Dental Surgery Ventilation Calculator
Air changes and pressure for a dental operatory.
Enter your values
ⓘ Live results
Results
- Required airflow
- 120 CFM
- Room volume
- 900 cu ft
- Pressure relationship
- Positive to corridor (general operatory)
Quick answer
Dental operatories are commonly ventilated at 6-10 air changes per hour with slightly positive pressure to the corridor.
CFM = volume x ACH / 60
How to use the Dental Surgery Ventilation Calculator
- 1Measure the operatory's floor dimensions and ceiling height.
- 2Apply 6-10 air changes per hour depending on local health code.
- 3Set supply slightly greater than exhaust/return to keep the room positive.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Room length10 ft
- Room width10 ft
- Ceiling height9 ft
- Target air changes8 ACH
Results
- Required airflow120 CFM
- Room volume900 cu ft
- Pressure relationshipPositive to corridor (general operatory)
Frequently asked questions
What about aerosol-generating procedures?
Rooms doing high-aerosol work may need higher ACH or fallow time between patients, similar to isolation rooms.
Sterilization room?
Sterilization/instrument processing rooms are typically negative pressure instead, opposite to operatories.
About this calculator
- Built and reviewed by James Whitfield · How we build and test calculators
- Report an error
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.