Prevalence of Occupational Health Hazards in Dentists, Final Year Bachelor of Dental Surgery Students and Dental Assistants of Lahore

Abstract: The burden of occupational health hazards in dentists, final year bachelor of dental surgery (BDS) students and dental assistants are tremendous. Developing countries have controversial situation about the prevalence because of inadequate facilities in rural and urban areas of each nation. Objective: To determine the prevalence of occupational health hazards in dentists, final year BDS students and dental assistants of Lahore. Methods: A total of 300 subjects comprising of 150 dentists, 50 final year BDS students and 100 dental assistants were selected through simple random sampling technique. The cross sectional study was carried out in both private and public based teaching hospitals of Lahore to assess the differences of prevalence of occupational health hazards between them with a pre-tested questionnaire. Results: Among all the occupational health hazards under study a maximum problem of stress was manifested and reported in 87% of all the subjects of private university hospital and 66% in public university dental hospital. Minimum health hazard in the term of prevalence of hearing impairment among public university dental hospitals was 25% in public and 36% in private university dental hospital. Conclusions: The burden of occupational health hazards and its prevalence was higher as an average in private university dental hospitals as compared to public university dental hospitals. Keywords: Musculoskeletal disorders, latex allergy, impaired hearing, loss of vision.