Affiliations: Ergonomics Technology Center, University of
Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CI, USA | Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine,
Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Martin Cherniack, MD, MPH, Director,
Ergonomics Technology Center, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263
Farmington Avenue-MC6210, Farmington, CT 06030-6210, USA. Tel.: +1 860 679
4916; Fax: +1 860 679 1989; E-mail: cherniack@nso.uchc.edu
Abstract: There is conflicting evidence on the extent that medical conditions,
particularly musculoskeletal conditions related to work, cause disability and
premature retirement in dentists. Reports based on data from disability
insurance in the United States suggest dentists are not susceptible to work
related musculoskeletal disability. Surveys of symptom rated debility suggest
higher rates of dysfunction, however, as do compulsory employment injury
reports from European countries. These data, including information on Swedish
dentists, analyzed for this study, tend to put dentists at the higher end of
health care professionals in terms of musculoskeletal injury and lost work
time. Because compensation patterns and proprietorship vary between national
systems, the relationship between exposure and injury and retirement from the
active work force may include differing national characteristics.
