Effect of turbine dental drill noise on dentists' hearing

The effect of high-speed dental turbines on dentists' hearing was investigated. The two types of dental turbines used most commonly in the Tel Aviv area and their average time of daily use were established by means of questionnaires. The noise pressure level of these turbines at a distance of 30.0 cm was measured. Twenty subjects were exposed to the turbine noise for a period equal to the average time of the drill's daily use. The noise pressure levels of the turbines were found to be nonhazardous by the accepted damage-risk criteria. The temporary threshold shifts of the subjects exposed were nil or insignificant. It was concluded that the risk of damage to the dentist's hearing due to dental turbine noise in the normal course of a working day is slight.