Throughout my time as an A‑dec Product Manager, I've been in a whole lot of dental offices—and no two are exactly alike. Some are purpose-built buildings designed for dental from the ground up. Others are tiny offices crammed into what used to be a corner store in a mall. Each space presents unique challenges when arranging equipment and cabinets.
I love helping meet customers' needs in all types of spaces. And while a standard A‑dec cabinet is usually a great fit, sometimes unique needs require custom solutions. That's where the A‑dec Engineered To Order (ETO) team comes in.
What is an engineered-to-order dental cabinet?
Standard vs custom dental cabinets
A‑dec offers a wide range of standard dental cabinet configurations. In particular, our A‑dec Inspire 500 dental cabinet line is designed to be highly customizable, with hundreds of module configurations and dozens of material and color choices. For 95% of customers, one of our ready-to-order models will be a great solution.
For the other 5%, ETO is designed to meet unique needs that go beyond what's in the catalog, usually to address a particular constraint. ETO helps bridge the gap between the ideal dental workflow and the realities of the room you already have.
Here are some of the most common issues A‑dec's ETO team solves for our customers:
- Rooms with unusual dimensions or layouts
- Replacing older cabinetry while keeping the same footprint
- Fitting a sterilization center within limited space
- Requirements for different drawer sizes, storage locations, or module arrangements
- Aesthetic requirements, such as incorporating a nonstandard material
Types of custom dental cabinets
Generally, an ETO order starts with a standard configuration, which we then tailor to the customer's needs. This includes:
- Sterilization centers
- Treatment, hygiene, central and side consoles
- Wall-mounted cabinets
- Storage carts, tray carts, and procedure carts
- Lab workstations for dental schools and institutions
- Cabinetry for orthodontic and pediatric dental practices
Sterilization centers are our most common ETO order, as sterilization workflows can present unique challenges when the practice footprint is small. Dental schools also frequently need customized equipment because instructor or student-proctor workbenches may differ from standard student workbenches.
The goal of A‑dec ETO is to offer flexible solutions without abandoning the reliability, serviceability, and dental-specific engineering of A‑dec products. That means there are limits on what we choose to make. Because every ETO product is still an A‑dec product, we have to be able to manufacture it to our high standards for quality and longevity and back it with our warranty.
Why should I choose A‑dec for custom dental cabinetry?
1. To fit unique space constraints
The greatest value of A‑dec ETO dental furniture is that we make it work with your space. If we can meet your needs with a standard model, that's usually the best option. When that isn't possible, custom A‑dec cabinetry can fit that space, allowing you to keep a consistent aesthetic and quality throughout your whole office.
2. Dental-specific design and A‑dec quality
A‑dec knows dentistry and the harsh demands the dental environment places on equipment. A typical residential cabinet in your home might be opened twice a day; dental operatory cabinets may be opened 20 times a day. And dental offices are cleaned and disinfected daily with chemicals that can quickly wear down cabinet surfaces. That's why A‑dec chooses materials and construction standards designed to ensure our cabinets last for 20 years of use.
The same is true for our ETO cabinets. They're manufactured right here in Newberg, Oregon, using the same machines and materials as our standard cabinetry, which are all engineered specifically for dental. The wiring harnesses are GFCI protected. Every detail is considered for the rhythms and realities of a dental environment.
3. Lifetime product support
A‑dec cabinets are also built to be serviceable. Our products are modular and put together with fasteners, so if you ever damage a particular panel or component, we can often replace just the pieces you need with standard parts and materials, saving you time and money. It also means that if you decide to relocate your practice, you can simply unbolt your cabinetry and take it with you.
We offer a level of service and support that would be hard to get from most local cabinetmakers. Our ETO team, Customer Service reps, and Territory Managers are here to support you for the expected life of your products. And with more than 60 years of history, you can count on A‑dec to keep serving you long into the future.
4. Industry-leading warranty
Because we believe in the quality and reliability of A‑dec products, we also cover them with the industry's best warranty. For our standard cabinetry, that's a 10-year warranty—see our Express Limited Warranty page for all the details.
In most cases, our ETO cabinetry is covered by that same 10-year warranty. There may be exceptions; for example, if a customer has requested a third-party addition, such as adding another brand's designer sink, then the component may be covered by its own manufacturer's warranty. But in the majority of cases, custom A‑dec cabinetry is covered by our standard warranty—and if there are any exceptions, we'll be sure to clearly communicate them with you.
What's the ordering process for custom A‑dec dental cabinets?
If you're interested in purchasing custom dental cabinetry, or you just want to learn more about A‑dec's ETO capabilities, reach out to your A‑dec Territory Manager. They'll guide you through the process from beginning to end, helping craft a solution that meets your specific needs.
Here are the typical steps:
- Your local A‑dec Territory Manager meets with you to understand your needs.
- If custom cabinetry is called for, the Territory Manager documents your requirements with notes, photos, redlines, or drawings.
- The Territory Manager presents your requirements to the A‑dec ETO quote team, who reviews the request and provides a custom quote based on a standard model.
- The Territory Manager presents the quote to you for approval. If needed, revisions are made to the quote.
- Once you accept the quote and approve the order, the A‑dec ETO engineering team designs the final product, which is then manufactured and shipped to you.
It's worth noting that lead times for ETO will usually be longer than those for standard furniture due to the extra steps for design and the custom manufacturing. But I think you'll find the wait to be well worth it the moment your custom A‑dec cabinets are installed.
Get started on your custom dental cabinets
I love getting to work with customers to solve their unique challenges; there are amazing solutions going out from A‑dec's ETO team every day. If you have a need for custom dental cabinetry, we'd love to hear about it.
Reach out to your A‑dec Territory Manager, and let's get started on designing your solution today.
