ISO 9687:2015

Overview - ISO 9687:2015 (Graphical symbols for dental equipment)

ISO 9687:2015 specifies internationally standardized graphical symbols for dental equipment. The standard defines pictograms intended for direct use on dental devices and in associated documentation such as instructions for use, marking, labelling, packaging and technical product documentation. Its purpose is to reduce translation needs, improve safety and clarity, and ensure consistent communication across languages and markets in dentistry.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and content: A comprehensive set of symbols selected for all kinds of dental equipment (many taken from ISO/IEC registries and relevant standards), including new symbols contributed by manufacturers and users. The second edition added tables for cleaning, disinfection and sterilization, disinfectants used for hygienic purposes, and miscellaneous symbols.
• Legibility requirement: Symbols must be legible under an illumination of 215 lx using normal vision without magnification at a viewing distance appropriate to the equipment or package. (Note: colours and minimum dimensions are not specified in ISO 9687:2015.)
• Use and orientation: Symbols are intended to replace text where appropriate. The meaning can depend on orientation - care must be taken to avoid ambiguity (no rotation or mirroring that changes meaning).
• Representation conventions:
  • Language names must use the ISO 639-1 two‑letter codes.
  • Dates must follow ISO 8601 format.
• Normative references: ISO 9687 references related standards such as ISO 15223-1, ISO 1942, ISO 17724, and applicable ISO/IEC symbol registries (e.g., ISO 7000, IEC 60417).

Typical symbols (examples)

The standard includes pictograms for common dental devices and functions, for example:

• dental patient chair, operator’s stool, dental operating light
• dental unit, assistant’s unit, spittoon (cuspidor), cup filler
• handpieces (air turbine, electric, fibre‑optic), ultrasonic scaler, pulp‑tester
• saliva ejector, high‑volume evacuator, compressor, foot switch, X‑ray These examples illustrate the range of equipment and functions covered by the symbol set.

Applications - who uses ISO 9687:2015

• Manufacturers of dental units, handpieces and accessories - for marking, labelling and manuals.
• Regulatory and conformity assessors - to verify consistent labelling and user information.
• Technical writers and designers - for creating multilingual documentation and pack‑in labels.
• Dental clinics and service technicians - to interpret equipment markings and maintenance instructions. Using ISO 9687 improves usability, reduces translation costs, and supports patient and operator safety.

Related standards

• ISO 15223-1 - medical device symbols for labels and labelling
• ISO 639-1 - language codes
• ISO 8601 - date/time representation
• ISO 1942, ISO 17724 - dental vocabulary and graphical symbol terminology
• ISO/IEC symbol registries (ISO 7000, IEC 60417) - referenced symbol sources

By adopting ISO 9687:2015, stakeholders in dentistry gain a harmonized set of dental symbols that support clearer labelling, international trade compliance, and safer clinical practice.