Oral Health and Dental Management

Study of exposure dentists in Damascus to some occupational risks

4^th Asia Pacific Congress & Expo on Dental and Oral Health

July 27-29, 2015 Brisbane, Australia

Ammar M Mashlah

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Oral Health Dent Manag

Abstract:

Background: Although identification of risks to dental healthcare workers has been explored in several industrialized nations, very little data is available from developing countries. Aim of Study: This paper examines the occupational hazards present in the dental environment and reports survey results concerning attitudes and activities of a group of Syrian dental care providers. Methods: A survey on occupational hazards was conducted among the clinical dental at the Dental clinic in Damascus, Syria. Staff responded 107 dentists, subject ages ranged from 24 to 75 years with. Results: 41 Dentists (38.7%) could recall a sharp injury in the past six months, and the majority (60.7%) had regular contact with dental amalgam, while backache was the most frequently experienced hazard in 57.9% of the subjects. Conclusions: This study shows that, in spite of a high level of awareness about the occupational risks among dental practitioners, however, clinical procedures for the prevention of occupational risks within the dental healthcare workers is not enough. Back pain was the common form of occupational hazards.