This paper is about physical therapy ergonomic consultation for dental professionals including dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants. Physical therapy consultation is a growing field of client-based consultative services for dental professionals.
Ergonomics is simply combination of study and work and it is about maximum efficiency and safety of the work environment. It is a area where relationship between work environment and staff/personnel is accessed. The goal is to prevent work related injuries among personnel including health care professionals by improving dental ergonomics, equipment and dental professional postures.
Dental profession requires concentration and precision with special equipment in a dental environment with …show more content…
The Physical Therapist as a dental ergonomic consultant treats numerous work-related musculoskeletal disorders including carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, cervical strains, rotator cuff tendonitis, upper shoulder spasms, mid and low back pain, thoracic outlet syndrome, and TMJ. Many of these disorders can become chronic, limiting the person's ability to work effectively or to even return to work at all. Dental ergonomic consultant may analyze dental professional’s work environment to determine what injuries she is at risk for, and can make suggestions in order to make the work environment safer, thus reducing the chance of injury in the workplace.
Among dental professionals, body movement, hand movements, patient-positioning needs, and tasks may vary. Among dentists, different specialists require different equipment and recommendations. Oral surgeons tend to be at standing position with rotating their body with repetitive forces to accomplish their tasks. On the other hand, a restorative dental specialists tend to be sit down at the same static position. Those needs require different operatory layouts, equipment and analysis of their …show more content…
PT consultant provides ergonomic assessments of a dental professional's work environment and work tasks, identifying and correcting potential problems before it becomes a chronic condition. The therapist recommends work strategies, body positioning and equipment to assist in preventing injuries.
Dental ergonomic consultant addresses the issues in dental practice. Those issues may be poor working postures and positions, sustained muscular contractions during long procedures leading to muscle spasms and increased stress on pain-producing structures, repetitive movements with forceful exertions during many procedures, poorly working equipment or lack of adjustable
Ergonomics is simply combination of study and work and it is about maximum efficiency and safety of the work environment. It is a area where relationship between work environment and staff/personnel is accessed. The goal is to prevent work related injuries among personnel including health care professionals by improving dental ergonomics, equipment and dental professional postures.
Dental profession requires concentration and precision with special equipment in a dental environment with …show more content…
The Physical Therapist as a dental ergonomic consultant treats numerous work-related musculoskeletal disorders including carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, cervical strains, rotator cuff tendonitis, upper shoulder spasms, mid and low back pain, thoracic outlet syndrome, and TMJ. Many of these disorders can become chronic, limiting the person's ability to work effectively or to even return to work at all. Dental ergonomic consultant may analyze dental professional’s work environment to determine what injuries she is at risk for, and can make suggestions in order to make the work environment safer, thus reducing the chance of injury in the workplace.
Among dental professionals, body movement, hand movements, patient-positioning needs, and tasks may vary. Among dentists, different specialists require different equipment and recommendations. Oral surgeons tend to be at standing position with rotating their body with repetitive forces to accomplish their tasks. On the other hand, a restorative dental specialists tend to be sit down at the same static position. Those needs require different operatory layouts, equipment and analysis of their …show more content…
PT consultant provides ergonomic assessments of a dental professional's work environment and work tasks, identifying and correcting potential problems before it becomes a chronic condition. The therapist recommends work strategies, body positioning and equipment to assist in preventing injuries.
Dental ergonomic consultant addresses the issues in dental practice. Those issues may be poor working postures and positions, sustained muscular contractions during long procedures leading to muscle spasms and increased stress on pain-producing structures, repetitive movements with forceful exertions during many procedures, poorly working equipment or lack of adjustable