Evaluation of musculoskeletal pain of 4th and 5th year students of faculty of dentistry and ergonomic factors in pedodontic internship

The prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases in dentistry and the ergonomic factors that cause them should be determined. Pedodontists encounter non-cooperative patients and often need to perform procedures in a short time. These conditions affect the working positions of pedodontists and cause the development of musculoskeletal disorders. The aim of this research is to evaluate musculoskeletal disorders of dental students in their 4th and 5th years and ergonomic factors during pedodontics internship. In the study, a two-part questionnaire was administered to the students. The first part consists of the Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ-E) and the second part consists of questions examining the demographic characteristics of the students and ergonomic risk factors in the pedodontics internship. It was determined that 68,7% of the musculoskeletal pain seen in the students participating in the study occurred in the neck, 66,7% in the waist, and 55,8% in the upper back. It was determined that pain in the neck, shoulder and upper back areas was significantly more common in women than in men. Dentistry students participating in the study worked 2,54±0,81 hours sitting and 0,81±0,53 hours standing in a day. 55,1% of the students worked with their backs bent forward+right/left, while 8,2% worked with their backs straight. It was observed that 61,2% of the students worked with their necks bent forward, while 4,8% worked with their necks upright. The reasons of students non-ergonomic working positions during their pedodontics internship are: non-cooperative patients (53,1%), low mouth opening (40,8%), and dental chair-patient size incompatibility (21,2%). In conclusion, it may be considered essential to provide ergonomic training to dental students during their education and beyond, to ensure proper posture and correct use of equipment. Additionally, dental units and other equipment should be arranged ergonomically. It might also be beneficial to use pediatric dental units or patient elevating chairs to facilitate the management and positioning of child patients during treatment. Keywords: pedodontics, ergonomics, dental student, musculoskeletal disorders