• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.2 no.4
• /
• pp.348-354
• /
• 2011

Objectives: This cross-sectional study was performed in the Dental School of Prince of Songkla University to ascertain noise exposure of dentists, dental assistants, and laboratory technicians. A noise spectral analysis was taken to illustrate the spectra of dental devices. Methods: A noise evaluation was performed to measure the noise level at dental clinics and one dental laboratory from May to December 2010. Noise spectral data of dental devices were taken during dental practices at the dental services clinic and at the dental laboratory. A noise dosimeter was set following the Occupational Safety and Health Administration criteria and then attached to the subjects' collar to record personal noise dose exposure during working periods. Results: The peaks of the noise spectrum of dental instruments were at 1,000, 4,000, and 8,000 Hz which depended on the type of instrument. The differences in working areas and job positions had an influence on the level of noise exposure (p < 0.01). Noise measurement in the personal hearing zone found that the laboratory technicians were exposed to the highest impulsive noise levels (137.1 dBC). The dentists and dental assistants who worked at a pedodontic clinic had the highest percent noise dose (4.60 ${\pm}$ 3.59%). In the working areas, the 8-hour time-weighted average of noise levels ranged between 49.7-58.1 dBA while the noisiest working area was the dental laboratory. Conclusion: Dental personnel are exposed to noise intensities lower than occupational exposure limits. Therefore, these dental personnel may not experience a noise-induced hearing loss.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.11-17
• /
• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationship between noise awareness, hearing ability, and dental hygiene performance in dental hygienists. Methods: The subjects were 234 dental hygienists in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, and Incheon. The questionnaire consisted of 3 questions of general characteristics of the subjects, 1 question of noise awareness, 3 questions of hearing ability, 5 questions of dental hygiene performance, 1 question of noise reduction necessity, and 2 questions of noise control. Noise awareness, dental hygiene performance, and noise reduction necessity were measured by Likert 5 scale. Cronbach's alpha was 0.825 in dental hygiene performance reliability. Results: There was a significant difference in noise recognition by age(p<0.01) and working career(p<0.05). Those who pumped up the higher TV volume accounted for 31.6% and 3.0% had hearing impairment in the regular health checkup. 3.4% of the respondents complained of hearing loss, ear fluid, and equilibrium problem diagnosed by the doctors. The relationship between the type of workplace environment and task performance showed a significant difference. Those who work in the dental hospitals had high score of 3.43, while those who work in dental clinics had 3.20(p<0.05). The increased level of noise recognition affected the task performance and it is necessary to reduce the noise level. More try must be focused on the noise exposure prevention. Conclusions: In order to reduce the problems due to noise and improve their quality of life, it is necessary to change the noise recognition in the work place.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.27-41
• /
• 1993

Degree of noise by personal dental laboratory working process and degree of noise by complex dental laboratory working process were measured separtely. The time of exposure to noise greater than 70dB was analyzed. Then, the whole degree of noise in dental laboratory was estimated on the basis of afore-mentioned information. Questionaire were employed to investigate the mental, emotional and physiological effects of noise in dental technicians, The purpose of this study was to provide basic information on keeping dental techneicans who are exposed to noise pollution in good working condition and good health. Results obtained are as follows ; 1. Polishing process in each working part showed high degree of noise greater than 70dB in terms of degree of noise by personal working. 2. Degree of noise by complex working process in each working part was greater than that of personal working process. 3. Time of exposure to noise complex working process the part of porcelain 150min, partial denture 120 min, crown and bridge 100 min, full denture 80 min. 4. Degree of noise by time in dental laboratory was 80dB in general for polishing process and below 75dB for waxing process. 5. Effects of noise on mental and emotional state of dental technicians showed that they felt irritated every day(14%), irritated once in a while(29%) and easily ger mad(19%). 6. Effects of noise on heart and stomach were hyper-gastric acid(38%), gastric ulcer(11%), gastritis(5%), deuodenal ulcer(3%) and weak heart function(32%). 7. Effects of noise in the hearing ability were weak(39%), moderate(33%) and normal(14%) Data presented in this study demonstrated that noise in the dental laboratory exerts profound effect on dental technicians mentally, physiologically and emotionally, in light of the above results, therefore, it appears advisable to devots substantial on the management of working condition and put further(continuing) efforts in the investigation for reducing noise problem.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.111-118
• /
• 2014

Purpose: Production of dental prosthesis by a dental technician causes a loud noise. Thus, we investigated stress of dental technicians due to a noise using a structured questionnaire. Methods: A survey was conducted on working dental technicians across the country from July 2013 to November 2013; among 200 sets of survey distributed, 166 were completed and returned, and excluding the 11 that deemed unsuitable, 155 sets were used for statistics. The program SPSS 19.0 was used to analyze the correlation among the collected data. Results: The stress of noise was found to be 2.83/5 points (2.93/5 for physical stress, 2.72/5 for emotional stress). Recognition of noise was found to be 2.71/5 points (3.39/5 for recognition of noise, 2.64/5 for accidents caused by noise, 2.29/5 for experiencing disability due to noise). For general items, the highest stress were shown for the following catogories: by gender, females (p=.008); by position, chief engineer (p=.033); by monthly pay, 2.51M-3.0M KRW (p=.023); by interior comfort, 'very unpleasant' was the highest recognized (p=.014). For the effect of time exposed to noise, its stress (p=.000) and recognition (p=.000) rose with increase of time. Conclusion: Dental technicians performs tasks in work environments exposed to extreme noise. This research attempts to re-emphasize the necessity for improving the work environment for noise and provide measures of blocking noise and precaution.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.62-69
• /
• 2020

This study intended to evaluate noise level of dental handpieces and the effects of noise cancelling devices. An ear model was designed to measure the level of the noise delivered to the inner ear during dental handpiece operation. The level of noise was measured in various conditions using the ear model and the portable noise meter. Noise level was measured again after applying of 4 different noise cancelling devices to the model ear. The noise level of dental handpieces was 82.5 - 84.4 dB. When 4 types of noise canceling devices were applied, the noise level reduced to 67.4 - 73.8 dB. All 4 devices had statistically significant effect in reducing the noise of the handpiece. Considering the intensity and exposure time, noise in dental clinics can cause hearing damage to dentists. For protection from the risk of occupational hearing damages, noise canceling devices can be recommended.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.31 no.12
• /
• pp.1123-1128
• /
• 2009

Noise radiated from medical treatment at dental clinic will affect the patients. On such point of view, We investigated the noise characteristics in case of medical treatment (scaling, tooth eliminating) and non-medical examination (idling) and also evaluated the degree of indoor noise using the evaluation index such as PSIL, NRN and made up a questionnaire about the reactions to noise. As a result of noise evaluation, it shows that the range of noise level is 67.7~78.3 dB(A) and frequency is very high (above 4 k Hz) and respondents are affected by noise (unpleasantness, hesitation to visit dental clinic, shivering with noise, being astonishment). Analysis by PSIL showed that it was no problem to conversation between worker and patient. But it exceeded the noise permit level in working space by NR-curve. To relieve a fear of noise in patients, they are considered to offer the ear protection, choose the low noisevibration equipment and use the masking effect. They are of great advantage to dental clinics to i prove dental service and competitiveness.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.181-188
• /
• 2022

In this paper, we proposed of the results of the noise level and appropriate conversation distance by applying the noise characteristics generated during treatment at a dental clinic to the NR-curve and PSIL. As a result of analyzing the noise characteristics during treatment at a dental clinic, it was analyzed that the noise level exceeded 60dB(A), which is the health preservation limit value caused by noise, and the noise level increased as the frequency increased. the result of evaluation applying it to the NR curve, some treatment exceeded the workplace noise standard, and as a result of analyzing the level of conversational disturbance between the worker and the patient, it is desirable to have the conversation at a distance of less than 1M for accurate communication. In order to improve the quality of medical service in dental clinic and to reduce dental fear, it is judged that soundproofing protective equipment is provided to workers, and soundproofing measures are needed for noise sources (treatment devices used in treatment) and sound sources (patients and workers).

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.15 no.5
• /
• pp.603-611
• /
• 2015

This research is aimed at cutting off hearing loss and other harmful factors due to noise and providing basic material for noise reduction plan. As the research method, this research assessed noise by measuring acoustic pressure level and frequency in various situation of non-treatment and treatment. As the measurement result, average noise degree of high speed handpiece of non-treatment, ultrasonic waves scaler, and low speed handpiece showed 58~66 dB(A). Average noise degree of scaling of treatment, tooth elimination, and denture adjust showed 73~81 dB(A). The result is inferior to recognized standards of noise induced hearing loss. But the result of assessing this with (noise rating) NR curve was NR-73~78, which exceeded general workplace noise standard. This level can cause hearing loss when exposed to a long time. Therefore, treatment office noise during dental treatment can cause psychological and physical damage in dental clinic employees, and it is urgently required to establish systematic and active noise reduction plan.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
• /
• v.23 no.12
• /
• pp.163-170
• /
• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of noise from dental clinics on workers and to establish a reduction plan. The noise generated by the treatment instrument(Ultrasonic scaler, Hand piece, 3-way syringe, Suction, Compressor) was measured in order to determine the characteristics(level, frequency) of the noise during medical treatment(Oral prophylaxis, Conservation treatment, Prosthesis treatment, Implant Scaling, Tooth eliminating). We also assessed the noise levels in dental clinic using evaluation indicators such as NR-curves and NRN. The results of the analysis showed that the noise generated during the treatment was 85dB(A) ~ 70dB(A) and that the high frequency component was dominant, which would affect the workers working at the dental clinic. The NR-curve analysis showed NR-67 to NR-83 and the high frequency components of 4kHz to 8kHz were predominant and far exceeded noise levels in the workplace. To minimize the noise damage of workers and to provide high quality medical service, it is necessary to establish countermeasures such as wearing a soundproof and periodic hearing tests.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.453-459
• /
• 2009

The purposes of this research were to evaluate the relationships of between characteristics of noise and annoyance of dental hygienist by noise in dental clinic. To investigate the dental clinic workers' reactions to noise when occurred in dental clinic, the noise level test in dental clinic and questionnaire were taken. As a result of noise evaluation, It shows that the range of noise level was 67.7~78.3dB(A) and frequency was very high (more than 4KHz). It's seem to be begins occurrence of stamina-loss, contraction of peripheral blood vessel, decrease of adrenocortical hormones. Most of respondents were affected by noise: 67% of respondents were nervous about noise and the rest of respondents were bearable. Analysis by NR-curve showed that it was exceed the noise permit level in working space. As a result of correlation - test, the more exposed dental hygienist to noise, the more felt the unpleasantness and fatigue. It's hard to sufficient explanation to patients about the dental treatment. So it's thoughts that insufficient explanation will negative impact on the patients' satisfaction and increase competitiveness in dental clinics. To remedy a unpleasantness and fatigue of noise in dental hygienist, it's considered that making an offer the ear protection and choosing the low noise-vib. equipment and using the masking effect. Therefore, It can be provide a pleasant working environment with dental hygienist and It will have a great advantage to dental clinics to improve their competitiveness.