Publication:

Assessment of awareness, attitude, knowledge and application towards dental ergonomics and musculoskeletal disorder among dental students and professionals in Ahmedabad

Background Dental ergonomics, the science of optimizing the workplace for dental professionals, is essential for preventing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and ensuring the long-term health of dental practitioners.

Methods A cross-sectional survey aimed to assess the awareness and attitude of dental students and professionals towards dental ergonomics, with the collected data subsequently subjected to rigorous statistical analysis.

Results A 51% of dental students and 78% of dental professionals were aware about dental ergonomics. Only 12% of the dental students have attended a course regarding dental ergonomics, 73% of the dental professionals among study population have experienced musculoskeletal pain due to dental practice.

Conclusions The survey revealed that dental students exhibited lower awareness of dental ergonomics compared to dental professionals, with a notable discrepancy in the implementation of ergonomic principles. Additionally, a significant prevalence of pain related to MSDs was observed among the dental professionals surveyed.