Changes in Dental Hygiene Students' Working Posture Using a Clock Position Guide

This study aimed to use three working posture assessment tools to investigate changes in working posture among dental hygiene students when using a clock position guide.

The study was collected from 31 fourth-year dental hygiene students at U University from September 9, 2021 to October 8, 2021. The working postures of the students were video-recorded as they worked in a self-position and guided position, and the working postures were assessed using RULA, REBA and M-DOPAI. After excluding three participants who withdrew from the study, 28 were included in the final analysis. The data were analysed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Kruskal-Wallis test with statistical significance set at 0.05.

The total RULA, REBA and M-DOAPI scores improved for all clock positions (p < 0.05). The RULA score had positive work position changes in all clock positions in all body parts, but only the wrist, trunk, neck and legs showed siginificant differences (p < 0.05). The REBA score had positive work position changes in the trunk, neck and wrist in all clock (p < 0.05). The M-DOPAI score showed positive work position changes in all body parts in all clock positions except the hips in the 10-11 o'clock position, and there was a significant difference in the head and neck and wrists (p < 0.05). Dental hygiene students' satisfaction also showed positive changes from 2.84 ± 0.56, 3.06 ± 0.59 and 3.08 ± 0.57 to 3.82 ± 0.58, 4.00 ± 0.57 and 4.04 ± 0.49, respectively (p < 0.05).

Using clock position guides for working posture training of dental hygiene students will help establish an appropriate neutral position and reduce discomfort in various body parts in dental workers.