BACKGROUND

Dentists experience more neck, shoulder and lower back pain than do practitioners in other occupational groups. The authors examined the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in dental students, by sex.

METHODS

The authors investigated the body distribution and severity of reported musculoskeletal pain in a population of dental students, considering increased exposure to clinical experience with years in dental school. A total of 271 dental students in all four school years completed a questionnaire focusing on pain reported in five general body regions.

RESULTS

Forty-six to 71 percent of students reported body pain, with the percentage generally increasing with years in dental school. Women reported having the worst pain in their neck/shoulder region (chi2, P = .004); men reported having the worst pain in their mid- to lower back regions (chi2, P = .015). Frequency and daily duration of the worst pain were higher in the third year of dental school than in the first year (Bonferroni test, P = .014 and P = .001, respectively), as was the persistence (in months) of the most symptomatic body pain (P = .001). Pain intensity was higher for women than for men (two-way analysis of variance, P < .05). The perception of how performance of dental procedures affects pain increased significantly with number of years in dental school (P = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic musculoskeletal pain appears early in dental careers, with more than 70 percent of dental students of both sexes reporting pain by their third year.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Musculoskeletal pain is a common complaint of dental professionals that may lead to serious physical disability. Since this type of pain occurs early in dental training, dentistry is obligated to further examine the mental, physical and ergonomic factors that may be contributory.