Understanding the Burden of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Dental Students: A Multinational Cohort Study

To evaluate the prevalence and potential risk factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among fifth-year dental students from Romania, Türkiye, Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro.

A prospective questionnaire-based survey was conducted, including demographics, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and potential factors related to WMSDs (daily working hours, number of patients treated, preferred working position, chair support type, prolonged sitting, knowledge of ergonomic guidelines, physical activity levels and daily electronic device use).

A total of 297 individuals participated in this study; 107 (36%) Romania, 79 (26.6%) Türkiye, 71 (23.9%) Serbia, 20 (6.9%) Montenegro and 20 (6.9%) North Macedonia. The prevalence of WMSDs in at least one body part over the past 12 months was 82%. The most affected areas were the neck (68%) and lower back (64%). Neck pain showed a moderate correlation with prolonged sitting and a weak correlation with electronic device usage. Significant risk factors identified for reported WMSDs included prolonged sitting (odds ratio (OR) = 4.56, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.172-9.609, p < 0.001), clinical practice time (OR = 3.11, 95% CI: 1.495-6.469, p = 0.002) and female gender (OR = 3.42: 95% CI: 1.705-6.851, p = 0.001). Interestingly, regular physical activity significantly reduced the odds of WMSDs (OR = 0.316, 95% CI: 0.128-0.780, p = 0.012). Additionally, mobility exercises decreased the likelihood of WMSDs (OR = 0.252, 95% CI: 0.101-0.626, p = 0.003).

The high prevalence of musculoskeletal discomfort observed in this study reflects that WMSDs present a substantial health burden for dental students. This underlines the urgent need for effective educational strategies to improve dental students' awareness and knowledge of ergonomic practices and preventive measures for reducing these disorders.