Abstract: A dental instrument sterilization cassette securely retains dental instruments on a cover and tray of a perforated housing. Within the cover and tray, the dental instruments are received on open cradled supports. A holddown device with a resilient covering is placed over the cradled instruments, and held in place by anchors attached to the cover and tray. The cradled supports and the resilient holddown device provide secure retention for a range of instrument sizes when the cassette is in either an opened or closed position. A cassette latching mechanism with a recessed latch actuator on the cassette cover provides positive latching of the instrument cassette.

Abstract: A tool support and presentation device is described. The device has a base with a centrally mounted spindle and a resilient diaphragm mounted on the spindle. The diaphragm has plural collets therein and each collet may receive a tool. The diaphragm may be automatically or manually flexed to display the tools in an easily accessible configuration. In a preferred embodiment, the device is cylindrical and the diaphragm is automatically flexed by a spring disposed between the diaphragm and the base which upwardly urges a central portion of the diaphragm and thereby presents the tools in a frustoconical array.