Prevalence of and risk factors for musculoskeletal complaints among Taiwanese dentists

Background/purposeThe prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) was investigated among dentists in Taiwan, and risk factors for MSDs were evaluated for symptoms in different parts of the body.Materials and methodsThe Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire modified by the Taiwan Institute of Occupational Safety and Health was completed by 197 dentists (146 males and 51 females) from the members of three groups: the Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (n = 33), the Association of Family Dentistry (n = 55), and the Taichung County Dental Association (n = 109). Reported symptoms were compared by means of a Chi-square test according to various risk factors.ResultsMore than half of the respondents had experienced symptoms in the shoulders (75%), neck (72%), and lower back (66%) in the year before the survey. The three parts of the body with lower prevalence (13–15%) of trouble were hips/thighs/buttocks, knees, and ankles/feet. Seven percent of respondents indicated no trouble in any part of their bodies. The prevalence of trouble in the neck increased when the number of days worked per week increased. Risk factors (p < 0.05) included working in a medical center for the shoulders; working with no more than one dental assistant, having a body height of >178 cm, and having a mean working time of >10 min/patient for the elbows; being <36 years old, having <11 years of experience, and having a mean time for forward bending or using a handpiece/scaler per patient for the wrists/hands; working 7 d/wk for the lower back and knees; having a patient load of >20 patients/d and being >35 years old for the hips/thighs/buttocks; and a having mean working time of >48 h/wk for the lower back.ConclusionThe participating Taiwanese dentists seemed to suffer a high prevalence of MSDs, especially of the shoulders, neck, and lower back. There were various associated factors and correlations with MSDs in each part of the body.