Development and Validation of an Interprofessional Dental Ergonomics Educational Module for Implementation into Dental Curriculum

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Musculoskeletal diseases (MSDs) are associated with prolonged uncomfortable postures and repetitive actions. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a structured interprofessional dental ergonomics (IDE) module that could be added to the dental curriculum to address these issues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised three phases: i) Needs assessment, ii) Instructional module development, and iii) Validation. Guidelines, relevant literature, and the findings of the needs assessment served as the foundation for the ergonomic module development, which comprised 6 units: i) human factors and ergonomics, ii) basic dental ergonomics, iii) operator positioning, iv) dental team ergonomics, v) workstation design, and vi) ergonomic practices like working smart and short breaks. The module content validity index and reliability were evaluated and verified by 7 experts. 103 dental professionals represented by 42 dental practitioners, 35 dental students, and 26 faculty members, completed a self-administered questionnaire on IDE. RESULTS: Overall, 87% of respondents valued microbreaks, 92% strongly agreed that ergonomics should be taught in schools, and 57% said that MSDs affected their day-to-day job. The expert panel firmly agreed that the module could improve knowledge and that it was acceptable. The module's good content and face validity were supported by the validation findings. CONCLUSION: The developed IDE module demonstrated both useful content and face validity. Dental students' knowledge, comprehension, and skills to prevent MSDs can be improved by incorporating this into dentistry education, supporting better health and well-being.