March 21st 2024
A new convertible chair will enable clinicians to move around the operatory with ease, all while reducing ergonomic strain for long hours.
January 24th 2024
November 13th 2023
How to optimize and "ergonomize" your front office
July 21st 2016Ergonomic challenges in the front office rivals can often rival those in the dental operatory! Just as in many dental operatory scenarios, you don’t have to break the bank to ‘ergonomize’ your front office. Here are the top problems I encounter in dental front offices and easy, economical fixes.
Top 5 checklist for a dental hygienist to do before becoming disabled
May 16th 2016The practice of dental hygiene wreaks havoc on the body. Although many ergonomic improvements for safely practicing clinical hygiene are available, most of us do not make it to retirement age working chairside, even part time. Do you have a plan, should you become disabled?
The 4 ergonomic ‘must-haves’ in a patient chair
March 24th 2016Naturally, you want your patient to be comfortable. However, when we compare how many hours a year the average patient spends reclined in a dental chair (several hours), with the time you spend hovering over the oral cavity (over 2000 hours), who is really at risk of developing discomfort or pain?
Why all exercise is not necessarily good exercise for dentists
November 18th 2015Imagine hiring a personal trainer, participating in a CrossFit program or simply trying a new gym machine to help improve your musculoskeletal health, only to end up in more pain than when you started! Unfortunately, I hear numerous accounts of this occurring among dentists. Most healthcare professionals do not realize that dentists are predisposed to unique muscle imbalances-certain generic exercises, that are not a problem for the general population, can throw the dentist into a vicious pain cycle.
Hand pain in the dental practice: When it's not carpal tunnel
October 22nd 2015Your hands are integral to your work. Because of sustained grips and prolonged awkward postures dental professionals must employ throughout the day, they experience nearly four times the prevalence of hand, wrist and arm pain found in the general public.
3 ergonomic mistakes that could end your dental career
August 19th 2015Two out of three dental professionals report occupational pain - pain that if left unaddressed could progress to an injury or career-ending disability. From my 15 years of providing ergonomic consultations in dentistry, I can safely say that the following three ergonomic mistakes are among the primary reasons I see many dentists and hygienists develop debilitating pain syndromes and/or retire early.
From pain to power: How Dr. Desiree Walker transformed herself into "The Ninja Dentist"
August 11th 2015Dr. Walker remembers vividly being in pain, sitting in the middle of an exam during her dental school days. Her shoulders hurt. Her back hurt. She could think of little other than counting the minutes until she could be done and lying flat on her back in her room.
Stretching your way out of pain in the dental office
July 21st 2015Prolonged, awkward postures are the greatest culprits for the demise of a dental professional's musculoskeletal health1. Sustained muscle contractions can cause painful muscle ischemia and the development of "tender spots," or trigger points in muscles2.
4 evidence-based ergonomic strategies to save your dental career
July 3rd 2015Did you know that nearly two thirds of dentists who retire early are forced to due to a musculoskeletal disorder? And that studies show the prevalence of work-related pain in dentistry today is roughly the same as it was in 1946?
Dentistry shouldn't be a pain in the neck: Strategies to avoid discomfort in the operatory
June 29th 2015It’s no wonder that three out of four dentists and hygienists complain of neck pain. EMG studies show that the upper trapezius muscle is the most active muscle during the delivery of dental care, which can lead to the development of a painful condition called trapezius myalgia.