THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF ERGONOMIC WORK
PRINCIPLES IN DENTIST AS EFFORT TO PREVENT
MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS

Rosihan Adhani
Page No. 1-8

Musculoskeletal disorders that include the upper and lower spine, shoulders, and wrists are risk
factors in the dentist profession. In some previous studies, prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders
in dentists ranged from 25-85%. A number of technical factors such as dental units, work lights and
other equipment used are not ergonomic. Non-technical factors such as how and position when
treating patients is a risk factor that plays an important role to cause musculoskeletal disorders in
dentists. Improving technical and non-technical risk factors can be done to prevent musculoskeletal
disorders in dentists. Technical factors include standing position when caring for patients fixed with
sitting position, ergonomic equipment (dental unit, desk, work light). Musculoskeletal Disorder's
can be caused by various risk factors such as individual factors, occupational factors or
biomechanics and psychosocial factors. Occupational factors associated with musculoskeletal
disorders may result from ergonomic exposure in the form of awkward posture, static and repetitive
motion. Ergonomics designs a system in which the location of work, methods of work, equipment,
machinery, and work environment in accordance with the physical limitations and characteristics of
workers. The main principle in ergonomics is to harmonize work with workers or "fitting the job to
the worker". Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends an ergonomic
action to address musculoskeletal complaints in two ways, ie engineering techniques on station
design and work tools, and management engineering in work organization.
Keywords : Ergonomics, Dentists, Musculoskeletal Disorders