F21: Neck, Back & Beyond: Preventing Pain with Evidence – Based Dental Ergonomics

Did you know that one-third of dentists who retire early are forced to, due to a musculoskeletal disorder?  The financial impact of poor ergonomics can be devastating to dental professionals, and resultant injuries can impair quality of life for you and your staff. Pain is not a necessary by-product of delivering dental care!  Effectively preventing work-related pain in dentistry requires addressing numerous risk factors, both inside and outside your operatory. Effective strategies in the operatory to prevent pain and ensure career longevity will be taught.  Through demonstration, you will discover powerful evidence-based strategies that can easily be applied in the operatory: equipment selection and adjustment, patient positioning, body mechanics, lighting and other factors.   

Educational Objectives:

• Implement appropriate ergonomic interventions for chronic back, neck and shoulder
• Identify three ergonomic criteria to select dental loupes that will improve health
• Make ergonomic modifications in the operatory with minimal expense
• Position patients, headrest & overhead light correctly depending upon arch and tooth surface being treated
• Position assistants correctly chairside
• Identify unique pain patterns in specialists (endo, pedo, perio, ortho and oral surgeons) and implement specific interventions
• Identify ergonomic features and adjustment of operator stools, patient chairs and delivery systems.
• Learn how pain develops in the operatory to wisely select effective interventions