A study was conducted to compare and assess the performance of various vacuum pumps in small and large dental clinic operations. A four-chair dental clinic operation was set up at the laboratory to simulate a small dental clinic environment. The performance of two dry and two wet pumps was assessed in the laboratory via extensive performance data acquisition tests. Data were also collected in two small dental clinics of practising dentists. Large dental system performance tests were conducted at the Ellsworth Air Force Base and Minot Air Force Base dental clinics. At each clinic, data were collected with both the existent turbine pump and a rotary vane RAMVAC pump.