Awareness of health risks associated with dential profession among students of the Sarajevo faculty of dentistry

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess awareness among the students of the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Sarajevo of the occupational health risks associated with dental profession. The research was conducted among the dental students of all years of study at the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Sarajevo, by using a tailor-made survey questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed by 446 students. Results: 92% of students believe that dentistry is a profession that involves a high level of risk for the outbreak of occupational diseases. Students believe that practicing dentistry can most often lead to various infections (70%) and vision impairments (64%), and that the most common potential causes of occupational diseases are poor positioning and incorrect body posture during work (88%) and infections (78%). When asked whether the occupational diseases among dentists are preventable, 89% of students gave an affirmative answer, and pointed to the requirement to use Personal Protection Equipment – PPE (94%) as the most important measure for the prevention of occupational diseases among dentists. The results of the survey show that the students of dentistry at the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Sarajevo have reached a certain level of awareness of the health risks that are associated with their future profession. The students have taken a largely identical view that dentistry is a profession that involves a high level of risk for the development of occupational diseases.