Journal of Dental Medicine

Statement of Problem: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are major parts of the occupational diseases in workplaces. Protection from such diseases is dependent on assessment and improvement of job postures by using job analysis methods in ergonomics.

Purpose: This study was aimed to evaluate ergonomic conditions in dental professions by rapid entire body assessment (REBA) in Birjand city and also to assess the relation between MSDS in different parts of the body and work conditions.

Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive-analytical approach performed on 48 persons working at different professions by using REBA method. The prevalence of MSDs was obtained by using Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). The data were analyzed by independent t-test, Chi-square and Fisher tests with P<0.05 as the limit of significance.

Results: In this investigation, the prevalence of disorders for different parts of the body was as follows: 65% for neck, 60% for back, 38% for shoulders, and 31% for wrist. These disorders were higher in women than men except for the back. There were significant correlation between disorders of femur and foreleg with work history, ankle and sole with body mass index (BMI), and MSDs with work conditions (P<0.05).

Conclusion: It is concluded that the work conditions and postures need to be improved. In addition the level of dental professional education regarding biomechanical hazardous effects as well as correct work conditions and postures should be increased.

Background and Aims: There are several risk factors in dentistry professional environment. Carelessness about occupational health regulation endangers dentist's life. Erconomics in dentistry is a scientific approach which introduces the latest ergonomic principles in dental profession. It discusses about physical and mental stresses. Ergonomic programs eliminate dentist physical and mental challenges and provide practical solution to establish efficient and comforting environment.

Materials and Methods: This study reviewed the role and effectiveness of Ergonomics in dental profession. We used related journals, books and ergonomics websites to write this article.

Conclusion: Many of researchers believe that awkward body posture and low movement are the sources of occupational disorders. Therefore, knowledge of ergonomics risk factors in dental office design is very important. Dentist's body posture and dental equipment evaluations are important factors in dental ergonomics. The most logical approach to design dental equipment for utilizing ergonomics principles is consideration of the dentist posture and type of movements and activities. In conclusion, dentists should be informed about dental ergonomics regulation and its different aspects. Furthermore, academic developments and research projects can be useful in this area.

Background and Aims: Musculoskeletal disorders in dentists due to abnormal postures may result in economic and health problems. To prevent these problems, the working posture of dental students should be assessed and corrected in dental procedures. This study determine these problems and the effect of training courses on them by Rapid Entire Body Assessment method (REBA).

Materials and Methods: The posture of 69 students were assessed by REBA before and after of the “Ergonomic principles in dentistry” course. The subjects which were used in the training course were based on the previous studies on this issue. The REBA scores were assessed by SPSS software using Paired T-test.

Results: The results showed that the students’ posture should be corrected. Postures of 94.2% of students were in moderate and high risk level which needed to be corrected. The worst working positions were during surgery, endodontic and pediatric dentistry procedures. Although the REBA scores before and after training course were statistically different (P<0.05), the training did not improve the posture of students remarkably.

Conclusion: The students’ working postures should be improved. One-day ergonomic principles course improved the working posture of students but it was not sufficient. More training and instructions are needed to have a good working position in dental procedures.

Background and Aims: Constant dynamic and static activities are considered as the main cause of musculoskeletal problems among dentists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the musculoskeletal problems and related factors among dentists in specialized clinics and dental schools in Tehran in 2014 using the REBA method.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the dentists from clinics of dental schools in Tehran were selected as individual targets. Nordic anddemopghrphic questionnaire were completed through interview from dentists. In order to assess the musculoskeletal disorders, REBA method (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) was used. In this method, positions and postures of the dentists during their work was observed and recorded. Data was analyzed using Regression Logestic test.

Results: The obtained results showed that among 100 dentist, 6% were in the very high risk (15-11) for musculoskeletal problems and 17% and 25% were in high-risk (10-8) and average risk (7-4), respectively. Based on the findings from Nordic questionnaire, the most skeletal- muscle travail were related to the neck (60%), lumbar (58%) and rear (46%) consequently. It seemed that factors such as gender, body mass index (BMI), height, specialty, body posture during the work (standing or sitting), smoking and using the direct or indirect vision, had an impact on the musculoskeletal disorders.

Conclusion: Findings from the final scoring of REBA showed that a high percentage of dentists were struggling with skeletal- muscle problems and they were in moderate to high range of risk for these type of disorders.