Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) have become increasingly common among dentists and initiate a series of events that could result in a career ending. In this study, we described the self-awareness teaching and learning approach in clinical skill development aiming to prevent MSDs among dental students in clinical practice.
Methods:
The self-awareness clinical skill development program focused on the positions, movements, contacts and comfort that dental students can sense with their bodies. The program used problem-based learning approach and consisted of 5 stages: (1) Human-centered derivation, (2) Positions, contacts and views, (3) 3D basic finger control, (4) Skill transfers, and (5) Dentist-assistant roles. To evaluate the impact of the program on students’ MSDs, surveys on musculoskeletal symptoms using self-administered standardized Nordic questionnaires were conducted on the students in the last year of the clinical practice. Students at Thammasat University (TU) who participated in the self-awareness clinical skill development program were the participants. Students at Srinakharinwirote University (SWU) who did not participate in the program were the controls.
Results:
Sixty-six surveys were completed by 38 TU students and 28 SWU students with a response rate of 100%. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups with regard to mean age, gender, body mass index, and years in practice. TU students (participants), compared with SWU students (controls), reported a lower prevalence of neck (21% vs 46%; P<0.05), hand/wrist pain (7% vs 17%; P<0.05), shoulder pain (12% vs 25%; P<0.05), and upper back pain (9% vs 26%; P<0.05).
Conclusions:
In this study, the study group had a lower prevalence of neck, hand/wrist, shoulder, and upper back pain compared with the control group. Given the ramifications of these findings, the self-awareness clinical skill development program had the positive effects on MSDs among dental students.