PREVENTIVE AND CURATIVE MEASURES ADOPTED BY DENTISTS TO COMBAT OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS–A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

摘要

Objectives: To assess various measures undertaken to overcome the occupational hazards among dentists in Bellary. Methods: This was a cross sectional questionnaire study. Results: Only nine dentists were still doing amalgam restorations and were properly disposing and handling it. Dentists were stretching their arms and improving their posture during and in between the treatment procedures. Hardly four dentists were using medication to relieve pain mainly for backache and headache. 100% (n=66) were wearing masks and most of them following standards for prevention of cross infection like wearing gloves, vaccination etc. Conclusion: Study showed that most of the dentists in Bellary were well aware of the hazards they can come across in their field. Most of them were taking necessary steps to combat the problems in the form of physical exercise, meditation, vaccination, usage of preventive barriers as well as following ethical principles Keywords : Dentist, Ergonomics, Occupational hazards, Prevention, Work Related Musculosketal Disorders (WRMSDs)