Occupational hazards in dentistry

Education is one of the important strategies for the prevention of occupational injuries and diseases. The role of one’s occupation as an important factor in maintaining personal health needs to be constantly emphasized so workers understand any possible negative health implications of their jobs and how to minimize them.Dentists and their assistants are at risk of physical injuries and many risks remain even in modern dentistry which include per cutaneous exposure incidents, exposure to infectious agents, musculoskeletal disorders, exposure to ionising radiations, allergic reactions to dental materials and stress. Exposure to infectious agents like HIV are the ones which need to be viewed seriously. In dentistry the tendency to adapt awkward and illogical physical postures to access the oral cavity is a contributing factor for musculoskeletal disorders. The key objective for clinicians is to find a position that allows them to achieve optimum access, visibility, comfort and control. With the professional goal to deliver the highest quality of care for reasonable profit, the practice of ergonomics becomes a core focus in determining how to achieve practice success with less stress