10 BUILDING OR REFRESHING YOUR DENTAL PRACTICE Custom Dental Equipment Specification Sheet Checklist The more written details included in your custom dental equipment specification sheet, the better your protection against change orders. A thorough custom dental equipment specification sheet should be completed before the engineering phase begins and before the construction documents go out to bid to the contractors, and should include the following: A detailed list of every piece of dental equipment and dental manufactured cabinetry going into a given office, either now or in the future, no matter if you are buying equipment new from a dental equipment company, moving used equipment, or buying it on eBay®. An assigned numerical identification, followed by the quantity, for every piece of equipment, to identify the exact location in your office that you want it located. Columns for cold water, hot water, drain, air, vacuum, natural gas, nitrous oxide, oxygen, and vent. Any piece of equipment that requires any of these features receives a check in the corresponding box. The number of electrical amps each piece of equipment draws, as well as whether it requires a 110- or 220-volt circuit. Identification of any equipment that requires dedicated circuits, low-voltage wiring, a remote switch, or any unusual nema (plug) configurations. A “remarks” column carrying descriptions more detailed than those the bidding electricians and plumbers will see in their corresponding pages in the construction documents. Columns clarifying who is responsible for providing and installing every piece of equipment or cabinetry going into your new office. A highlighted comment on each of the engineer’s respective mechanical, plumbing, and electrical pages. This comment might read: “Please refer to dental equipment specification sheet for further dental equipment requirements.” It will alert the bidding subcontractors to additional equipment requirements that aren’t on their sheets, which they will request from their contractor. A list of “Dental Equipment General Notes,” equipment requirements that require further clarification. Spend more up front to hire the companies willing to create a custom dental equipment specification sheet for you. They will save you many times the cost of this investment, as well as time delays and complications.