ergonomics

1. DENTAL ERGONOMICS
Mr.HILBERT KAMO
B.Tech Dental Therapy; CD.Ergo(VAI)

3. INTRODUCTION
Many dental practionners have had togive up the career
they love because of acute pain. Dental practitionners
often suffer with ongoing headaches, pain in the neck,the
back and wrists. But finally when the clinicians seeks help,
pain is severe and there may be irreversible structural
damage.

4. You do not have to accept these hazards as part of
our job. The key to preventing injury is to recognize
and address the causes.

5. WHAT IS ERGONOMICS?
“Ergo” means work
“Nomos” means natural laws or systems
Ergonomics is the science of work
Ergonomics is much broader than preventing
work-related musculoskeletal disorders
Ergonomics plays an important role in
preventing injury and illness.

6. WHAT IS ERGO?
Ergonomics deals with adaptation of the
work environment to the human body.
An applied science concerned with
designing and arranging things people use so
that the people and things interact most
efficiently and safely

7. WHAT IS ERGO?
"fitting the job taskto the
person performing the job"
Job Demands
Worker
Capabilities

8. GOAL OF ERGONOMICS
TO HELP PEOPLE STAY HEALTHY WHILE PERFORMING
THEIR WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY. THIS CAN BE
ACHIEVE BY:
 Changing workplace design.
 Modifying instruments.
 Strenghtening muscles, taking breaks.
 Providing proper training.

9.  Use reasonable operating forces and minimal repetitions reduces
overall physical effort required by a task
 Minimize sustained effort
 Brief but frequent rest pauses which can minimize fatigue and
enhance productivity
 Try to incorporate a variety of different activities to shift
musculoskeletal demands from one part of the body to another

10. PRINCIPLE OF ERGONOMICS
ERGONOMICS DESIGNS THE WORK AREA AND THE
TASK AROUND THE HUMAN BODY,RATHER THAN
REQUIRING THE HUMAN TO ADAPT TO POORLY
DESIGNED EQUIPMENT AND WORKING
ENVIRONMENTS.

11. SPECIFICS GOALS
Improved
Productivity
Safety
Health
Job Satisfaction

12. DENTAL ERGONOMIC
STRESSORS
 Sustained/awkward postures
 Repetitive tasks
 Forceful hand exertions
 Vibrating operational devices
 Time pressure from a fixed schedule
 Coping with patient anxieties
 Precision required with work

13. PREVENTING
ERGONOMIC INJURIES
 Identify risk factors
 Educate DHCP about ergonomic hazards and preventing
MSDs
 Identify symptoms as soon as they become apparent
 Intervene quickly

14. PREVENTING
ERGONOMIC INJURIES
Change human behavior
Consider ergonomic features for dental
equipment (e.g., patient chairs, operator stools,
hand/foot controls, instruments) when purchasing
new equipment
Modify working conditions to achieve optimal
body posture
Achieve optimum access, visibility, comfort, and
control at all times

15. WORKPLACE
INTERVENTION
“Make the job fit the person” not vice
versa
Minimize extreme joint position
• Keep wrist in neutral (i.e., straight) position
• Keep joints held at midpoint of range of motion
Reduce the use of excess force
Reduce highly repetitive movement

16. APPLYING ERGONOMICS
TO DENTISTRY
I. Provide Sufficient Space
Awkward bending, twisting, and reaching places
stress on the musculoskeletal system and can
lead to discomfort.

17. ACCESSIBILITY

18. Provide Sufficient Space
 Permanently place equipment used in every clinical
procedure within comfortable reach (within 20 inches of the
front of the body)
 Use mobile carts for less commonly used equipment
 Allows convenient positioning when required

19. Provide Sufficient Space
 Provide a clear line of sight to the oral cavity and all
required equipment
 Maintain a neutral, balanced position—position of an
appendage when it is neither moved away from nor directed toward the
body’s midline; it also should not be laterally turned or twisted

20. II- ACCOMMODATE INDIVIDUAL
PREFERENCES
Individuals vary in size, shape, training, and experience
Ensure equipment and work areas allow flexibility;
examples may include:
• Allows right- or left-handed use
• Allows different working postures
• Provides a choice in methods used

21.  Avoid bent or unnatural
postures
III-Reduce Physical Effort
 Ideally, equipment should
allow work in a relaxed and well-
balanced position
 DHCP should adjust
equipment to the
appropriate height
 Position the patient to
allow easy access from
the desired position