Goals

Occupational health hazards due to dental practice among dental professionals are on a continuous rise resulting in a significant negative impact on the overall quality of life. Dentists tend to assume stressful body positions due to work place restrictions, and to obtain better access and visibility to the operating site ending up with Work related musculoskeletal disorder(WMSD). Ergonomics is the Science that fits the job to a person’s anatomical physiological and psychological characteristics in such a way that it enhances human efficiency and well-being (International ergonomic Association).

Injuries caused by WMSD or similar cumulative trauma disorders, can be reduced or prevented by applying ergonomics through at sight monitoring and correcting of posture, dental equipment and instrument design concept, which will provide a synergistic approach to dental practice for more efficient delivery of dental care and increased productivit.

This certificate course on CCDE-COMBINED COGNITIVE DENTAL ERGONOMICS is designed to expose the under graduates and post graduates to the concept of ergonomic work place principles under three domains- physical(Dental), cognitive, and organizational approach. Present-day evaluation methods often focus on cognitive ergonomics (such as mental workload or usability) or physical ergonomics (such as physical workload or body posture). But a well-known problem in the area of physical ergonomics is that working tasks are not always performed as intended, despite good ergonomic design of the working tools. Therefore, the risk of work-related problems is not always completely avoided by good ergonomic design of working tools and work space. An advanced understanding regarding ergonomic positioning, promoting healthy lifestyles in their academic environment and their future professional life, at the beginning of their clinical practice is the need of the hour.

This comprehensive course with multi-disciplinary team work including dentist, physiotherapist and nutritionist prepares the student and the clinician to incorporate the ergonomic principles into dental practice with ease.

Specific Objectives

The objectives of the teaching in ergonomics were formulated as follows:

• Raising the awareness of the need for knowledge and the practice of ergonomics in dentistry, as a tool to achieve productivity and improve the quality of life

• Improving attitudes for identification and the avoiding of risk factors in the dental practice through self-assessment of the working posture and a critical view on the overall organization of the working process

• Implementing (at the UG, PG and faculty level) a positive interest in establishing an ergonomically friendly learning clinical setting; and

• The design of an educational module of dental ergonomics giving sound essential knowledge and tools for efficient and injury free work.

Admission Process

The under graduates and post graduates will be the target population for the above mentioned course requiring 3 hours per month on a routine basis

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Duration of the course

3 hours per month

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Attendance requirement

100% attendance requirement

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Examination and Evaluation process

After the completion of the course, the students will be evaluated using a post test survey using questionnaire pertaining to the modules and should perform operatory procedure incorporating ergonomic work place principles which would be evaluated by external examiners. The evaluation is task-based, which makes it possible to use both with focus on the device design; as well as with focus on the procedure, in the operative organization.

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Proposed syllabus- The proposed syllabus shall be implemented through 5 modules:

Occupational hazards and risks’ prevention

• Review of occupational hazards
• Review of occupational hazards in dentistry
• Review of harmful effects per systems
• Prevention of occupational harm Recommendations for improvement of occupational health

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Dental ergonomics

• Emergence and development of ergonomics
• Dental ergonomics Ergonomic standards in dentistry
• Ergonomic principles and approaches in the dental office organization

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Organization of dental treatment process

• Working area design and space organization -Furniture and equipment
• Control of working motions’ efficiency- Instruments and materials
• Performance management
• Time management

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