Solving Work Related Pain in Dentistry
How can you protect your back, neck, shoulders, and hands for a long and healthy career?
Most dental professionals did not receive proper evidence-based ergonomic training in school to ensure a long & healthy career. This can lead to wasted money on non-ergonomic dental equipment, poor positioning techniques, and incorrect exercise that can result in a myriad of pain syndromes.
Research shows that certain interventions should be implemented before others. Dr. Bethany Valachi’s evidence-based eBook, “5 Steps to Practicing Dentistry Pain-Free” reveals how to eliminate pain, boost productivity and improve your quality of life!
By midmorning, it starts … again; the all-too-familiar “tension headache” that soon evolves into a headache behind the dentist’s right eye and pain in his right temple. In an adjacent operatory, the hygienist experiences burning pain on the left side of her neck. Why does this happen? Both clinicians recently embarked upon diligent exercise programsRead More >>
– by Dr. Bethany Valachi – “My neck pain is 70% gone, but now I have a different type of ache– just below my occiput.” I hear it again and again when working with dentists and hygienists with the new prismatic deflection loupes. But how could this be, with such an incredibly steep declination angleRead More >>
Using Evidence-based Ergonomics & Exercise to Prevent Work-related Pain with Dr. Bethany Valachi – 238
Pain is not a necessary by-product of dentistry. You can reduce or eliminate your pain with targeted, evidence-based interventions! VIEW VIDEO Access the WellBody System NOW! Unfortunately, most dental and hygiene schools do not teach evidence-based ergonomics and wellness strategies. To make matters worse, the dental continuing education system is flooded with outdated, hand-me-down ergonomic educationRead More >>
-Original Article by Dr. Bethany Valachi- edited by Merideth Sweeney Did you realize the profession of dentistry ranked four out of the top five careers that are most damaging to one’s overall health (Kiersz & Gillett, 2018)? Now, include being a woman to that alarming statistic, and this combination could produce the perfect storm for an ergonomic disaster. But what ifRead More >>
-Dr. Bethany Valachi- You’ve had a tough day in the operatory, the sun is out, your back is aching, and the green is calling. What could be better than a game of golf to work the aches out? For some dentists…just about anything! It’s no secret that over 50% of dentists experience chronic low backRead More >>
-Dr. Bethany Valachi- Dental professionals are uniquely prone to muscle imbalances that are not a problem for the general population. In this video, Dr. Valachi explains why dental professionals should target specific muscle groups with muscular endurance training and why certain generic exercise routines and gym machines can throw dental professionals into the vicious painRead More >>
-Dr. Bethany Valachi- Up to 80% of dentists & hygienists report neck pain in a 12 month period, and if untreated, can lead to disability or early retirement. Intervention to prevent neck pain in dentistry should be evidence-based and unbiased. My doctorate studies focused on preventing neck pain among dental professionals, so I am quite passionateRead More >>
-Dr. Bethany Valachi- Hip pain among dental professionals can be due to a number of factors, however one of the most common is piriformis syndrome. Piriformis syndrome is more prevalent among women than men, and occupations that involve prolonged sitting, such as dentistry, may place women at a higher risk for hip pain than otherRead More >>
-Dr. Bethany Valachi- When it comes to dental stools, one size does NOT fit all! With all the varieties and optional features of dental stools on the market today, your unique body characteristics can be better fitted and supported than ever before! However, when selecting a dental stool, we must now take a look at notRead More >>
-Dr. Bethany Valachi- You wouldn’t put just any old forcep on any old tooth for an extraction. You need to match the appropriate instrument to the specific treatment need. For example, if you try to use an anterior forcep on a posterior tooth, it probably won’t work well…in fact, someone could get hurt! Likewise, whenRead More >>
-Dr. Bethany Valachi- One of the primary reasons I see my students and clinicians contorting over the patient is due to poor control of the occlusal plane when treating the upper arch. This is Step 3 of my 10-Step Patient Positioning Sequence, and one of the most important concepts in dental ergonomics: when the occlusalRead More >>
-Dr. Bethany Valachi- Those who know me well may think I advocate a saddle stool because I am an equestrian! However the beneficial biomechanics behind a saddle stool in the operatory cannot be overlooked. Saddle-style stools are becoming increasingly popular in dentistry—and for good reason. The benefits of this positioning are numerous, and research supports theRead More >>
-Dr. Bethany Valachi- Among the general population, about 1 in 6 people would tell you they’ve experienced low back pain in the past 12 months. Among dental professionals, the prevalence is 1 in 2! So what causes low back pain in dentistry? There are numerous causes, including: Non-ergonomic dental stools Improper adjustment of the stoolRead More >>
-Dr. Bethany Valachi- Prolonged, awkward postures are the greatest culprits for the demise of dentist’s musculoskeletal health1. Sustained muscle contractions can cause painful muscle ischemia and the development of “tender spots”, or trigger points in muscles2. Even in “perfect” seated posture, more than half of the muscles in your body are in a sustained contraction. Read More >>
-Dr. Bethany Valachi- In dentistry, two of the most commonly reported pain syndromes of the wrist occur in nearly the same area. Easily confused, but of entirely different origin, deQuervain’s disease is a painful inflammation of the tendons in the thumb, whereas osteoarthritis (OA) of the thumb is a degenerative joint process. Both appear frequentlyRead More >>
-Dr. Bethany Valachi- Imagine spending $1,500 on new loupes, and you suddenly begin to develop neck pain, or, your existing neck pain worsens. This is an all-too-common problem that I frequently encounter in my dental ergonomic consultations. On the other hand, I have repeatedly seen well-designed ergonomic loupes improve or completely resolve neck pain. SoRead More >>
-Dr. Bethany Valachi- Manufacturers frequently tout the esthetic and productivity features of different delivery systems, however the way the system is used and adjusted can either benefit or worsen your health. Here, I highlight the most common ergonomic challenges with delivery system and easy resolutions! Rear-Delivery Systems Rear-delivery systems work best when true four-handed dentistryRead More >>
Dr. Bethany Valachi’s powerful, evidence-based ergonomics education is available as Online Video Training Courses, or as Live CE Courses.
Dr. Howard Farran of DentalTown interviews Dr. Valachi and learns more about integrating a focus on ergonomics to improve dental professionals’ health and extend their careers.
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