Affiliations: [a] Dental Materials Research Center, Department of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran | [b] Dental Research Center, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran | [c] Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran | [d] Department of Periodontics, Louisiana State University, New Orleans, LA, USA
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Mahboobe Dehghani, Dental Research Center, School of Dentistry, Mashhad university of Medical Sciences, Park Square, Vakilabad blvd, Mashhad, Iran. Tel.: +91 53003255; Fax: +91 051-38829500; E-mail:dehghanimm@mums.ac.ir,mahboobedehghani@yahoo.com
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Dentists are susceptible to Musculoskeletal Disorders
(MSDs) due to prolonged static postures. To prevent MSDs, working postures
of dental students should be assessed and corrected in early career life. OBJECTIVE: This study estimated the risk of developing
musculoskeletal disorders in dental students using Rapid Upper Limb
Assessment (RULA) tool. METHODS: A number of 103 undergraduate dental students from fourth
and fifth academic years participated. Postures of these students were
assessed using RULA tool while working in the dental clinic. They also
answered a questionnaire regarding their knowledge about postural dental
ergonomic principles. RESULTS: The majority of the students (66%) were at intermediate
and high risk levels to develop MSDs and their postures needed to be
corrected. There was no significant correlation between RULA score and
gender, academic year and different wards of dental clinics. There was
no significant correlation between knowledge and RULA scores. CONCLUSIONS: Dental students did not have favorable working
postures. They were at an intermediate to high risk for developing MSDs
which calls for a change in their working postures. Therefore students
should be trained with ergonomic principles and to achieve the best results,
ergonomic lessons should be accompanied by practice and periodical
evaluations.
