Abstract
Dentistry is a career that is very rewarding because of the direct opportunity to deliver essential health services to patients in need. Dentistry is also very demanding; mentally, physically, and even emotionally. Little is known about the health of dentists and how it compares to the health of the general population. The aim of the present study was to report on the general health and health practices of dentists in Massachusetts. A medical health and health practices survey was developed from the Delaware Valley Community Health Center and customized. The surveys contained 36 questions relating to demographics, general health, and health practices. A total of 399 dentists completed the survey. Of those who responded to the survey, 78.2% were males, 32.6% were 56-65years of age, 23.1% were 66-75years of age, and 21.6% were 46-55years of age. This pilot study highlights several health issues where dentists seem to have a lower incidence than the general population: asthma, depression, diabetes, hearing loss, obesity, smoking, sleep apnea, and thyroid disease. However, there are some health issues where dentists have a higher incidence than the general population: taking at least one prescription medication, gastroesophageal reflux disease, some form of cancer, back pain, neck pain, headache, osteoarthritis, rheumatic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and alcohol abuse.
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