
| Assistant's Instrumentation | assistant_instrumentation | The assistant-side instrument panel, including suction, air/water syringe, and curing light holder. |
System equipment
When you select a model in the Dental Chairs & Delivery Units category that is marked as a "system" in the master catalog, ChairPulse displays a component selector. This lets you specify which sub-components are part of your particular installation.
For example, an A-Dec 500 system might include:
- Dental Chair
- Delivery Unit
- Operatory Light
Registering equipment as a system allows ChairPulse to scope maintenance tasks to specific components (e.g., "Lubricate chair hydraulics" targets the Dental Chair component, while "Clean fiber optic bundles" targets the Delivery Unit).
Maintenance component types
When maintenance tasks are created for system equipment, they can be scoped to a specific component:
| Component Type | Label |
|---|---|
system_general | General / Whole System |
dental_chair | Dental Chair |
delivery_unit | Delivery Unit |
operatory_light | Operatory Light |
This scoping ensures maintenance checklists are specific and actionable for the technician performing the work.
Compliance-relevant categories
Certain equipment categories trigger automatic compliance task creation when equipment is added. These tasks are based on your practice's jurisdiction and the applicable regulatory requirements. For example:
- Autoclaves & Sterilizers may generate spore testing and sterilization monitoring tasks.
- X-Ray & Imaging may generate radiation safety inspection and registration tasks.
- Nitrous Oxide Systems may generate sedation equipment inspection tasks.
See the Compliance section for more details on how compliance tasks are managed.
Custom categories
If your practice uses equipment that does not fit any of the 30 standard categories, you can create a custom category during the equipment setup wizard. Custom categories:
- Appear in filter dropdowns alongside standard categories
- Do not have pre-built maintenance recommendations from the master catalog (you will need to create custom maintenance schedules)
- Do not trigger automatic compliance task creation
Related pages
- Adding Equipment -- How to use categories during equipment setup
- Equipment Overview -- Filtering equipment by category
- Equipment Detail Page -- Viewing an equipment record's category and details
Last updated Mar 13, 2026
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