Abstract: A dental handpiece including motor portion and swivelable attachment portion. The motor portion includes an annular electrical commutator on its end facing the attachment. The attachment includes a lamp and associated electrical contacts for swivel contact with the commutator. The lamp illuminates the handpiece work area, either directly or through optical fibers. Swivelable chip air and water conduits in the motor/attachment combination are also disclosed.

Abstract: A dental handpiece assembly equipped with an improved latch mechanism for detachably connecting a motor section to a straight or angular handpiece section. The latch includes a ring disposed between the two sections, the ring having an outer surface which is substantially flush with the casings of the respective sections when the parts are assembled and the ring is in its normal latching position. Unlatching is accomplished by displacing the entire ring in a transverse direction, by finger pressure applied at any point along a semi-circumferential area of the ring's outer surface, to shift an arcuate rib out of engagement with the neck portion of the other section of the assembly.